Oly beats KSS, CK to earn trophy, bragging rights at home tournament.

By WESLEY REMMER

The Olympic Trojans wrestling team wasn’t about to hand over the coveted Battle of the Bay trophy.

Not without a fight anyway.

And the Trojans, led by defending 130-pound state champion Branden Yeik, didn’t falter despite forfeiting two weight classes they generally win.

Olympic overcame forfeits in both the 119- and 285-pound weight classes to beat Klahowya and Central Kitsap in consecutive matches Wednesday to win its fifth consecutive Battle of the Bay trophy.

The Trojans hosted the tournament, which first began in the 1980s between Olympic and CK.

“There are a lot seniors with a lot of pride on the line, so they are out there giving it all they got,” said first-year Olympic coach Steve Polillo. “It (the trophy) has been here for five years, so we want to keep it here.”

The night’s most exciting match came early on when Yeik, who wrestled at 145 rather than his usual 140, beat Klahowya’s Neil Sell 10-8 in sudden-death overtime.

Both state participants last year, Sell and Yeik went into overtime tied 8-8 after Yeik was penalized two points for stalling in the final minute of the third round.

But it took Yeik less than a minute to score a takedown and the consequent victory in overtime to give the Trojans three points.

“That was exciting,” Polillo said of the match, explaining he was somewhat surprised Yeik didn’t close the door in the third round. “He didn’t press the action in the third round. I think he could have probably turned the corner. It’s to Neil’s credit that he didn’t let him do that.”

Yeik’s victory over Sell pulled Olympic to within 20-15. The Trojans then reeled off 20 consecutive points to win the match 35-20.

That set up a Klahowya-Central Kitsap dual, which the Cougars won 43-33 to earn a spot in the championship. Joe Sawyers’ 11-10 victory at 140 over CK’s Cameron Anthony highlighted that dual.

Finally, Olympic outlasted CK 44-40 in the finals to retain bragging rights and the Battle of the Bay trophy.

“I’m just real proud of all the seniors, not a single kid on the whole team gave up a pin against KSS,” Polillo said. “I can’t say enough about how hard they are working.”

Polillo said Olympic is “thin” compared to years past, and forfeiting matches can be costly.

“In a tight match, that’s a lot of points to overcome,” he said of Wednesday’s forfeits, which cost the Trojans 12 points each match.

Trojan Shane Galeski wrestled at 160 for the first time this season, beating Donny McCarty 15-5.

“He looked OK, he was tired a little bit,” Polillo said of Galeski, who later lost against CK’s Shane Huntley. “He’s a solid kid, works hard in practice, does everything you ever ask him.”

And while Polillo has experienced state-caliber athletes such as Yeik and 130-pounder Jesse Borcherding, he also has a handful of underclassmen who are still learning the ins and outs of the game.

“We’re on both ends of the spectrum, but when it comes to determination and grit, every one of them has got a lot of that,” Polillo said. “That’s what a wrestler is made of — determination and grit.”

For Klahowya and third-year coach Wayne Gizzi, the Battle of the Bay is all about finding good match-ups and quality competition, the Sell-Yeik match being a prime example.

“That was a great match,” Gizzi said. “I think (Neil) wants the toughest guys he can, that’s what he wants.”

Gizzi said the Eagles “got beat up pretty good” against Olympic, but the experience itself was a positive, especially for the younger grapplers.

“We look for good match-ups, just get out there and compete,” Gizzi said. “We’ve got a lot of youth in the lineup, a lot of freshmen, a lot of different kids (who) have different roles.”

But not the entire Eagle lineup is young, as the team has a few grapplers who went to state last year. Among them are Sawyers, Sell and Kevin Schiffman.

“Those guys plan on going back,” Gizzi said. “I’d say all the kids who went to state (last year) are on the radar.”

Olympic 35, Klahowya 20

103—Donovan Haga (Kla) wins by forfeit. 112—J.D. Parrish (Oly) p. Shane Burleson 4:48. 119—Jared Sell (Kla) wins by forfeit. 125—Double forfeit. 130—Jesse Borcherding (Oly) p. Kevin Schiffman 0:55. 135—Ammon Jensen (Kla) d. Josh Melencio 22-7. 140—Joe Sawyers (Kla) d. Matt Hoyt 8-1. 145—Branden Yeik (Oly) d. Neil Sell 10-8 (OT). 152—Sean McClain (Oly) d. Nehemiah Salo 9-5. 160—Shane Galeski (Oly) d. Donny McCarty 15-5. 171—Luke O’Halek (Oly) p. Brock Gorang 3:08. 189—Lee Glover (Oly) d. Jeff Haga 7-1. 215—Murun Batsaikhan (Oly) 18-6 285—Double forfeit.

Central Kitsap 43, Klahowya 33

103—Donovan Haga (Kla) wins by forfeit. 112—Joey Troyer (CK) p. Shane Burleson 1:00. 119—Trevor Stanburg (CK) p. Jared Sell 1:15. 125—Evan Beck (CK) wins by forfeit. 130—Ethan Beck (CK) d. Kevin Schiffman 12-1. 135—Ammon Jensen (Kla) p. Thomas Gillespie 4:54. 140—Joe Sawyers (Kla) d. Cameron Anthony 11-10. 145—Neil Sell (Kla) d. Karl Koemmpel 3:19. 152—Nehemiah Salo (Kla) p. Connor Worthington 3:31. 160—Chase Huntley (CK) p. Donny McCarty 2:20. 171—Ryan Sayers (CK) d. Brock Gorang 11-9. 189—Howie McDonald (CK) p. Jeff Haga 1:51. 215—Nick Dube (Kla) p. Dennis Truex 3:07. 285—Morgan Yarber (CK) wins by forfeit.

Olympic 44, Central Kitsap 40

103—Double forfeit. 112—J.D. Parrish (Oly) d. Joey Troyer 9-2. 119—Trevor Stanburg (CK) wins by forfeit. 125—Jesse Borcherding (Oly) p. Evan Beck 1:23. 130—Ethan Beck (CK) wins by forfeit. 135—Josh Melencio (Oly) d. Thomas Gillespie 12-4. 140—Matt Hoyt (Oly) wins by forfeit. 145—Branden Yeik (CK) d. Karl Koemmpel 17-4. 152—Sean McClain (Oly) p. Connor Worthington 1:30. 160—Chase Huntley (CK) p. Shane Galeski 1:26. 171—Luke O’Halek (Oly) p. Joe Sawyers 1:42. 189—Lee Glover (Oly) p. Howie McDonald 3:55. 215—Dennis Truex (CK) p. Murun Batsaikhan 1:58. 285—Morgan Yarber (CK) wins by forfeit.