Class 3A wrestling: His third and brilliant last

TACOMA — This time, Aaron Pedeferri won it for himself.

With his usual class and dignity, Pedeferri decided it was his turn.

Cedarcrest's 125-pounder Pedeferri secured his third consecutive state title with a 5-0 decision over Clover Park's Matt Roll to cap a brilliant career with a perfect season last night in the Class 3A portion of Mat Classic XV at the Tacoma Dome.

Pedeferri, who won at 112 as a sophomore and 119 as a junior, polished off a perfect 37-0 senior campaign by getting control early and dominating Roll from the top. He got the win with his older brother, Eric, sitting matside and his father Walt watching from the stands with the rest of the Pedeferri clan.

"I can give one to my Dad, I can give my brother one and now I can have one for myself," said Pedeferri, who completed his career with a 142-8 record in four seasons with four state placings. "It's nice to finish on top with an undisputed, perfect season," he said. "Nobody can take that away from me."

Eric ran to his younger brother, gave him a hug and lifted him into the air after the three-peat. Eric took second at 119 in 2000 and father Walt finished second at 112 in 1966. Aaron often teases his brother and father about not winning a title, but he seemed willing to share after No. 3.

"What he's done is pretty indescribable," Eric Pedeferri said of his brother, who will wrestle at Oregon. "He deserves it. He more than deserves it. Sitting there watching, your heart is just racing. You're nervous for him."

Without any nerves, defending Class 3A champion Sedro-Woolley had its day in the spotlight as well, repeating for the team crown with 125 points in a runaway over second-place White River (92.5) and third-place Cedarcrest (85). The Cubs brought home the school's seventh championship and had it wrapped up before the consolation finals for seventh-eighth, fifth-sixth and third-fourth matches.

Sedro-Woolley's seventh title came on the 50th anniversary of the sport in the state of Washington and exactly 50 years after the Cubs secured their first title in 1953.

"When you're expected to win it, that brings in a lot of other stress factors and that's hard to deal with," Sedro-Woolley Coach Jay Breckenridge said.

Cubs senior Jonny Wicker pulled off a successful title repeat at 152, finishing 33-3. Wicker became the tradition-rich school's first two-time champion in 39 years, according to Breckenridge.

Lynnwood senior Reese Cogdill finished a perfect 35-0 season by taking the 215-pound class with a 13-6 decision over North Thurston's Chris Keeney. Cogdill had a school-record 28 pins this season.

"I went out there as hard as I could, because that was the toughest guy I've wrestled," said Cogdill, who improved on his fifth-place finish at 215 as a junior.

Sedro-Woolley entered state without a regional champion and went out with seven state placers. Wicker beat Liberty's Justin Studer 6-3 in the title bout to avenge a 3-2 defeat in the 152 regional championship.

Two championship matches after Pedeferri's triumph, teammate and wrestling room workout partner, Darren DeBoer, brought home another title for Cedarcrest at 135.

"(Pedeferri) got me started in seventh grade, and we've pretty much been arm-and-arm in everything we do" said DeBoer, who finished his senior season 34-4. "I couldn't have done it without him."

Cedarcrest Coach Jeff Newcomer said he has never been around a more talented high-school wrestler.

"He came in every day, just like Darren, and he's worked hard," Newcomer said of Pedeferri. "He's not cocky. He just takes care of business."

Coming into Mat Classic, only 44 wrestlers in state history had won three or more state titles.

White River advanced a 3A-best three wrestlers to the championship finals with junior Paul Klein (112) and sophomore Dustin Haukenberry (171) bringing home state titles.

Note

• Columbia River sophomore Kyle Bounds became a two-time champion in just two years of high-school wrestling, topping White River's Skyler Marler 5-1 in the 145-pound title bout. Bounds won the 135 crown as a freshman.