Wrestling
Head coach: Creighton Laughary (fourth year as head coach, fifth as an assistant).
Assistant coaches: Adrian Diaz and Lee Jahncke (both are MIHS grads).
Last year’s record: 7-1, second in KingCo.
Key athletes not on the team from last year: Alex Faith, Chris Pothoven, Davin Kunovsky, Austin Frazier, Tanner Linton and Jackson Fischer.
Top returning athletes: Graham Horgdal (Sr. — 189), Jake Frazier (Sr. — 215), TJ Blackburn (So. — 215), David Bowman (Sr. — 145), Cole Johnson (Jr. — 171), Nate Beckett (Jr. — 152), Colton Knebel (So. — 171) and Kyle Shanafelt (So. — 112).
Key newcomers to the team: Blake Johnson (Fr. — 130), Phil Frazier (Fr. — 145), Peter Lee (So. — 152) and Scott Mills (Fr. — 103).
Key meets: Out of league tournaments.
Rivalries with Issaquah, Liberty, Newport and Mount Si have become a big deal for the Mercer Island wrestling program. During each of the last five years, the Islanders have been in a battle with at least one of these teams for the 3A KingCo title right down to the end of the season. Last year the Islanders finished 7-1, second in the division.
But the change in league has left Mercer Island with only Bellevue as a familiar face in 3A KingCo.
“We have to go at every team tough because we don’t know what to expect this year,” said Mercer Island coach Creighton Laughary. “There will be some top level wrestlers in this league, but we just don’t know who they are yet. We always have a tough tournament schedule, so no matter what, we will see some tough competition.”
Some of the toughest competition may come from within. The Islanders have seen a big turnout from the freshman class, adding 12 new athletes to the squad.
“Our lower weights are full,” said Laughary. “It is really a testament to our great middle school program.”
Not only are all the weights full, but some are now three and four wrestlers deep. The challenge of a big roster means more competitive practices but less mat time during matches for some of the newer faces.
“We know that we could lose some guys who get disinterested, so we will work to keep everyone involved,” said Laughary.
The Islanders have some talented wrestlers returning from a team that lost eight key athletes from last year.
“It was hard to see all those seniors go from last year,” said Islander senior Graham Horgdal. “Every practice, I try to give the younger guys support and lead the way with stretching and on runs.”
Islander Colton Knebel set the league on fire as a freshman but fizzled out during the KingCo tournament.
“I have to work on being aggressive the entire time on the mat and not get psyched out,” said Knebel. “I went to some wrestling camps during the off season to work on wrestling on my feet.”
Knebel will make the jump from the 152-weight class to 171.
“He has really matured,” said Laughary. “He whooped everyone in camp, but last year he just couldn’t get loose in pressure situations, so we will see.”
Horgdal, at 189 pounds, will also be key to the team’s success. Horgdal has shown flashes of greatness but has yet to achieve it at state.
Other returning Islanders looking to make a big impact this season are TJ Blackburn, 215 pounds; David Bowman, 145 pounds; Cole Johnson, 171 pounds; Kyle Shanafelt, 112 pounds; and Nate Beckett, 152 pounds.
The Frazier family will add yet another member to the ranks of the high school wrestling program. Dad, John Frazier, has been a big part of the wrestling community. Jake Frazier, a senior at 215 pounds, has made an impact at the varsity level and will look to get to state this season. And now one of Jake’s younger brothers, Phil Frazier, a 145-pound freshman, could make an immediate impact.
“We have had many siblings in the program,” said Laughary. “And this is the younger brother theory: They are tougher because they have had to survive.”
Surviving this year will mean beating Lake Washington and Woodinville. Both teams finished the 2007 season in a three-way tie for the 4A KingCo title and will stand in Mercer Island’s way if it wants to win another league title.
