Battle in the Blue Wrestling Invitational

WAITSBURG - Waitsburg High School's wrestling team participated in the Battle in the Blues Invitational competitions at College Place High School on Saturday, January 18.

Competing in the 175-pound weight class, Cardinal Jarod Hankins made it to the championship semifinals with back-to-back wins. He ended the day 2-2. Graycen Teal wrestled in the 175-pound class and went 1-2.

Senior Will Ahler, a first-year wrestler, finished the day 0-2 in the 150-pound weight class, and freshman Dylan Guitierrez went 0-2 in the 126-pound class. Cardinal Karissa Potts, wrestling for her first year also went 0-2.

Karen Huwe

Junior Jarod Hankins gets out of the takedown to finish on top with an 8-2 win.

The Cardinals wrestled against athletes from Cle Elum, College Place, Dayton (Hunter Griffen), Echo, Heppner, Highland, Irrigon, Pendleton, Elgin, Mabton, Mac-Hi, Riverview, Umatilla, WA-HI, and White Swan.

"Overall, we got much better," said Coach Lash LaRue. "The results were not what we were looking for, but the improvement from Burbank to this tournament was very noticeable. Each kid gave us good matches and made it easy for us to build a plan to help them keep improving. I want to thank Joe Adams and Ray Compton for coming and volunteering their time to help this program."

LaRue's team will next wrestle at WA-HI's Foothills of the Blues Invite on Saturday, January 25.