Last Wednesday, in their last home dual match, the Vashon Pirates lost a hard, tough wrestling match to the Eatonville Cruisers, 33-45.

Coach Per-Lars Blomgren was pleased, however, to point out that two of the hardest workers on the team — Madeleine Wolczko and Graeme Britz, who often stay after practice to improve their skills — both won: Wolczko prevailed in an overtime thriller, 6-4; Britz came back, down 3-8 in the first period, to pin his opponent in the second period.

Sam Chapman, Eddie Protzeller, Rogen Lopez and Geran Webb, who all won matches that evening, continued to show their excellent form in preparation for the district, regional and state tournaments.

Coach Anders Blomgren assures us the Pirates will be ready.

The next evening no one, except perhaps Rogen Lopez, Geran Webb and Tim Jovanovich — all winners — had money on the Pirates to subdue the top-ranked team in the state in all classifications: the Orting Cardinals.

The Cardinals, in my not so humble opinion, are the strongest, most complete team I’ve ever witnessed in the Nisqually League, and that covers some 40 years.

Consequently, there is no cause to wring our hands in dismay as a result of this encounter (final score: Orting 57, Vashon 15) because, quite frankly, Orting is loaded with talent.

That is not to say Vashon isn’t good, but that they aren’t ready to tackle this powerhouse, which Orting’s head coach Mike Sowers and several other coaches have put together.

The Orting coaches should be congratulated. They should also beware that our Pirates cometh via the little tigers (a.k.a. Rockbusters). The challenge is on.

At a girls/JV tournament hosted by Washington High School in Tacoma last Saturday, Iris Spring pinned her opponent for her first win of the season, taking third place in the tournament.

See ya’ at districts at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Vashon High School gym. Regionals will be held Saturday, Feb. 14, at Bellevue Christian High School, and the state tournament is on Feb. 20 and 21 at the Tacoma Dome.

— Carl Blomgren is the father of coaches Anders and Per-Lars Blomgren.

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