Hornet-Hornet battle a treat for wrestling fans

Plateau wrestling fans wait for nights like tonight, Wednesday, when two of the top wrestling programs in the state go head-to-head in the Hornet-Hornet battle.

Plateau wrestling fans wait for nights like tonight, Wednesday, when two of the top wrestling programs in the state go head-to-head in the Hornet-Hornet battle.

Enumclaw, one of the top ranked teams in the state, and White River, which finished sixth in 3A competition last season, square off at 7 p.m. in Buckley. The junior varsity’s clash at 6. Unlike past years, this will not be a league counter. White River dropped to Class 2A in the fall.

Enumclaw coach Lee Reichert calls it a healthy rivalry, with the two programs working together on a summer wrestling camp the past few years.

“We both want to see our programs get better,” he said. “And we use each other’s program to get better.”

“We don’t match up particularly well against Enumclaw, but we’ll come to battle,” White River coach Joe Klein said. “We’re just excited about the match. We like to see a packed gym. Despite the outcome, it’s nice to see the gym full of people supporting wrestling.”