<< Previous   of   Next >> Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW  (click to enlarge) Archbishop Murphy's Brandon Todd (left) grips Jackson's Anthony Mortera during their wrestling match Jan. 27 at Jackson High School in Mill Creek. Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW  (click to enlarge) Archbishop Murphy's Cam Wade (left) is declared the winner over Jackson's Jeffrey Stephan following their wrestling match Jan. 27 at Jackson High School in Mill Creek. Enterprise/CHRIS GOODENOW  (click to enlarge) Archbishop Murphy's Jeremy Wattam (left) reaches out to Jackson's Jordan Stephens during their wrestling match Jan. 27 at Jackson High School in Mill Creek.

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CONTACT THE ENTERPRISE Jocelyn Robinson, News editor jrobinson@heraldnet.com

Wolfpack wins the ‘Battle'

By David Pan
Enterprise Sports editor

The fourth annual Battle of Mill Creek came down to one match. It was winner take all between Jackson and Archbishop Murphy's wrestling teams.

Wolfpack standout Brennan Sanchez answered the call with a pin of Wildcat Ben Moyer at the 1 minute, 19 second mark in the 140-pound division to lift the Timberwolves to a 44-36 victory over Archbishop Murphy in a non-conference clash Jan. 27 at Jackson High School.

The win was the Wolfpack's fourth in a row over the Wildcats, but it was one of the tighter battles in recent years.

Sanchez improved to 19-3 for the season and is one of Jackson's top postseason hopes.

The key for Sanchez's success is “constantly being on the attack and moving,” said Wolfpack coach Gus Anaya. “He's tough. He has to stay aggressive.”

Despite being upset by Archbishop Murphy's Brandon Todd in a huge upset at 171, Jackson's Anthony Mortera is another Jackson wrestler to watch out for as the postseason gets under way.

“He's another guy who needs to keep moving,” Anaya said. “He's really fast for his size. He's slick on his feet.”

Sanchez and Mortera face a tough path to the state tournament.

“We're in such a tough district through region,” Anaya said.

The Battle of Mill Creek proved to be a back-and-forth affair with each team having the edge at various points.

But Todd's victory and then a pair of forfeits at 103 and 275 resulted in a 36-24 deficit with four matches to go. The Timberwolves responded with four straight victories, culminating with Sanchez's pin.

“It was pretty nerve-racking,” Anaya said. “It was a great match.”

The match with Archbishop Murphy used to kick off the wrestling season but was pushed back later in the season so that the Wildcats' football players would have time to transition from the gridiron to the mat.

Archbishop Murphy wrapped up the regular season later in the week with a loss to South Whidbey. Still two Wildcats made history by finishing the regular season undefeated.

Junior Cameron Wade, who pinned Jeffrey Stephan at 103, ended up 25-0 and senior Jeremy Wattam, who pinned Jackson's Jordan Stephens, in the 119 division, concluded his season at 19-0.

“It's pretty neat,” said Archbishop Murphy coach Blaine Gilchrist-Smith. “That's impressive.”

Wade took third place at last year's state meet, while Wattam is shooting for his fourth straight trip to the Tacoma Dome.

“Both of them have pretty high goals,” Gilchrist-Smith said. “We expect to have them at the state tournament. It'll be neat if they brought back some hardware. That's their goal.”

If Wattam advances to state, he will be the first Wildcat to wrestle in the Tacoma Dome all four years of his high school career.

Wade hasn't really been challenged this season, Gilchrist-Smith said, but he expects that to change in the postseason. The junior is aiming to repeat as conference and regional champion and then up his standings at state.

“He's very capable of being our first state champion,” Gilchrist-Smith said.

A knee injury sidelined Wattam for a couple of weeks but he's healthy now.

Both Archbishop Murphy and Jackson fielded relatively young teams this season. Gilchrist-Smith actually was concerned the Wildcats might not win a dual meet this season, but the team finished 2-3 in the Cascade Conference and 4-7 overall.

“We actually stepped up,” he said. “Our only goal was to get better and we did that. We're not a great team with so much youth. We're moving in the right direction. The future looks bright. I'm excited about next year.”

Jackson also was looking for progress and Anaya is pleased where his team is right now.

“We're doing well,” Anaya said. “Our future looks pretty good.”