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Ferndale takes
Northern Invite
2/1/03
WRESTLING: Eagles win 4 individual titles on way to crown.
Michelle Nolan, For the Herald
LAUREL - Chet Slevin, Ferndale's unbeaten junior wrestler, was talking about how
excited he was by the progress of his teammates when he interrupted himself.
"And forget the freshman!" Slevin said. "He's pretty darned good."
A moment later, Derek Altona drove the Ferndale fans and his teammates nuts with
a second-round pin in the 275-pound championship match, providing a fitting
capper to a day of dominance for the Golden Eagles in the first Great Northern
Invitational at Meridian High School.
Slevin (28-0) won three consecutive matches by pin, but he was more interested
in giving fellow junior Cody Higgerson (21-7), the 171-pound champion, credit
for Slevin's improvement.
"Cody is my drill partner and he makes it tough for me," said Slevin, who scored
a third-round pin against Meridian junior Steve Auld in the 215-pound finals.
"He is a big part of my success. Cody has shown great improvement and I'm
excited for him."
Higgerson has enjoyed a breakthrough year in athletics while starting on the
football team at offensive guard and showing quick improvement in wrestling. He
beat Meridian junior Brady Emmons 7-4 for the 171-pound championship.
"I feel I should make it to state," said Higgerson, who won three consecutive
pins before the finals. "I couldn't have asked for a better day. Everything went
right. My takedowns were smooth and my pinning combinations worked great."
Altona (20-9), a 14-year-old who weighs 213 pounds, scored two victories by pin
in the 275 class, including his crowd-pleasing second-round fall over Klahowya's
Justin Murray in the final.
"Win or lose, I've always had such great support from my parents and my
teammates," said Altona, explaining his emergence as one of the most improved
wrestlers in Whatcom County.
Andrew Ashmore (23-6), the only senior among Ferndale's six finalists, won by a
first-round pin over Darrington's Josh Priddle in the 119-pound final, helping
the Golden Eagles finish with 214 points in the 16-team tournament, ahead of
Klahowya's 166.5.
Mount Baker sent a partial team and finished fourth at 143.5. Meridian with
seventh with 126, Nooksack ninth with 96, and Lynden finished 11th with 57
points.
Whatcom County had two other champions, both of whom won Most Outstanding
Wrestler awards. Mount Baker senior Anthony Zender (28-0) beat Lynden junior
Justin Ford with a second-round pin in the 135-pound final, and Nooksack Valley
senior Justin Van Dyke (20-2) won by forfeit in the 145 final because his
opponent had reached the 29-match regular-season limit.
Van Dyke was so impressive in a first-round pin and a 15-0 victory that he
nevertheless won honors for the 145-up classes.
"I couldn't be happier with this tournament and with our showing," said Nate
Button, Ferndale's first-year head coach. "This is a great stepping stone for
district. We had so many outstanding efforts today, and we went 6-0 in overtime
matches.
"This was a phenomenally well-run tournament, especially for a first-year
effort," Button said, "and I went to give all the credit in the world to
Meridian and the people who led the way," alluding to tournament director Jeff
Michaelson, coach Randy Anderson and athletic director Steve Miller. "I want
everyone to know what an outstanding tournament these folks put together."
Whatcom County claimed 13 of 28 finals spots. Second-place medalists included
Ferndale freshman Jordan Stevens (103), Mount Baker's Jake Horsman (140),
Nooksack Valley's Andrew Larson (160) and Ferndale's Travis Grimme (189), along
with Meridian's Auld, whose two wins improved him to 20-8, and Emmons.
"I definitely feel I have a shot at a state medal," Ashmore said. "I was in a
zone today and never let up. I constantly attacked and it paid off."
There were 406 matches in all as local wrestlers prepared for the Class 3A
district tournament at Sedro-Woolley and the 2A district finals at Sultan, both
next weekend.
Van Dyke said he wasn't disappointed by his victory by forfeit over South
Whidbey's Chris Long. "I'll see him next week, anyway," Van Dyke said.
GREAT NORTHERN INVITATIONAL
Saturday at Meridian High School
Team scores: Ferndale 214, Klahowya 166.5, Sultan 151, Mount Baker
(partial team) 143.5, South Whidbey 142.5, Tyee 140, Meridian 126, Darrington
99, Nooksack Valley 96, Bellevue 62, Lynden 57, Jackson 47, Concrete 42.5, Forks
29, Lake Stevens 17, Roosevelt 13.
103: Phil Schorr (SW) d. Jordan Stevens (Fern) 9-2; 112: Adam
Colliers (Sul) d. Ryan Fitts (Kla) 9-3.; 119: Andrew Ashmore (Fern) p.
Josh Friddle (Dar) 1:32; 125: Ryan Conley (Sul) tech. fall Oscar Molina (Tyee)
16-0; 130: Mikie Nguyen (Tyee) d. Mark Atterbury (Sul) 8-5; 135:
Anthony Zender (MB) p. Justin Ford (Lyn) 3:05; 140: Jake Beedle (Sul) d.
Jake Horsmon (MB) 8-6; 145: Justin Van Dyke (NV) forfeit Chris Long (SW)
7-3; 152: Peter Mannisto (Bell) d. Sean Noste (SW) 5-2; 160: Ben
Harris (SW) d. Andrew Larson (NV) 8-1; 171: Cody Higgerson (Fern) d.
Brady Emmons (Mer) 7-4; 189: Rory Lee (Kla) p. Travis Grimme (Fern) 2:56;
215: Chet Slevin (Fern) p. Steve Auld (Mer) 4:26; 275: Derek
Altoona (Fern) p. Justin Murray (Kla) 3:32.
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