The Deer Park Stags, who got a major decision from Aaron Klauder and a pin from Jake Konzal, held off the Orting Cardinals 44-35 in Friday’s battle of state wrestling champions.
The Stags, the five-time Class 2A champs, took a 28-23 Billy Marshall defeated Andrew Melot in the 285-pound match. Deer Park got some breathing room after Tysen Jorgensen received a forfeit in the 106-pound match.
Orting, the four-time Class 1A champs, narrowed the lead to 34-29 in the 113-pound bout after defending state champ Fred Green only needed a minute to pin KC Ayers.
Klauder dominated Bryce Templeton 10-0 in the 120-pound match and Konzal gave the Stags an insurmountable lead with a second period pin of Tyler Blankenship in the 126-pound match.
Orting’s Austin Alexander finished the night with a pin in the 132-pound match but it was not enough to catch the Stags.
Other Deer Park winners were Matt Miller (145 pounds), Joe Grable (152), Trevor Eicher (170) and Jacob Boswell (182).
Orting got wins from Rico Ybarra (138), Beau Gore (160), Erik Jacobson (190) and Dakota Meek (220).