Wrestling qualifies for regional dual meet tournament

SHERWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, February 2, 2002-

In the last meets of the Blair's regular season in a tri-meet at Sherwood High School today, the Blair wrestling team beat Springbrook High School with a score of 54-6 and beat Sherwood with a score of 30-27, improving the Blazers' record to 11-2 and qualifying Blair for the regional dual meet tournament. Fourth-seeded Blair will begin the tournament by facing top-seeded Paint Branch High School this Wednesday, February 6.

With senior captains Mario Bracamontes, Cuong Vo, and Mike Immerman in the 125, 130, and 135-pound weight classes respectively left to wrestle in the Sherwood meet, the Blazers were behind, 15-28. Bracamontes pinned his opponent, Vo won on a minor decision, and one team point was subtracted from Sherwood because of unsportsmanlike conduct to bring the Blazers within three points, 24-27. As the Blazer bench waited and cheered with hopeful anxiety, Immerman pinned his opponent to seal the win and the qualification for the county tournament.

Blair's victories came after a different sort of triumph at Springbrook's annual Grapple at the Brook Tournament, in which the Blazers took first place as a team. Individually, Bracamontes and Vo both took first in their weight classes. Immerman took second, and sophomore Scott Nguyen, senior Gibb Witham, senior Junior Gossin, and senior Zach Davis all took third in their respective weight classes.

One of Blair's only two losses was to undefeated Paint Branch, but Blair only lost the intense and emotional meet by 12 points. According to Coach Jake Scott, "We match up well with them." If successful against Paint Branch this Wednesday, Blair could advance to either Churchill High School, which the Blazers did not face during the regular season, or Quince Orchard High School, which was the only school besides Paint Branch to beat the Blazers.