Doug Pacey joined The News Tribune in 2007 after covering prep sports at The Bellingham Herald for five years. He graduated from Issaquah High School in 1998 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Kansas in 2002. E-mail Doug.

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Here they are, The News Tribune's 21st Annual All-Sports Championship tabulations.
The winners are:
Class 4A: Mead
Class 3A: Seattle Prep
Class 2A: Burlington-Edison
Class 1A: King's
Class 2B: Colfax
Class 1B: Almira/Coulee-Hartline
To see the complete standings, click below.
This might signify that Facebook has jumped the shark, but The News Tribune's Preps Blog now has its very own corner of the social media giant's site.
You can find the TNT Prep Sports group right here.
Most of the information that we will post on the Facebook page will be the same as what you will find here. Some will be different. My hope is that the Facebook platform encourages more discussion and reader interaction than this blog.
Give it a look and try it out. It's free!
In this tough economic climate, school districts are looking everywhere to save money. In Florida, that includes reducing the number of regular season games.
On Monday, the Florida High School Athletic Association took the drastic measure of shortening the regular seasons of all sports except football. The FHSAA -- Florida's version of the WIAA -- voted to cut varsity seasons by 20 percent and sub-varsity seasons by 40 percent through the 2010-11 school year.
Here's an excerpt from an Associated Press story on the matter:
The rule change was designed to cut costs for Florida high school athletic departments, which are facing tough budget constraints.
"These are unprecedented times," board president Greg Zornes said. "People are losing their jobs as schools are cutting millions and millions of dollars from their budgets. Our job is to look out for all the schools."
At the WIAA Rep Assembly on Friday, executive director Mike Colbrese spent a considerable amount of time exploring cost-saving measures with the principals, athletic directors and coaches in attendance at the Spirit of Washington Events Center in Renton. Trimming games from the schedule was one option. But Colbrese made the point that while cutting games does reduce costs, it also eliminates opportunities for schools to make money through ticket and concession sales.
Let's be honest, at the vast majority of schools, football games bring in the most money. That's why Florida isn't cutting any football games. But that's not an excuse to slice and dice the schedules of non-revenue sports or JV and C-teams.
Under an experimental rule, some schools in districts 4 and 9 have been allowed to play more than one JV basketball game in a day in the last two seasons. This reduces travel costs for schools, saving them money. It's no coincidence that the Rep Assembly passed an amendment on Friday that would allow all schools to do this.
School districts are taking serious looks at their budgets and deeming what is expendable. I won't be surprised to see some schools forgo traditional rivalries and join or create leagues that will reduce travel expenses.
If expenses must be trimmed, what cost-cutting measures do you want to see implemented first?
Click below to read the complete story on Florida high schools trimming their schedules:
Orting High carried some of its momentum from capturing its first Mat Classic team title onto a bigger stage Friday.
Ninth grader Drew Templeman (112 pounds) and junior Taylor Meeks (171), both Washington state high school titleholders from last February's Mat Classic, placed third in their respective weight classes a the NHSCA High School Nationals in Virginia Beach, Va.
Templeman defeated Brian Realbuto, of New York, 4-0, in the third-place match while Meeks stopped Minnesota's Tyler Lehman, 9-2, for the same finish.
Both were the top finishers from Washington.
Jimmy Belleville leapt to his feet and crossed his forearms above his head, banging them together four times.
One thump for each wrestling state championship.
“Four for four,” said the Black Hills senior, who became the fifth wrestler in state history to win four state titles.
Belleville won his final title in dramatic fashion, recovering from an early mistake to pin Burlington-Edison’s Corey Kleppe in 47 seconds in the 160-pound final at Mat Classic XXI on Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.
Belleville (39-2) slipped while going for a head-and-arm, a move he admitted was risky, and Kleppe capitalized, scoring a two-point takedown of the University of Wyoming-bound wrestler just 28 seconds into the match.
It didn’t take long for Belleville to regain control of the match. Moments later he scored a reversal and in the same motion pinned Kleppe, ending the match in 47 seconds.
“He did a quick little thing to pin me,” Kleppe said. “I’d love to wrestle him again. I haven’t wrestled many guys of his caliber.”
Belleville is the first wrestler to win a fourth title since Kelso’s Brandon Sitch accomplished the feat in 2006. Belleville won his previous titles at 103 pounds, 125 and 145. At Mat Classic XXI, he was positively dominant. Belleville recorded three first-round pins and a technical fall in the quarterfinals.
“He wrestled really well,” Wolves coach Mark Grindstaff said.
Belleville wasn’t the only Black Hills wrestling looking to add to a state title collection. Senior Nick Burnham was going for his third crown, but he was upset by Quinn Gannon of Spokane West Valley, 7-3, in the 130-pound final.
Deer Park ran away with the team title. The Stags won six individual titles and scored a 2A-record 184.5 points. W.F. West was second with 95.5 points.
Five 2A wrestlers repeated as champions. Deer Park junior Drew Acorn won at 119 pounds, Washougal senior Daniel McElhaney was first at 135, Stag senior Cody Miller won at 152 and Bellingham senior Reid Chivers won his third straight 189-pound crown.
Elma sophomore Brad Watson beat Grandview’s Santos Guillen, 10-4, in the 103-pound final. Fife’s John Rhodes (285), River Ridge’s Cameron Smith (189) and Elma’s Nick Watson (171) reached their respective title matches but lost.
Taylor Meeks didn’t seek approval from his Orting wrestling teammates before he spoke for them, but it’s doubtful any of the Cardinals would take issue with his words.
“I’m sick and tired,” Meeks said, “of finishing in second place.”
After three seasons of being the runner-up, Orting finally broke through and won its first team state championship in school history. The Cardinals walloped the rest of the field in Class 1A at Mat Classic XXI at the Tacoma Dome. Orting sent five wrestlers to the finals on Saturday night and four won titles, helping the Cardinals total 201 points. Warden was second with 127.
“This is the best feeling in the whole, entire world,” said senior John Thompson, who won the 145-pound crown. “It wasn’t just me winning, it was the entire team.”
Freshman Drew Templeman claimed the first, beating Vashon’s Sam Chapman, 5-1, at 112 pounds. After wrestling each other at postseason tournaments the last two weeks, there was little either wrestler could hide.
“The difference this time was the crowd,” Templeman said, referring to about 100 screaming Orting fans in the southeast stands. “No doubt about it.”
Junior Garrett Mann followed with technical fall, 17-2, victory over Castle Rock’s Matthew Payne in the 130-pound finals.
Thompson picked up the next title when he beat Cashmere’s Josh Mason, 6-3, at 145 pounds.
Meeks (35-0) capped Orting’s title matches by pinning Omak’s Robert Miller in 4 minutes, 21 seconds, at 171 pounds to complete an undefeated season. The state’s top-ranked wrestler at his weight in any classification, Meeks won his first match of the tournament by technical fall and pinned his next three opponents.
“He’s just solid,” Cardinals coach Mike Sowards said. “He just gets better and better. He’s going to make a heck of a college wrestler.”
When the Cardinals clear room for the state title in the school trophy case, they might want to make extra room for potential hardware from 2010. Of the 16 wrestlers Orting brought to Mat Classic, 13 were underclassmen, including four finalists.
“Hopefully we do this all over again next year,” Templeman said. “That would be pretty cool.”
In other 1A finals, Jacob Lauderdale of Lakeside won his second championship, defeating Orting’s Antonio Brown, 5-1, at 125 pounds. Vashon senior Rogen Lopez beat Chelan’s Gage Schmidt, 4-2, in the 140-pound finals.
Zillah sophomore Chris Castillo is on track to join the elite five-man group of four-time state champions. The 152-pounder edged Omak’s Andrew Miller, 10-8, in overtime.
In the B team title race, Republic held off Kittitas for the second straight season, winning, 113.5-107. Republic senior J.J. Gubler won his third title, beating Ray Tennehill of Liberty Bell by technical fall, 16-0. In a meeting of two 2008 champions, Republic’s Ryn Rollins beat Mary Walker’s Conan Kalugin, 4-3, at 125 pounds for his third state championship.
Here are some pieces of information we've gleaned from the record book and uncovered at Mat Classic XXI.
Statistically speaking...
Of the 32 defending champions at Mat Classic XXI, 28 remain in the championship brackets. Included in this group are all eight of The News Tribune’s “Untouchables.”
Kelso junior heavyweight Alisha Beach, a potential four-time state champion, is going for her third state championship. Beach pinned both her opponents on Friday.
Zillah sophomore Chris Castillo and Kiona-Benton sophomore Sheridan McDonald are also potential four-time champions. Castillo, who won the 1A 140-pound crown last year, is in the semifinals at 152 pounds. McDonald won the girls 135-pound title last season and has returned to the semifinals.
The following coaches earned coach of the year honors: Rex Febus, Mount Vernon; Mike Sowards, Orting; Jim Meyerhoff, Emerald Ridge; Craig Foster, Blaine; Randy Mulrony, Pomeroy; and Jamie Wise, Moses Lake.
Super-standout bracket
Republic High's Ryn Rollins thought attrition, or somewhere down the line, common sense would intervene.
By season's end, nothing did.
So Mat Classic XXI had a first – three reigning state champions in the same bracket. Tulalip Heritage's Demitri Robinson (won at 103 in 2008), Mary Walker's Conan Kalugin (112) and Rollins (119) all were grouped in the Class B 125 class Friday.
While Robinson was upset in his opening match, a 6-5 loss to Reardan's Kaare Anderson, Rollins and Kalugin were victorious in their two matches, and will square off for the state title tonight.
"When I found out at league a few weeks ago, I thought, 'Wow, this is going to be harder than I thought,'" Rollins said. "But it's always better beating someone who is good, than someone that's not."
A different colored shoe for each foot
Why use a matching pair of shoes, when two different shoes work just as well?
Senior Joey Salgado of Bonney Lake (152) has split two pairs of shoes with his friend Jeremy Gurule (112) of White River since the two were freshman. Salgado’s pair of wrestling shoes -– a black shoe with red stripes on the left foot and a yellow shoe with grayish-white insets on the right foot –- have been the footwear he’s been wearing all season long.
And the unusual mix of shoes, not particularly well-matching with the Panthers’ school colors of black, silver and teal, have served Salgado well.
“This is the combo that works,” he said.
In his final year of high school wrestling, the first-time state participant wrestled his way into the semifinals after pulling out a 6-4 win over Conner Brame of Ferndale.
The motivation to medal was enough to find that extra ounce of energy to pull out the quarterfinal win and that the semifinal opponent will be two-time state champion Derek Garcia of Sedro-Woolley is just fine with Salgado.
“I think it will be a good experience,” Salgado said of the prospect of facing of with the undefeated Cubs’ junior, who improved to 36-0 with two victories by pin on Friday. Garcia spent three minutes total on the mats, pinning Andre Courie of Timberline at the 2:34 mark and Isaac Tadeo of Auburn-Mountainview after 24 seconds in the quarterfinal.
No brotherly love for Ford
River Ridge junior Marques Ford, who won the Class 2A 140-pound title last season, might find himself looking over his shoulder after Friday. Not in any general sense, but specifically looking for a name – Reijm.
Two years ago, in the semifinals at 135 pounds, Ford ran into senior Taylor Reijm of Burlington-Edison and lost, 6-4. In the 2A 145-pound quarterfinals on Friday, Taylor’s younger brother Kyle, a sophomore, was Ford’s opponent.
The second Reijm did it again, getting a reversal in the final 10 seconds of the third period to upset Ford, 7-6.
“Hard work paid off,” Burlington coach Kirk Hamilton said. “Sometimes it’s just the way it works – the bracket. Kyle struck when he had the chance.”
But did the sophomore ever think he really had a shot at the state champ?
“No,” Reijm said. “I was thinking I had to do the best I could, and whatever happens would happen.”
For three consecutive years, the Orting High Cardinals have played second fiddle in the Class 1A team race at Mat Classic against the Eastern Washington powerhouses.
They're hoping 2009 is a different story.
After the first day at Mat Classic XXI, Orting is guaranteed to have 12 state placers of the 16 participants it sent to the Tacoma Dome.
Eight Cardinals wrestlers – Drew Templeman (112 pounds), brothers Shannon and Brady Maris (119), Antonio Brown (125), Garrett Mann (130), Nikko Veltri (140), Thompson (145) and reigning 160 champion Taylor Meeks (171) – are through to the semifinals Saturday.
Jake Swartz (green singlet) in the quarterfinals at Mat Classic XXI. Swartz, one of The News Tribune's "Untouchables," pinned Ferris' Russell Stinson in 5:05.
Here's a clip from Efrain Aguilar's quarterfinal victory over Zach Holland of Vancouver Evergreen in the Class 4A 119-pound division. The Graham-Kapowsin wrestler, who won the 112-pound crown last season, won the match, 6-0.
Here's a clip from River Ridge's Marques Ford, a junior who won the Class 2A 140-pound title last year, in his first-round match against Selah's Chris Rowe in the 145-pound bracket.
Ford, in the white singlet, scored a two-point takedown and three-point near fall in this clip on his way to winning the match.
The WIAA will be updating the results from Mat Classic XXI right here. It appears there's a networking problem, but it should be corrected soon.
In the meantime, here are some things I've gleaned from the brackets:
-- There are 32 defending champions here.
-- One of them, Black Hills senior, Jimmy Belleville, can become the state's fifth four-time champion if he doesn't lose this weekend.
-- Sedro-Woolley junior Derek Garcia will go for his third title, this time at 152 pounds in 3A. Some say Garcia is one of the best wrestlers ever in the state.
--Zillah's Chris Castillo won the 140-pound 1A title as a freshman, so he's a potential four-time champion.
-- The 140-pound 3A bracket has two defending champions, Enumclaw's Jason Gray and Olympic's Brandon Yeik.
-- The 125-pound B bracket has THREE defending champions -- Demitri Robinson (103), Conan Kalugan (112) and Ryn Rollins (119). Whoever wins this title will have earned it.
