BATTLE GROUND — It’s easy to see where Union’s Kayla Brosius gets her motivation to wrestle.
It happens to be a person who shares her last name, and the wrestler she uses as a pre-match warm-up partner, like she did at the annual Clark County Championships at Battle Ground.
Her brother, Union’s Kyle Brosius.
As a middle schooler, Kayla Brosius watched her older brother make a throw on a wrestler, and the rest is history.
“I wanted to do that,” she said, “If he can do it, I can do it.”
No surprise, either, their goal was to repeat as Clark County champions in their weight classes, repeating the feat they accomplished together last year for the first time. Kayla Brosius captured the 120-pound girls title and not long afterward, junior Kyle Brosius did the same at 182 on the boys side.
Now, their goal is three for 2020.
“For us to win it together,” the sophomore said, “it’s awesome. We always motivate each other … I see him win, I want to win; He sees me win, he wants to win. It’s back and forth and it’s awesome to have it in my family.”
Teammate Annabelle Helm (170 pounds) won her fourth Clark County title in a 4-1 defeat of Mountain View’s Katelyn Cera, as one of five Titans on the girls side to win titles Saturday. Washougal, getting wins from Emily Seekins (100 pounds) and Aria Yang (110) captured the team title with 173 points. Union, with seven finalists, placed second (155.5).
For wrestlers like defending 3A state champion Allison Blaine of Hudson’s Bay, taking home another Clark County title like she did Saturday at 140 pounds became nerve-racking.
Pressure can mount as a state champion, and that’s why the junior focused more on fun Saturday. Especially after last week’s Kelso Invitational, one of the largest girls-only wrestling invitationals in the country.
“My stomach was in knots,” she said.
Not so much Saturday since she focused more on the fun aspect. And fun still led to a win at 140 pounds, taking down Kelso’s Makayla Roggow, 16-1, in the final.
Blaine’s winning streak also continues. Her only high school lost came in the semifinals of Mat Classic in 2017.
“I wanted to go out and have a good experience for the first time in a while,” Blaine said. “Just try new things and instead of being so focused on just winning.”
Other Clark County winners were: Fort Vancouver’s Eliana Duff (115), Camas’ Elliana Sabatini, Kelso’s Ashley McGhee (105), Kyla Shoddy (125) and Evan Medina (235), Union’s Riley Aamold (130), Krista Warren (145), and Neveah Cassidy (155), and La Center’s Lexi Keysar.
Clark County Championships
At Battle Ground
Team scores — Washougal 173, Union 155.5, Kelso 130, Hudson’s Bay 86.5, Skyview 81, Camas 59, Mountain View 59, Fort Vancouver 38, La Center 38, Seton Catholic 20, Battle Ground 14, Ridgefield 4, Evergreen 3.
100 — 1st: Emily Seekins (W) p. Jamie Osato (LC) 3:32.
105 — 1st: Ashley McGhee (K) p. Madeline Chinn (U) 5:35.
110 — 1st: Aria Yang (W) def. Emily Johanson (K) 11-10; 3rd: Sofia Chavez (HB) p. Madeline Prichard (S) 4:29.
115 — 1st: Eliana Duff (FV) p. Mayci Bloomfeldt (K) 3:38; 3rd: Ava Weatherl (C) p. Lillian Mucha (W) 2:13.
120 — 1st: Kayla Brosius (U) def. McKenna Bowen (W) 10-0; 3rd: Trinity Reeves (HB) def. Alyssa Lewis (MV) 2-1.
125 — 1st: Kyla Shoddy (K) def. Alajandra Ayers (U) 4-0; 3rd: Aleksi Donahue (W) p. Josalyn Ortiz (W) 2:34.
130 — 1st: Riley Aamold (U) p. Lauren Locke (W) 1:09; 3rd: Jenna Beaver (W) def. Elizabeth Stump (HB) 8-3.
135 — 1st: Elliana Sabatini (C) p. Madison McMillian (HB) 1:14; 3rd: Ashley Garrison (W) def. Annika Ridder (MV) 14-3.
140 — 1st: Allison Blaine (HB) def. Makeyla Roggow (K) 16-1; 3rd: Elizabeth Kinnan (BG) p. Elizabeth Klopman (W) 2:21.
145 — 1st: Krista Warren (U) p. Rion Hoots (S) 1:05; 3rd: Natalia Juarez-Trejo (S) p. Alexus Tupouniua (FV) 0:54. .
155 — 1st: Naveah Cassidy (U) def. Amanda Fry (SC) 4-3; 3rd Kiley Sidwell (W) p. Alondra Diaz (S) 2:49.
170 — 1st: Annabelle Helm (U) def. Katelyn Cera (MV) 4-1; 3rd Mariana Juarez-Trejo (S) p. Jordan Mann (S) 4:25.
190 — 1st: Lexi Keysar (LC) p. Indra Gutierrez-Gaitan (MV) 0:25.
235 — 1st: Eva Medina (K) p. Saelyn Sayler (S) 5:09; 3rd Emily Eakins (W) p. Isabel Lopez (K) 3:35.
Your tax-deductible donation to The Columbian’s Community Funded Journalism program will contribute to better local reporting on key issues, including homelessness, housing, transportation and the environment. Reporters will focus on narrative, investigative and data-driven storytelling.
Local journalism needs your help. It’s an essential part of a healthy community and a healthy democracy.
