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PAGE 14
FEBRUARY
t
In front of thousands, Goldendale's Cody Hamilton (CENTER) prepares for the final round of his bout with state champion Lee Morrison of Okanogan during the 16th a~
al Mat Classic the Tacoma Dome last Friday.
Story and photos by Greg Skinner, Sentinel news reporter
Goldendale's wrestlers grappled tough at the state wresting
championships in Tacoma last weekend.
Junior Chas Warner wrestled five bouts during his second
consecutive trip to the Mat Classic. Warner took 5th place in the
185-pound class by pinning three of his five opponents at the
tournament.
Cody Hamilton, another junior,
145-pound class. Hamilton won his
clean style only to
meet Lee Morrison in
the second match.
Morrison, the 2o03
state champion,
retained the title a
few bouts after beat-
ing Hamilton, a loss
that sent Hamilton
into consolation
rounds.
Five members of
the Timberwolf
wrestling team made
it to the regional tour-
nament in Royal City
last weekend; only
Hamilton and Chas
had the goods to go to
state.
Hamilton came
into the season half-
way through, a first-
year wrestler. Despite
being a rookie,
Hamilton scored best
of four athletes
plowed , over in
Morrisons path to
the center podium.
Hamilton went
into the match trying
to score and after
gaining two points on
a reversal was forced
into a defense-driven
match. "Defense is
my best skill,"
Hamilton said.
wrestled three bouts in the
first round of competition in
--W, / ....
Chas Warner looks for advice during a
against Jon Grewe of Libertyjast Saturday.
In the 145-pound class wrestling is about speed and strength.
Hamilton is on board with speed, but relies on technique rather
than strength. Hamilton said he could not rely on strength.
Before each of their bouts the boys went through their rituals:
Hamilton on the practice mat moving fast, buzzing through
moves, thinking of his opponent. Planning what do on the mat.
Not far away Warner was napping. The bigger wrestler has a dif-
ferent approach to the warm-up. "Little naps, just little ones," he
said.
As Hamilton rehearsed his physical match, Warner lay flat,
arms folded back behind his head, working out his next contest.
He was thinking of pinning his opponent. Warner's naps gave
way to pacing each time Hamilton mov ed to the mat. Pacing that
would last for 50 minutes.
The solo mental approach before bouts is noticeably different
than other wrestlers. But it's what their coach wants.
Young wrestlers from other schools prepare before each
round with their coaches battering and bending them. They pre-
pare with other teammates
working them through take-
downs and picks, working
through possible scenarios in
a physical way.
Warner and Hamilton's
pre-match psychology ses-
sions reflect their coach's phi-
losophy of mental toughness.
Omar Flores, Goldendale
wrestling coach, says his
approach is a mental one.
By the time his wrestlers
reach the state meet, Flores
thinks they know what they
need to do. He also wants them to have a good time doing it.
Flores wants his wrestlers to be as good at losing as anyone win-
ing.
When this is all over, people are going to remember how the
lboys handled themselves more than how the), performed, said
Flores. "It's up to them."
With the size of Goldendale's team, the wrestlers don't get the
same kind of time against others in the same weight class and
are relegated to get themselves into a performance mindset.
In Hamilton's first match on Friday, he showed good speed
and technique, beating Kyle Lapic of Bellevue Christian in a 9-9
decision. A complete reversal came in the next
bout, though, with Morrison.
Hamilton relied on defense as the state champ'i-
on Morrison worked hard to pin him. Hamilton
denied him the pin, but Morrison took the bout in
a 9-2 decision
Warner's approach on the mat is as different as
his pre-bout ritual. There seems to be not one
defensive bone in his body.
When competing, Warner walks into the center
of the 32-foot circle, looks into opposing eyes,
shakes hands and attacks.
The first match Warner went straight for a dou-
ble leg takedown. Warner likes to pick his oppo-
nents up and set them down gently before pinning
them. He missed, but 3:32 later, Warner had out-
scored Jared Little of Raymond 9-1, then pinned
him.
During his second bout, Warner pinned his
opponent cleanly in the third round a,fter working
him over for five minutes. Warner s next two
matches got away from him, not going the way he
had planned. Warner hoped to pin Zach Coggins,
to "Take him fast." Instead, he lost.
Flores said that, in a way, Warner is almost too
polite, not quite mean enough for the intense sport
that brought 800 wrestlers to the Tacoma Dome
and sent more than one young man packing back
to their corner, cD4ng from a loss.
Referring to Warner's performance in the semi-
finals, Flores said, "He's a little slow so far. He
needs to get more charge."
That charge came back in Warner's fifth bout. A
few moments before the final bout started, Coach
timeout Flores asked Warner how he was. Warner's
response: "P**%d." Flores told Warner to relax,
to have fun and enjoy the match.
Warner walked out, shook hands and then
pinned Kyle Welch, from Columbia, in just 53 seconds. Not
quite as politely as his first two opponents.
With the weekend tournament past, the season is over, but for
both Wrestlers, there's more time next year. Hamilton and
Warner will. return for their senior year and a fresh chance to be
champion.
Warner wrestled a senior in
every bout, won or lost, at this
~ear's Mat Classic. None will
e in his way next year.
Cody Hamilton controls Kyie Lapic of
the first round of wrestling a tthe state
Chas Warner flips Jared Little, of Raymond,
bout of the tournament. Warner went on to
We're pleased to
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Hamilton spent time after
his matches sitting with
Flores watching .other
wrestlers go through to the H&R Block Advantage
championship rounds. 'I told about.
10-4 Sat.
him, see this move, see that
and before long he was point-
ing out new moves to me."
Said Flores. "He's learning."
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