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County wrestling finals took place at McKinleyville High School gymnasium last Saturday and Eureka high took first place with 188.5 points. Hoopa finished second (174.5), McKinleyville third (139.5) and Del Norte (130.5) was fourth. The top three wrestlers in each weight class advanced to the North Coast Sectionals, which will be held in Newark this coming Friday and Saturday, Feb. 26-27.

The big news for South Fork High School is that its three man team finished seventh and two members, Gabe Miclette and Jared Lack, have advanced to the NCS tournament. Freshman Lack thus advances in his first year of wrestling to the big show by having placed third in McKinleyville. His first match in the 112 pound division was against Arcata’s Sierra Domingo and Lack, seeded second, won by 17-2. Then he lost a narrow 14-15 decision to Joey Yale of Hoopa, which moved him to the consolation bracket where he pinned Austin Taylor at 4:58 with a 13-0 lead and then nailed down third place with an 8-5 victory over Victor Sanchez of Fortuna. So Jared Lack not only has won a varsity letter to begin his high school wrestling career but also will be among the best of the best in Newark. Coach D.J. Miclette was favorably impressed. “Jared wrestled to his potential. All of our athletes worked their tails off all season and I am extremely proud of each of them,” said Miclette.

Sophomore Dolan Dillon did not fare as well at the county finals, losing both his matches. He was in the stacked 121 pound class and had to face the number two seeded Chris Chadwell to start his day. He fell to Chadwell and then to Ferndale’s Walter Gallaty but, as coach Miclette pointed out, the way to mark your season is by how you have progressed and there is no doubting that Dillon, who earned a varsity letter in just his second year, is a vastly improved wrestler who has many good matches ahead of him. He won eleven all told this season.

Senior Gabe Miclette continued his amazing comeback from mid-season injury by bringing home all the marbles at the county finals, extending his winning streak to 17 matches by drubbing Skylar Nimitz of Arcata 18-2 and then pinning Greg Kirby of Del Norte in the white star final at 2:28 while they were tied 4-4. Miclette and Kirby had been seeded 1-2 and both drawn byes. Even though his match with Nimitz was at 12:45 and the championship not until 4:40, Miclette showed he is ready for NCS by becoming the Cubs first white star wrestler since Casey Bruckenstein three years ago. Gabe Miclette will be the experienced Cub at NCS, having participated twice previously. Can these young men advance even further? We shall soon see, but they have already warmed the winter athletic season at South Fork High considerably.

PHOTOS BY KAREN MICLETTE

1. South Fork senior wrestler Gabe Miclette atop the podium as the 2010 HDN Champion at the 127 lb. weight class.

2. Jared Lack on a deep spiral ride on Victor Sanchez of Fortuna in the 3rd place match.