8 Falcons earn regional berths / Wrestling

Eight South Whidbey High School wrestlers earned spots in the regional tournament by placing in the top four at the sub-regional meet Saturday, Feb. 8, at Sultan.

In all, 11 of the 13 Falcons at sub-regional placed among the top five to help South Whidbey finish fourth in the team standings with 140 points. Mount Baker took the title in the nine-school tournament with 218.

Drew Aposhyan led the Falcons by winning the 126-pound class. He cruised by Sultan’s Cooper Johnson 17-5 in the semifinals and then took the title by dominating Mount Baker’s Jayden Nilsen 14-2.

Dayton Birchfield places second at 170 pounds, losing in the finals to Nooksack Valley’s Juan Melero.

Dylan Davis, ranked 10th in the state at 285 pounds, finished third, recording three first-minute falls along the way. He lost 7-4 to fifth-ranked and eventual champion Ben Vanderwel of Granite Falls in the semifinals.

Sawyer Mauk (138 pounds) and Aiden Coleman (182) were also third; Justin Moberly (152), Kaidyn Brinks (160) and Magnus Nyberg (195) finished fourth; and Caleb McArthur (145), Cameron Martin (182) and Royce Christopherson (285) took fifth.

The 1A Region I tournament is Saturday, Feb. 15, at Klahowya High School in Silverdale.

The top four earn berths in the state tournament, Mat Classic XXXII, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21 and 22, at the Tacoma Dome.

South Whidbey results at the sub-regional tournament

126, Drew Aposhyan (first place): Bye; won 17-5; won 14-2.

138, Sawyer Mauk (fourth): lost by fall, 2:25; won by fall, 1:43.

145, Caleb McArthur (fifth): Bye; lost by fall, 4:23; bye; won by fall, 1:29; lost by fall, 4:02; won by fall, 2:43.

152, Justin Moberly (fourth): Bye; won by fall, 1:06; lost by fall, :33; won by fall, 1:32; lost by fall, 1:52.

152, Wayne Wahl: lost ball fall, 1:36; bye; lost by fall, 3:50.

160, Kaidyn Brinks (fourth): Bye; won by fall, 1:06; lost by fall, 3:07; won by fall, 3:40; lost 9-1.

160, Brody Nelson; lost by fall, :25; bye; lost by fall, :34.

170, Dayton Birchfield (second): Bye; won by fall, :017; lost by fall, 2:53.

182, Cameron Martin (fifth): lost by fall, 2:48; won by fall, 2:58; lost ball fall, 2:50; won by forfeit.

182, Aiden Coleman (third): won by fall, 1:38; lost 4-3; won by fall, 2:58; won 6-1.

195, Magnus Nyberg (fourth): won by fall, 1:19; lost by fall, 1:15; won by fall, 4:20; lost by fall, 2:13.

285, Dylan Davis (third): won by fall, :38; lost 7-4; won by fall, :44; won by fall, :45.

285, Royce Christopherson (fifth): lost by fall, 5:06; bye; lost by fall, :44; won by fall, :44.