February 16, 2012 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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tli g away from Malachi a little
Wres n bit. In the rematch, Malachi
Continued from page C-1 adjusted very well and the
match was much more com-
Highclimber to place at re- petitive," Lacy said.
gionals, taking sixth at 285. He said that Kushiah
"Ben won his first matchMcCullough had an incred-
in dominant fashion and ible season thisyear.
then lost three very close "Kushiah has wrestled
matches," Lacy said. "Ben is up one or two weight classes
wrestling in the 285 weight all year long," Lacy said. "He
class weighing around 230. improved every day and was
Ben had a great season and a true joy to coach. All of his
next year he will make a lot teammates and coaches re-
of noise at the state meet." spect his knowledge of the
Sixth-place was not highsport and he will be a great
enough for Anderson to ad- coach in the years to come."
vance to the Mat Classic. At 126, senior Ivan
Junior Malachi Conklin Fiedler advanced to region-
at 138 and senior Kushiah als from the district tourna-
McCullough at 145 also ment two weeks ago, howev-
wrestled for the Highclimb- er he did not make weight to
ers at regionals, participate at regionals.
"Malachi advanced to "Ivan started wrestling
the regional meet with an as a sophomore and has
overtime win against South learned so much about the
Kitsap's Brenden Harts- sport," Lacy said. "It was
horn," Lacy said. "Bren-a disappointing end to his
den had won the previousseason, but he has accom-
two matches between the plished a lot in his short
two earlier in the season, time as a wrestler."
All three have been close Wrestling at Mat Clas-
matches, but Malachi wonsic XXIV begins at 10 a.m.
when it mattered most." on Friday, Feb. 17, at the
Lacy said Conklin's loss- Tacoma Dome. The tham-
es came in his first and last pionships will continued at
matches against the same10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb.
opponent, Joshua Smith of 18, at the Tacoma Dome,
Kent Meridian. with the final championship
"The first time they matches beginning at 5 p.m.
wrestled, the match got
Journal photos by Emily Hansorl
ABOVE: Shelton senior Ty McCullough, at 113, grabs his opponent, sophomore Cameron Hiller
from Auburn, to roll him on his back during their first-round bout at the 4A Region III Wrestling
Championships on Saturday, Feb. 11, at Thomas Jefferson High School. McCullough won with
a 3:39 fall and went on to finish in second. BELOW: Shelton senior Johnathen Dennis, at 182,
checks the clock during his first-round bout against Chad Johnnie of Kentlake. Dennis
defeated Johnnie with a 5:23 fall and went on to take third in his weight class.
Journal photo by Emily Hanson
Shelton senior Colby Barber, wrestling at 170, gets his opponent, Stephen Heinze of
Auburn, into position for a pin during their first-round match at the 4A Region III
Wrestling Championships.
Athlete
Continued from page C-4
However, last year's Mat Classic was disappointing
for Barber.
"I pinned my first match and then I lost my next
two," he said. "I definitely will do better this year."
Though Barber has considered wrestling in college,
he said he would rather serve the community.
"I think the route I'm going to take is to join the
Washington State Patrol because I've always been
interested in the police force and you can join when
you're 19 1/2, so I might as well," Barber said. "I like to
help people and keep people safe."
Barber has job-shadowed with Mason County Sher-
iff Casey Salisbury and has thought for a long time
that he would either join the state patrol or the U.S.
Air Force.
Besides wrestling, Barber said he is not very in-
volved with Shelton High, beyond passing all of his
classes. His favorite classes are swimming and sports
medicine.
"I'm pretty athletic and I like to~so I like swim-
ruing class," Barber said. "I also like to learn about
sports injuries and how they relate to everything."
Barber hasn't been injured very often, but one sports
injury stuck out in his mind.
"My sophomore year I was going to go to state, but
I ripped my nostril off at the regional tournament,"
Barber said. "They superglued it and taped it, and I
wrestled my next match, but then the concussion set in
and I couldn't continue."
Barber said being in sports medicine has made him
more cautious but has not otherwise affected how he
wrestles.
Outside of school and wrestling, Barber said he en-
joys spending time with his girlfriend and playing the,
guitar.
"I've been playing guitar for close to two years," Bar-
ber said. "I write my own mumc, too."
He said that while being a professional musician
would be a cool dream, playing the guitar is just his
hobby.
Finally, Barber had some advice for fellow athletes:
"If you're in sports, make sure you set a lot of goals,"
he said. "Even if you don't think you can achieve them;
work your hardest."
Page C-4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal -Thursday, February 16, 2012
~ ~,/VI:} U~']~ r traveled to Las Vegas as well
to play for one of the Wash-
Continued from page C-4 ington All-Star teams.
"Nault was invited to the
of what rugby is in the rest of U.S. All-American Camp,
the world, which is a scouting camp,"
"The team got to watch Nesmith said.
the USA team play in the If chosen at this camp,
international pool on Sat- Nault will go on to play tbr
urday and saw teams like the U.S. All-American Team.
Samoa play for the cup," Ne- Nesmith said the boys'
smith said. "The girls got to Washington All-Star team
see what rugby means to the has a history of success.
rest of the world. There were "The Washington State
50,000 rugby fans from all boys' All-Star team lost their
over the world at the tourna- first game in 10 years last
ment, and 30,000 alone at- summer and still won the
tended Saturday's game. The tournament they were play-
girls were completely in awe. ing in," he added.
tt was a paradigm shift for While coaching in Las
them." Vegas, one of the Washing-
He said this tournament ton boys all-star teams - the
has made the Shelton girls' team Nault was not on ......
team stop looking at rugby as was playing on the field be-
just a sport they play in Shel- hind Nesmith.
ton and more as a sport the "I heard the ref blow the
world plays, whistle and looked over to
"Rugby took over Las Ve- see the U.S. All-Star team
gas," he added. "The athletes hanging their heads while
came out to meet the fans and the Washington boys started
the girls got to meet almost cheering and jumping around
every athlete who played." like they just did the impos-
Freshman Brian Nault sible," Nesmith said.
i