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FLYONTHESIDELINE
There's no place like Dome
While covering Mat Classic didn't know and especially around
XXIV, two phrases con- the ones I did know.
tinually ran through my None of the athletes in the
head. dome failed anyone last weekend
The first, I saw on a team T-and any person who tells them
shirt during the tournament, differently is not a good person.
The T-shirt read: "There's noThose boys and girls worked hard
place like Dome," and it's true. all season to make it to Mat Clas-
There is no other athletic tourna- sic and that accomplishment alone
ment in the state like Mat Classic should be enough for anyone.
in the Tacoma Dome. This two-day tournament is
This is the only state tourna- not only physically demanding of
ment where all six school divi- the wrestlers, their families and
sions -- 1B/2B, friends but also mentally and
1A, 2A, 3A, 4A emotionally demanding as well.
and the girls divi- On the mat, the wrestlers must
sion -- converge put forth all of their concentra-
in one location to tion on making sure they follow
end their seasons the rules of their sport, listening
in dramatic fash- to their coaches and anticipating
ion. their opponents' moves.
• The second Offthe mat, the wrestlers have
By EMILY phrase comes to maintain a clear head whether
HANSON from a song thatthey are elated about a recent vic-
is not very goodtory or devastated by a loss.
and I heard in The families and friends in the
a recent episode of "Beavis and stands face the same challenge.
Butt-Head." Oftentimes, fans are sitting in
The song line goes "It's so hard close proximity to the opponent's
in the D" and this is also true of fans, and to maintain the peace,
Mat Classic. all spectators have to keep their
The tournament begins with heads as clear as those of the ath-
1,200 wrestlers. By the second letes they are there to support.
day, that number is cut in half. This is not an easy task. Some-
The good news is all wrestlers times wrestlers are hurt and --
who reach the second day of com- regardless of the intent of the op-
petition receive a medal. The bad ponent -- when the families and
news is that for all but 82 of them, friends begin screaming for better
it won't be the medal they're hop- calls, expulsions from matches
ing to get. and worse it's difficult to remem-
After months of watching their ber that these are just kids.
weight, working hard in practice I feel the tournament is hard-
and exhausting themselves in est on seniors and those in atten-
meets and tournaments, 1,118 dance to support them. For these
wrestlers go home heartbroken, at athletes, this is the final chance
least a little bit. they'll ever have to walk out of the
The wrestlers are not only Tacoma Dome with the ability to
heartbroken because the tourna- say, "I'm a state wrestling cham-
ment didn't end the way they'd pion."
hoped and dreamed it would, but What I hope the family and
also because of the crushing dis- friends of those seniors -- and all
appointment they fear they'll see of the wrestlers, for that matter
in the eyes of their coaches, fans, -- tell their athletes is that they
friends and, in some cases, fami- worked hard and have nothing to
lies. be ashamed of.
"I failed them," I heard out of When it comes right down to it,
the mouths of more wrestlers than wrestling is still just a sport, no
I can remember. It was hard to re- matter how much anyone, myself
main silent around the wrestlers I included, loves it.
Journal photo by Emily Hanson
Mary M. Knight head boys' basketball coach Tim Diggle catches the cut-down
hoop after the Knight Owls won the District IV Boys' Basketball Tournament on
Monday, Feb. 20, in Montesano.
Members of Owls squad
named to all-league team
By EMILY HANSON
The Mary M. Knight basketball teams re-
ceived top honors from the Coastal B League
this week.
Head boys' basketball coach Tim Diggle was
named Coach of the Year by the selection com-
mittee while nine athletes from both the boys'
and girls' teams were chosen for the all-league
teams.
From the boys' team seniors Sean Sexton
and Eric Johnson, along with junior Nick Dier-
kop, were chosen for the Boys All-League team.
Junior Kyle Willey received an honorable
mention.
From the girls' team seniors Emily John-
son and Linda Cook, along with sophomore
Hannah Frost, were chosen for the Girls All-
League team.
Freshman Miranda Sowle and eighth-
grader Jaycee Valley received honorable
mentions.
,/:7%,
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Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, February 23, 2012 - Page C-5