Like father, like son

There are not many wrestlers who can lift Dylan Ingram off the ground.

His father, Jason, a state champion in high school, did after Dylan won the Class 4A 220-pound state championship at the Tacoma Dome Saturday.

“My dad and I have been going to wrestling tournaments since I was 4 or 5 years old. Just flashbacks of that made me tear up out there,” Dylan said. “Our whole thing was us doing it together and jumping into his arms. We’ve had that planned forever, so it was a dream come true.”

Dylan Ingram tore through the competition. The Camas High School senior won his first match by a 15-0 technical fall, the quarterfinals 7-1 and the semifinals 12-0.

“He’s an extremely hard working kid and he definitely deserves it,” said head coach Cory VomBaur. “He got takedowns every match. That’s been a struggle for him to get takedowns early. He tries to rely on turning guys. People got on to that game, and he made adjustments when he came out here.”

Tahoma’s Dagen Kramer, a proven national competitor, tested Ingram in the finals.

The Papermaker jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first round. Kramer then became the first wrestler to take Ingram down in the state tournament. Ingram quickly got away from Kramer, but he still had to start the last round on his hands and knees.

“My game plan was just to stay with it the rest of the time, hold on and fight because that kid is really good,” Ingram said. “I made sure my lungs were OK, and just fought hands down. When I found an opening, I shot up. That’s what I did.”

With all the strength left he could muster, Ingram fought his way off the mat and held on for a 7-4 victory.

“It seems so surreal right now. I feel like I still have more matches,” Ingram said. “I can’t thank my coaches, my teammates, my family and my friends enough for coming out and supporting me.”

After losing in the quarterfinals, Sam Malychewski won three matches in a row to finish in fourth place for the Papermakers at 182 pounds.

Rylan Thompson defeated Sumner’s Marcus Peterson 6-1 for seventh place at 132. The CHS junior broke his hand at the beginning of the season, but he came back, placed first at districts and regionals, and earned a state medal.

“This was a tough year, but it was fun,” Thompson said. “It makes me learn. I learn from my mistakes. I’m not losing, I’m just learning. That’s it.”

Tanner Craig took eighth place at 126. Lacy Dunlop earned eighth place in the 115-pound girls state bracket.

Ingram’s state championship made all the Camas wrestlers and coaches feel satisfied. It also helped the Papermakers crack into the top 10 at state for the first time since moving up to the 4A classification. Camas notched ninth place with 55 points.

“The season goes up and down, like a roller coaster. You have good tournaments and you have bad tournaments. You have guys lose who should have won, and you have guys win. So, you’re just on this monster roller coaster,” said VomBaur. “To have a state champion and crack that top 10, it just ends the season right.

“I think it helps create more excitement for Camas wrestling. Our numbers are growing big time in the high school. Our youth program is one of the biggest in Clark County. We’ve got a good little train going, and that’s exciting,” he added. “Dylan winning a state title and the team getting into that top 10 just keeps the engine going.”