Inglemoor’s Bratcher, Bothell’s Ungerecht struggle at state / State Wrestling

Despite both having stellar wrestling seasons in 4A Kingco, Inglemoor High junior Anthony Bratcher (135) and Bothell High standout Chris Ungerecht (103) failed to win a match at Mat Classic XXII held at the Tacoma Dome last weekend.

By Tim Watanabe • February 21, 2010 11:27 pm
Bothell High's Chris Ungerecht faces Evergreen High's Payton Zeller at 103 pounds in the second round of the Mat Classic at the Tacoma Dome last Friday.
Bothell High's Chris Ungerecht faces Evergreen High's Payton Zeller at 103 pounds in the second round of the Mat Classic at the Tacoma Dome last Friday.

Despite both having stellar wrestling seasons in 4A Kingco, Inglemoor High junior Anthony Bratcher (135) and Bothell High standout Chris Ungerecht (103) failed to win a match at Mat Classic XXII held at the Tacoma Dome last weekend.

Ungerecht was coming off his second-consecutive win at the Kingco championships and placed fourth at districts to earn his first state trip, but got beaten in the opening round by Moses Lake freshman Beau Gleed, 13-2, and then lost a hard-fought battle against Peyton Zeller-Av of Evergreen (Vancouver), 5-2.

In his first state appearance, Inglemoor’s Bratcher had the unenviable task of wrestling two seniors from Tahoma, a wrestling powerhouse.

Jordan Higa, Bratcher’s opening-round matchup, easily won, 12-2, and in the consolation bracket, Bratcher was paired with Tahoma’s Michael Milat, who won, 12-3. Considering the status of Bratcher’s health, however, it was amazing that he even made it to the Mat Classic.

“We’re just really proud of him that he made it to state,” said Kevin Corbett, Inglemoor’s head coach. “He injured a rib and was out a month, and was able to finish the season really well. Eighteen (Kingco) kids made it to state, and only five of them placed. State is a tough place.”

The Vikings’ best chance to a state wrestling title, by far, was University of Wyoming football recruit Travis Bogard, who dropped out of the wrestling program during the postseason after tweaking his knee at the league wrestling championships, a difficult decision that his coach respected.

“Travis is a great kid, and his goal has been, since he got into high school, to play D-I football,” Corbett explained. “There was just too much at stake for him in the long run. I wasn’t going to be that wrestling coach to push a kid and jeopardize a future where the University of Wyoming is just excited to have him.”

Like Bothell’s team, which head coach Scott LaBrash described as full of sophomores “that are talented and continue to work hard,” Inglemoor will likewise be returning some top-tier talent next season.

“We have some really good junior-high kids coming up, and a gigantic core of kids coming back,” Corbett said. “We’ll try make a bigger dent in the Dome next year.”