Mayor Mike Cooper surrounded by wrestlers and coaches from the Japanese National team, with Mountlake Terrace High School wrestlers and Head Wrestling Coach Kanoe Vierra on the far left. (Photos by Amber Salinas Photography)
Edmonds Mayor Mike Cooper — himself a former Edmonds High School wrestler — played host to a group of high school wrestlers from Japan who are visiting as part of an international cultural exchange and who will wrestle against local All-Stars at Mountlake Terrace tonight.
The wrestlers from the Japanese National Team were accompanied by their coaches, Tomonori Ise and Toshi Hide. Also present was Edmonds-Woodway head wrestling coach Brian Alfi, Mountlake Terrace head coach Kanoe Vierra and members of the Mountlake Terrace wrestling team.
For those who want to see the action, the match begins at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Mountlake Terrace High School. Here’s the lineup, according to Mayor Cooper, who announces all home Edmonds-Woodway wrestling matches and will also be announcing tonight’s match.
E-W assistant wrestling coach Brian Alfi with Mayor Cooper and the Japanese team at City Hall.
Japanese National Team vs Wesco, Kingco, and Cascade All-Stars
125 Pounds Takahiro Abe vs Brandon Leach (Shorewood)
Abe: Inter High School 3rd, National Sports Festival 2nd
Leach: 8th Place at State 2010, Ranked #2 in State 3A 119 125 Pounds Takahiro Abe vs Andrew Vulliet (Edmonds-Woodway)
Abe: Inter High School 3rd, National Sports Festival 2nd
Vulliet: 2x State Placer, Ranked #3 in State 4A 112
141 Pounds Rikiya Matsuzawa vs Lex Duncan (Cascade)
Matsuzawa: All High School Greco 3rd, National Sports Festival 2nd
Duncan: 3x Regional Participant, State Alternate 141 Pounds Kamei Hayato vs Mac Hutchison (Edmonds-Woodway)
Hayato: All High School Greco 1st, Inter High School 5th
Hutchison: 8th Place at State 2010, Ranked #4 in State at 4A 140
150 Pounds Kenji Yamamoto vs Cody Paxson (Cedarcrest)
Yamamoto: Inter High School 5th
Paxson: 8th Place in State 2010, Ranked #2 in State 2A 152
150 Pounds Kenji Yamamoto vs Hamilton Noel (Liberty)
Yamamoto: Inter High School 5th
Noel: State Finalist in 2010, Ranked 2nd in State 3A 152
150 Pounds Hiroya Takemoto vs Brandon Straton (Oak Harbor)
Takemoto: New Face High School 3rd
Straton: 2x Regional Participant, Ranked 6th in State 3A152
170 Pounds Ryo Shiraisi vs Phil Frazier (Mercer Island)
Shiraisi: Inter High School 2nd, National Sports Festival 1st
Frazier: 2010 State Participant, Ranked 8th in State 3A 171
171 Pounds Daisuke Shimada vs Taylor Call (Mountlake Terrace)
Shimada: Inter High School 3rd, National Sports Festival 1st
Call: Regional Qualifier
172 Pounds Hideaki Kouda vs Logan McCallum (Juanita)
Kouda: National Sports Festival 3rd
McCallum: 2010 State Participant, Ranked 5th in State 3A 171
177 Pounds Kenta Yamahara vs Nick Ulke (Lynnwood)
Yamahara: Inter High School 2nd, All High School Greco 3rd
184 Pounds Maito Shizukuda vs Brayden Jacobson (Everett)
Shizukuda: National Sports Festival 3rd
Jacobson: Regional Qualifier, Ranked 9th in State 3A 189
184 Pounds Maito Shizukuda vs Colton Knebel (Mercer Island)
Shizukuda: National Sports Festival 3rd
Knebel: 3rd Place at State 2010, Ranked 2nd in State 3a 189
197 Pounds Seira Terayama vs TJ Blackburn (Mercer Island)
Terayama: National Sports Festival 3rd
Blackburn: 8th Place at State 2010, Ranked 3rd in State 3A 215
230 Pounds Sho Yasuda vs Ian Bolstad
Yasuda: National Sports Festival 2nd
Bolstad: Cadet Greco All-American, Ranked 3rd in State 3A 285
This was a fun evening of wrestling. This is the second time one of my son’s have been selected for this honor. I want to thank all those involved for hosting this event.
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This was a fun evening of wrestling. This is the second time one of my son’s have been selected for this honor. I want to thank all those involved for hosting this event.