Cowichan Valley Wrestling Club sent 43 high school wrestlers to Victoria Feb. 9-10, to compete in the highly anticipated 2024 Vancouver Island High School Wrestling Championships at Spectrum Community School.
The tournament served as a battleground for the finest high school wrestlers hailing from across Vancouver Island, drawing participants from more than 30 schools. The event is the qualifier for the Provincial High School Championships in Vancouver Feb. 22-24. The Cowichan Valley delegation distinguished itself with an impressive showing, as 34 CVWC wrestlers secured qualification this year.
QMS wrestlers stole the spotlight with their formidable presence, boasting the largest contingent and clinching the female high school title, and second place overall on the boys’ side, to combine for first in the team competition.
The results mark the third consecutive year atop the standings for the girls and the second consecutive year for QMS to secure the combined title, a testament to the unwavering support and dedication of the school’s administration and community, said their coach.
“It’s truly remarkable to witness the rapid growth and success of the program within just three years,” head coach Nick Zuback said.
Frances Kelsey wrestlers showcased commendable results, securing fourth place, while Quamichan’s athletes achieved a respectable eighth place finish out of 33 schools. Cowichan placed 18th and DCS 20th in the end.
Coach Ryan Yewchin expressed excitement for Quamichan’s Island debut and commended the school for qualifying several wrestlers for the upcoming BC Championships. “This weekend provided invaluable learning experiences, and I have full confidence that our wrestlers will channel this knowledge into rigorous preparation for the BC Championships,” Yewchin said.
For the QMS girls, Grace Meiner and Rui Wang placed first in their respective divisions; Rose Wu, Kipling Szasz, and Emma Greenwood were second; Savanna Screaton third; Clare Boulding, and Georgia Armstrong fourth; and Tenley Blackler, and Hikaru Hanaoka were fifth.
For Quamichan, Beatrix Klatt placed third while Aoife Mann was fourth.
Frances Kelsey’s Cassidy Pace and Rei Nagatomi won their divisions while Lyla Boylan placed second.
Elyssa Olson of DCS placed third in her class.
For the QMS boys, Brayden Zuback placed first in his division while Logan King, Cole Morrison and Carter Zuback placed second in their groups.
Zachary Staicesku was third, Bradley Ludvigson was fourth, Tate Marston and Jacob Armstrong were fifth, and Zhitao Miao was sixth.
As for the Quamichan boys, Mason Martin placed first while Rheo Loiselle was fourth in his division. Both Tyler Belanger and James Elliot placed sixth in their weight classes.
For Frances Kelsey, Antonio Iannidinardo and Gabriel Carreiro took second in their classes while Emmanuel Iannidinardo placed third in his.
Cowichan Secondary’s Ross Meiner and Ladysmith Secondary’s Elijah Cote both placed second in their weight divisions.
CVWC athletes representing schools outside the Cowichan Valley included Jack Pye of Royal Bay Secondary, who placed first in his weight class, Grant Coulthart of Alberni District Secondary School, who also placed first in his group, as well as Benjamin Cote of Nanaimo Community School, who placed second.