Wounded, but not beaten

At the end of what will likely be remembered as the most brutal, punishing year of wrestling at South Whidbey High School, just one Falcon has been able to grapple his way to the regional tournament.

With most of his team debilitated due to injuries or illness, senior Jason Mannie fought pain of his own to place fifth at the District 1 3A tournament Saturday at Sedro-Woolley High School. Fighting through the pain of tendonitis in his knees, Mannie defeated a Shorecrest opponent 12-6 to move onto the state Mat Classic qualifier.

That victory, along with sixth-place finishes by regional alternates Tyler Rueth and Kyle Calkins, was the best the Falcons could take away from the two-day district meet. Eighth out of 12 teams, South Whidbey suffered more hard luck than any 10 teams combined. Crippling the team were numerous personnel losses, including freshman Brett Warwick to an injury during warmups, freshman Aaron Mannie to the flu, freshman Levi Sawyers to a broken arm, senior Nick Martinovic to a skin disease, and Calkins — to some extent — due to a separated shoulder suffered at a tournament in Lynden a week earlier.

“Right now, we’re the walking wounded,” said Wes Helseth, head coach for the Falcon wrestling team.

Yet, those Falcons who did make it to the mat Friday and Saturday put up a hard fight. At 160 pounds, Calkins battled through the consolation bracket before losing 10-2 in the fifth-sixth-place final Saturday afternoon. Tyler Rueth brushed a bit closer to making it to the region meet, losing a 9-6 consolation final largely on a near fall suffered in the second round of his 145-pound weight class. Rueth normally wrestles at 140 pounds, but Coach Helseth moved him up a weight class to give him a better chance at making the regional tournament. Three 2004 state meet placers were wrestling in the 145-pound bracket, any one of whom would have likely knocked Rueth out of contention early, Helseth said.

Other Falcons wrestling but not placing at the tournament were 152 pounder Matt Long, 171 pounders Matt Errico and Richard Rangel, 215 pounder Jeron Greene, and 125 pounder Jesse Bartell. Bartell wrestled one of the most unusual bouts of the tournament, defeating the tournament’s only female wrestler — Jennifer LeDean of Lynnwood — by fall in the second round.

Matt Long was eliminated from contention by Jason Mannie when the two faced off in the consolation bracket of their weight class.

The Region 1 meet will be held Saturday at Sedro-Woolley.

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