Four Shorecrest High School wrestlers competed at the WIAA 3A State Tournament

By Sean Rhodes

Four Shorecrest High School wrestlers competed at the WIAA 3A State Tournament at the Tacoma Dome last weekend.

Shorecrest Senior Peter Grimm. Photo by Matt Rapleje

Peter Grimm (SCHS Senior) started wrestling at age 5 for the Wrestling Rhinos Club and wrested the last match of his high school career last Friday. Unfortunately, Grimm had an injured shoulder and wasn't able to make it into the second day of the tournament. Grimm was a four year district/regional finalist and a three time state qualifier during his time wrestling for SCHS (the State Championships were cancelled in 2021 due to Covid protocol). This year Grimm was a WesCo South District champion and placed 3rd at regionals.

SC Junior Kenneth Adams. Photo by Matt Rapleje

Kenneth Adams (SCHS Junior) has been wrestling for Shorecrest since his Freshman year. This is the first year Adams has qualified for the state championships. He was a finalist at the WesCo South District Tournament (2nd place) and placed fourth at regionals. Adams has steadily improved year after year and is excited about being a team leader next year. 

SC Junior Carter Nichols. Photo by Matt Rapleje

Carter Nichols (SCHS Junior) started wrestling just last year as a sophomore, but has had meteoric success right out of the gates. Athletic and agile for the 190lb weight class, Nichols was a WesCo South District Champion and placed 4th at regionals this year. This was Nichols' first year competing at state. He had some close matches, but fell just short of moving into the second day of competition at the Dome this year. Carter is also a candidate for team captain next year.

Sophomore Avi Wylen placed 4th at State
Photo by Matt Rapleje

Avi Wylen (SCHS Sophomore) has been a long time member of Seattle Wrestling Club and started wrestling for Shorecrest High last year. Wylen was injured at Districts last year as a freshman and wasn't able to compete at regionals. 

Determined to make up for that this year, Wylen placed 3rd at WesCo South Districts and 3rd at Regionals. Typically, unless you are a top seed (regional champion or a runner up), you don't make it into the second day of the state championships as a middle weight sophomore. 

However, Wylen proved the skeptics wrong and not only made it into day two, but pushed all the way into the placing rounds! Wylen is the second sophomore in Shorecrest High School Wrestling history to place 4th at state.

With a solid core of state seasoned wrestlers returning to the program next year and some promising young talent entering the room from Kellogg Middle School, Coach Bryan Officer reports that the future looks bright for Shorecrest Wrestling.