CHS wrestlers compete at Pacific Coast Championships

After already traveling to tournaments in Yakima and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho this season, Camas High School boys wrestling coach Glenn Hartman said it is nice to compete closer to home every once in a while.

Fourteen Papermakers participated in the Pacific Coast Championships Thursday, at Hudson’s Bay. The tournament, which involved 35 teams from throughout Washington and Oregon, continued Friday and was co-sponsored by Evergreen High School.

Team finishes included Union in first place, followed by Kelso. Evergreen placed sixth as a team. Camas finished in 26th place, ahead of Heritage and Columbia River.

“It was a pretty tough tournament,” Hartman said.

Seven Papermakers made it to the second day of competition. They were Bryant Elliot (106 pounds); Marcus Hartman and Tye Lommasson (113); Adam Weiss (126); Tyler Weiss (132); Philip Barlas (160); and Vince Huber (170).

Hartman, a sophomore, placed fourth individually in the 113 pound weight class, while Tyler Weiss placed fourth in the 132 pound weight class.

In 2010, Hartman placed seventh individually in the 113 pound weight class in the Pacific Coast Championships.

“He had some really good matches,” his father and coach said, regarding this year’s tournament.

Marcus Hartman lost to Chris Montelongo, of Chiawana High School, in the semifinals.

Tyler Weiss, a senior, is described by the coach as “a real hard worker and leader on the team.”

“He had a great match against Tyler Davis, of Union, a fifth-place finisher,” Hartman said. “Weiss had never beat him before. He beat him 3 to 1. It was one of the highlights of the tournament for us.

“Davis was kind of a nemesis that he had never been able to overcome before,” Hartman added. “Weiss has been working really hard.”

Alex Rockstrom, of East Valley High School, in Spokane, placed third individually after he beat Weiss twice.

Overall, Hartman appreciated the Papermakers’ efforts.

“The kids wrestled really tough,” he said. “They showed a lot of desire to be there. They deserved to place.”

The CHS wrestlers will host Fort Vancouver Wednesday. The junior varsity matches start at 5:45 p.m., followed by varsity at 7 p.m.

Prior to the varsity competitions, wrestlers from Liberty and Skyridge middle schools will be recognized for their placements in the district championships.

The Papermakers will travel to Mountain View High School Friday, for JV matches at 5:45 p.m., and varsity at 7 p.m.

“Mountain View should be a really good one,” Hartman said. “They beat Kelso, and they are one of the strongest teams in the league.”

Hartman is pleased with his team’s results so far this season.

“Overall, I think we are doing good,” he said Friday. “Fourth at Pac Coast is a pretty good showing. We’re getting almost 30 kids at practices during Christmas break.

“We’re pretty young, but pretty tough,” Hartman added. “We’re growing and getting better.”