After a season marked by extreme highs and lows, the Vashon Island High School Pirate wrestlers showed remarkable resilience in the face of adversity, pulling together at the state championships last weekend in the Tacoma Dome. The team ended the two-day tournament decisively grabbing the third-place trophy and crowning two state champions.

In the 16 years that the Blomgren brothers have been coaching the team, it has finished four times in the top four. This year, while coming in third, the team still managed to amass more points than any previous Vashon team — piling up 129 against the previous record of 122. No Vashon team has won a championship; the highest historic finish was second back in 1993.

Vashon’s Chase Wickman became the island’s first three-time champion as he capped a stellar high school career with a dominant finals performance, scrubbing the mat with Tony Williams from Montesano with a major decision, 15-6.

Freshman Adrian St. Germain’s final round was a rematch of last week’s regional championship against Jamell Carroll of Sultan High School. This week the result was still a one point differential, but with St. Germain on the upside of a 2-1 victory for the state championship.

The Pirates qualified a school record 12 wrestlers for the two-day tournament held Feb. 19 and 20. Seven made it through to the medal round on day two. Matching a record set back in 2008, the team pushed four through to the championship finals.

With an ankle resembling a grapefruit, senior Logan Nelson got to the finals before dropping one to Ryley Smith of Montesano to take second. Meanwhile, VHS junior Bryce Hoisington muscled his way to the finals before also dropping the last match to a Montesano wrestler, Austin Cain.

Rounding out the medal collection were seniors Clyde Pruett with a fourth-place finish and Franklin Easton in sixth. Sophomore Luke Larson saw his second trip to state through with a seventh place spot.

The Pirates were drubbed by 40 points at the regional championship by Sultan, but turned the tables in the Tacoma Dome, leaving the Turks in the dust to take seventh place. Vashon also held off a late-tournament charge by Montesano, which had begun the season ranked just ahead of the Pirates, but ended up one behind them in fourth place.

In the first round, Vashon posted eight wins against four losses. In round two, the team went six and six, and three wrestlers were out: freshman Payton Bonaventura and seniors Shane Williams and Jackson Bard.

In the all-important third round of consolation, where win you stay in and lose you go home, Vashon had four entries, winning two and losing two. Leaving the tournament here were seniors Preston Petersen and Chester Pruett, who both won one match before being ousted.

There were several matches of note. Wickman’s day one performances were both close affairs, with his first win a too-close 2-1 edge over a Granger opponent, who was a foot taller than him. On Saturday, his semi-final match was an enjoyable 16-1 trouncing of Abraham Medina of Royal. Nelson’s semi-final against Darrin Miller of Royal was arguably the best match of the weekend. It was an intense double-overtime affair with the score locked at 1-1 into the second overtime when Nelson managed an escape and then held on for the final 30 seconds for the scary 2-1 win.

St. Germain provided the best entertainment for two days, literally smiling through every match. He simply knew that he was going to win and he was not going to be denied. He won his first match against Castle Rock 16-0 then followed that up with a 12-4 victory over Granger. His semi-final match against Deer Park’s Tysen Jorgensen was an impressive 15-6 win.

Clyde Pruett won his first match 11-4, and his second 17-11, before dropping a tight match 3-2 to the eventual champion: Garret Brown of Lakeside.

Easton won his first match by pin, dropped one, then rebounded with two more wins by fall racking up valuable team bonus points.

It is remarkable to note that all the medalists had come back from exceptional injuries, and many were told they wouldn’t or shouldn’t wrestle again. Easton noted that two months and one week previously, he was being carted off a mat in an ambulance. Doctors told him he would probably not make it back, and probably shouldn’t wrestle again. Not taking into account his determination, he achieved his goal of winning a medal at State. After suffering one too many concussions, Wickman thought his entire wrestling career was over. After an extended lay off, he took home his third championship.

St. Germain dislocated his surgically-repaired shoulder and was told he couldn’t suffer another without serious ramifications. He is now a state champ. Hoisington limped into the season with a body mangled by football; he too suffered a concussion and was out for more than a month. Larson suffered a concussion mid-season and battled back for his second state medal. Chester Pruett missed his junior season due to two injuries that both had to be surgically repaired. With one knee held together with duct tape, he got his first state medal. Nelson was cruising through his season with a few dislocated fingers, until his semifinal match on Saturday when a bad ankle turn rendered him barely mobile for the finals.

It is this never give up attitude that has made a lasting impression on the coaches.

“Our guys, individually and as a team, demonstrated resilience that was second to none,” coach Anders Blomgren said. “The class of 2016 cemented their legacy as hard workers, high level competitors and great dudes. I’m still excited and emotional writing about it two days later.”

— Cheryl Pruett is the mother of two VHS wrestlers.