Mercer Island wrestlers post best team state finish since 1984

By Megan Managan • February 23, 2010 3:02 pm

The last time the Mercer Island High School wrestling team posted a top 12 finish as a team was well before any of the current wrestlers were even born.

The Islanders finished 12th at the Mat Classic state wrestling tournament last weekend in Tacoma with 46 points, the team’s best finish since 1984.

“Overall, I felt like the tournament was a success for us. I would have liked for all our kids to [win a] medal, but I think those who did not will come back hungry next season,” said head coach Creighton Laughary.

“We did a great job getting in shape and staying in shape, so the matches lost were not lost due to conditioning.”

Mercer Island High School had 11 wrestlers advance to the state tournament from regionals, increasing their presence in Tacoma over last year’s seven.

Laughary said he expects eight of the 11 who made state this year to return to next year’s team.

The team’s best individual finish came from Colton Knebel, who took third place in the 189 weight bracket, pinning Ferndale’s Tristan Greig in 1:59. Junior Kyle Shanafelt took seventh overall in the 125 bracket, while teammate TJ Blackburn was eighth at 215 pounds. Shanafelt won three of his five state matches, while Blackburn won two of the five matches he competed in. Sophomore Blake Johnson finished eighth in the state at 135 pounds, winning two out of his five matches.

“While I will miss our strong senior leaders, Nate Beckett, Cole Johnson and James Kashima, I am very excited about next year and all the years to come,” said Laughary.

Laughary was named the 3A coach of the year at the state tournament.

All of the other members of the Mercer Island team who competed at state finished in the top 12.

Yelm won the team 3A title with 148.5 points, while Bellevue took 10th place as a team.

Team scores

Yelm, 148.5; Enumclaw, 142; North Central, 124.5; Olympic, 95.5; Union, 89

Individual results

103 – Connor Cullstar, tied for 12th; Luca Caruccio, tied for 12th

125 – Kyle Shanafelt, 7th

130 – James Kashima, tied for 9th; Salvatore Giampapa, tied for 9th

135 – Blake Johnson, 8th

145 – Nate Beckett, tied for 12th

152 – Phil Frazier, tied for 9th