Yeik Bags SK Invite Title; Peninsula Wins Team Crown

By George Edgar, For The Kitsap Sun
January 22, 2006

"I won."

Yeik became the first female wrestler from Olympic ever to win a tournament title Saturday, defeating South Kitsap’s Kurtis Fenton 4-3 in the title match.

"She deserves it," Olympic coach Rick Griffith said after Yeik’s match. "She’s done all the right things to be successful. In a sport dominated by males, she’s one of the girls breaking new ground."

Tied 2-2 at the start of the third period, Yeik reversed positions on Fenton to take a 4-2 lead. Fenton escaped with 40 seconds to go, but Yeik countered his takedown attempts to hold on and win.

"It’s not about boys and girls," Griffith said. "It’s about her being successful."

This was the third matchup between Yeik and Fenton this season. Yeik had beaten Fenton in a dual meet, then Fenton defeated her during the quarterfinals of the Central Kitsap Matman tournament last weekend.

Yeik’s father was in Tulsa with her brothers, Brandon and Cody, for a national wrestling tournament.

"He’s happy," Yeik said. "He expected me to win, but he wouldn’t have been upset if I lost."

Yeik, who is 19-4, was one of four West Sound wrestlers to win individual titles. Central Kitsap sophomore Franco Cruz won at 125 pounds, defeating Matt Lowry of Evergreen of Vancouver, 7-5.

"I watched his every move," Cruz said of the match against Lowry, one of the top wrestlers in the state. "When he tried to shoot in. I tried not to jump into something that could get me on my back."

South’s Brent Chriswell ran his record to 26-0, winning the 189-pound title over Olympic’s Laurice Gerig. The SK senior, the defending 171-pound Class 4A state champion, pinned Gerig in 1:51.

Kyle Hollenbeck of North Kitsap defeated Colby Grant of Sumner 8-2 to take the 135-pound title for the Vikings.

Blake Eickmeyer of Central Kitsap (119 pounds), South’s Javan Miner (130), and Kevin Siperek of Olympic (275) were beaten in the finals and settled for second place.

Peninsula won four weight classes and earned the team title with 201.5 points. The host Wolves placed second at 161 points, with Evergreen of Vancouver third with 156.5.

South Kitsap puts its Narrows League dual-match winning streak on the line Tuesday when it hosts North Kitsap, also unbeaten in Bridge Division action this year. South has won 134 straight matches against Narrows opponents. The streak dates back to 1992.

"North matches up well with us," SK coach Chad Nass said.

South Kitsap Invitational

at South Kitsap High School

Team scores: Peninsula 201.5, South Kitsap 161, Evergreen (Vancouver) 156.5, North Kitsap 155, Sumner 129, Olympic 114, Olympia 86, Central Kitsap 64.5.

Championship Matches

103 — Camie Yeik (Oly) d. Kurtis Fenton (SK) 4-3. 112 — Jordan Hidalgo (Sum) d. Joel Myers (Pen) 15-10. 119 — Derek Roberts (Pen) p. Blake Eickmeyer (CK) 1:20. 125 — Franco Cruz (CK) d. Matt Lowry (Ev) 8-4. 130 — Tyler Hove (Pen) d. Javan Miner (SK) 8-4. 135 — Kyle Hollenbeck (NK) d. Colby Grant (Sum) 8-2. 140 — Chessjuan Monk (Ev) d. Jake Grant (Sum) 8-2. 145 — Ehli Keel (Pen) d. Zack Grant (Sum) 4-2. 152 — Matt Haas (Pen) d. Jake Cornelison (Ev) 17-0. 160 — David Holt (Sum) d. Kane Rable (Ev) 1:06. 171 — Justin Schuele (Ev) d. Mark Grandia (Pen) 7-1. 189 — Brent Chriswell (SK) p. Laurice Gerig (Oly) 1:51. 215 — Joseph Silverman (Olyp) d. Jayde Delgado (Pen) 16-5. 275 — Tyler Wooldridge (Ev) p. Kevin Siperek (Oly) :19.