Photo Gallery - Ilwaco Beach Brawl

Photos by Damian Mulinix/Chinook Observer

IHS winter sports athletes honored at annual banquet

ILWACO - The Ilwaco High School winter sports awards banquet was Tuesday and the following players won boys' basketball awards: Justin Short was most improved, Karl Oman was Mr. Basketball and Jack Whealdon received MVP honors. The girls' basketball awards went to Carley Kitzman for most improved, Kady Kirby as inspirational and Amy Banuet received the coach's award.

Wrestling award winners were Dylan Short, most improved, Terry Elliott most inspirational, Ikaika Thomas the captain's award and Rudy Alvarez was on the all-conference first team. Cheerleading awards went to Alexis Ferguson most spirited, Katie McDonnell most improved, Kelsey Madsen most dedicated and Liz Bonney for inspirational and best all around.

Update - Thomas eliminated from Mat Classic

TACOMA — Ikaika Thomas of Ilwaco was eliminated from the state wrestling tournament Friday night after falling in his second match to Alex Barnes of Orting. Thomas was Ilwaco's lone representative in the tournament. Rudy Alvarez and Terry Elliott were also there as alternates in their respective weight classes but did not get the opportunity to wrestle.

Update - State wrestling, round one

Ilwaco Ikaika Thomas was pinned by Jake Bartlett of Royal High School in the second period of their opening round match at the state wrestling tournament at the Tacoma Dome Friday afternoon. Thomas is now in the consolation bracket with his next scheduled match at 7:36 this evening. Thomas will have to win his next four matches in order to place at the tournament.

You can view the bracket as it advances HERE

Photo Gallery - Ilwaco sends three wrestlers to state

Ikaika Thomas advances to state, with teammates Terry Elliott and Rudy Alvarez as alternates in their respective weight classes.

Four advance to district wrestling meet - Alvarez first, Elliott & Thomas second, Sanchez thid

ILWACO - Rudy Alvarez won the Sub-regional wrestling tournament 103 pound weight classification and Terry Elliott (160 pounds) and Ikaika Thomas (285) were both second at Kalama Saturday. The match featured the six teams from the Trico League and the top four finishers in each of the 14 weight classes moved on to the Regional tournament in Castle Rock Feb. 14.

Read the whole story HERE

Alvarez wins Beach Brawl, Ilwaco places four at 15-team meet

ILWACO - Rudy Alvarez ripped through his 103-pound bracket to claim a first place finish in the 15-team, 168-wrestler Beach Brawl Tournament at Carl Aase Gymnasium Saturday. Bobby Richards won two of his three bouts to earn a third place medal at 189 pounds, and Josh Berteaux at 125 and Dylan Short at 285 also won two of three matches to claim fourth-place honors at the final tournament before sub-regional competition begins next Saturday at Kalama.

Read the whole story HERE

Photo Gallery - IHS wrestling @ Raymond

Photos by Damian Mulinix/Chinook Observer

Fishermen flatten Chinooks 42-36 for first mat win in seven years

KALAMA - In 2002 Harry Potter was still a book, the Homeland Security and No Child Left Behind Acts became law, the euro was put into circulation and the Patriots won their first Super Bowl. Until Thursday evening that was also the year of Ilwaco's last dual wrestling victory.

January 23, 2002 Ilwaco defeated the Mules at a dual meet at Cathlamet and Thursday the Fishermen broke the nearly seven-year draught by knocking off Kalama 42-36 in the first half of a double-dual Trico League match and then losing to LaCenter 56-30. Ilwaco's Rudy Alvarez (103 pounds), Dyllan Poe (135), and Taylor Odneal (152) all picked up important victories. Coach Kevin McNulty said, "Dyllan's win was huge, not only in winning points for our team, but the way he battled back. He was behind early, but ended up getting a fall in the third period."

Read the whole story HERE

2 for take down says the Ref.

In the last three weeks Ilwaco high school has attended The Knappa Invite, the Astoria Duel Meet, the Warrenton Invite and the home meet at Ilwaco. These are all pre-season matches to get the team better for season in January. Although I wrestled my freshmen year I had know drive to want to be a wrestler at my former school Franklin High which is a 6a school. When I moved to Ilwaco from Portland Oregon 6 months ago I did not think that they would have a good team let alone a good coach. I was shocked to see at least 30 guys in the mat room wrestling both middle school and High school. That’s more than the football team had.
I had a choice to play basketball or wrestle I was torn between the two I knew I was a better wrestler than a basketball player but I enjoyed playing basketball it was fun to muscle people who were bigger than me when I drove to the basket. On the other hand my previous coach’s In wrestling were very inexperienced which made wrestling hard for the me to learn from them because they were trying the moves for the first time also.
Here at Ilwaco I have found that Coach Kevin Mcnulty is the best coach I have ever encountered. He is a wonderful coach to have. I have never had a coach that gives you the one on one time you need to break the moves down to our understanding and help’s us to rein act the moves to get the best of our abilities through drills. The team has had a dramatic improvement from the first day we wrestled we still make novice mistakes but that’s what pre season is for its to get us better for the real matches that count.

Starks, Short undefeated at Ilwaco six-team tournament

ILWACO - Tyler Starks won all three of his matches at 171 pounds and Dylan Short won both of his at 285 as Ilwaco hosted a six-team, eight-school wrestling meet Tuesday. Terry Elliott (160), Taylor Odneal (152), and Blake Bradshaw (140) each went 2-1 in the extravaganza held on three mats at Carl Aase Gymnasium.
Starks pinned Jake Goldsmith of Wahkiakum, Cody Cameron of Knappa, and Jacob Ripp of Rainier, with his first match going 2:57 and the other two were pins in the first round. Short made quick work of Sean Pomeroy of Rainier and Hawkins Winslow of Willapa Harbor, pinning both in the first round. Willapa Harbor (WH) is a combination of Valley, Raymond and South Bend High Schools for wrestling and golf.

Read the whole story HERE

Photo Gallery - IHS wrestling @ Warrenton Invite

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Photos by Damian Mulinix/Observer photojournalist

Alvarez wins two; Ilwaco 9-15 against Astoria, R.A. Long mat men

ASTORIA - Rudy Alvarez (103 pounds) swept two matches against formidable foes and seven other Fishermen wrestlers won matches in a challenging double-dual meet with R.A. Long and host Astoria Thursday. Alvarez improved his overall record to 3-1 on the young season and is looking like a promising contender for super-regional and even Mat Classic honors at season's end.
Other winners for Ilwaco were Blake Bradshaw (140), Terry Elliott (160), Taylor Odneal (160), Tyler Starks (171), Rey Sanchez (189), Bobby Richards (189), and Ikaika Thomas (285). Starks put up spirited efforts in both of his matches, coming out with refreshing intensity. Elliott and Sanchez showed exceptional athleticism and determination in their wins and Bradshaw, Odneal, Richards, and Thomas used their experience and gutsy efforts to defeat their opponents.

Read the whole story HERE

Also, catch the team in action today (12/13/08) at the Warrenton Invite, 9am-5pm

Fishermen wrestlers notch 20 wins at Knappa

KNAPPA - It has been at least a decade since Ilwaco has won 20 wrestling matches in an evening. In fact two seasons ago the team won only 40 bouts all season. But Coach Kevin McNulty and his squad showed they have potential and in a big way Wednesday in a four-way match with Warrenton, Astoria, and host Knappa as they opened their season with 20 victories in 32 matches.

"Our most exciting match was Rudy Alvarez's loss against the district champion and state competitor from Knappa (in the 112 lbs. weight class). The match went into overtime with Rudy losing but it was a heck of a match," McNulty exclaimed.

Read the whole story HERE

Photo gallery - IHS wrestling

Photos from Ilwaco High wrestling practice

Photos by Damian Mulinix/Observer photojournalist