Mat Classic roundup: Wesco 3A dominates Day 1

TACOMA — Of the 28 available Class 3A semifinal spots on Day 1 of Mat Classic XXVII at the Tacoma Dome, 14 were claimed by members of the Wesco North and South divisions.

That staggering statistic proves just how tough the league was on a weekly basis this season, and how battle-tested the wrestlers who fought through the sub-regionals (each division on its own) and regionals (the two leagues together) were once they got to state.

The Wesco 3A North claimed nine of those semifinal spots: four from Arlington, two from Oak Harbor, two from Stanwood and one from Marysville Pilchuck.

The Wesco 3A South was represented by the remaining five semifinalists: two from Edmonds-Woodway and one each from Shorewood, Glacier Peak and Meadowdale.

Even with all those Wesco kids in the semifinals, most in the know at the Dome were surprised that there wasn’t a 15th name on the list — Marysville Pilchuck senior 182-pounder Drew Hatch.

After posting an undefeated record heading into Mat Classic with all but one win coming via pin, and after destroying his first opponent on Friday morning, it looked like a sure thing that the burly Hatch would be in the semis at worst.

That’s why they wrestle the matches.

Peninsula’s Luke Holsinger dealt Hatch an 8-6 defeat in the quarterfinals, sending shockwaves around the Class 3A portion of the Tacoma Dome.

“He slowed the match down, and Drew has been much more successful in matches that have flurries of scoring,” said Marysville Pilchuck coach Craig Iversen, who added that none of Hatch’s prior opponents have been able to control tempo like Holsinger.

Oak Harbor coach Peter Esvelt, who helped lead 145-pounder Mark Johnston and 285-pounder Jackson Constant to the semis, said he wasn’t surprised by the huge number of Wesco kids a win away from the state finals.

“We knew going in that we were in one of the toughest leagues in the state,” said Esvelt, who is in his second year as Oak Harbor’s head coach after 10 as a Wildcat assistant. “The league is loaded with tough kids, and that’s paying off here. Having that level of competition always presented to us gives the kids in the league a level of confidence going in. We’ve seen what we’re going to face here instead of going in blind. It allows us to strap it up and go after it.”

Stanwood coach Ray Mather, who will lead 138-pounder West Weinert and 195-pounder Garret Arrona into the semifinals on Saturday, said that Wesco’s top-to-bottom strength starts with the coaches.

“When you have the quality of coaches that we have, who go out and find top-caliber competition outside of what we face in the league like Pac Coast and Tri-State, that’s what you’re going to get,” Mather said. “Our league is a dogfight, week in and week out. Our coaches have big expectations that make the kids able to succeed here. They also have great kids’ programs and great support systems.”

Class 4A

Lake Stevens found itself in a battle to claim its third consecutive team title on Friday, finishing the day just eight points behind Moses Lake in the championship race.

Lake Stevens’ top guns took care of business on Friday, but the ancillary pieces to the Vikings’ 11-man Mat Classic contingent had a rougher go of it.

The Vikings went 6-5 in their first-round matches, with wins from Alex Rodorigo (126 pounds), Michael Soler (132), Jake Douglas (138) and Cody Vigoren (195), but outside of that quartet, only Tyler Headland (120) and Mason Beaver (182) were able to stay in the winner’s bracket.

That’s not the kind of performance the Vikings needed to keep pace with Moses Lake in their quest for a third consecutive team title, especially in light of the Chiefs’ 9-0 first round.

“We have our work cut out for us. We need guys to win two matches tonight and keep us going in this thing,” Lake Stevens coach Brent Barnes said. “We had two matches at 145 and 152 that I thought we were in, but they didn’t go our way, and now we’re in a situation where we need a little help.”

The Vikings satisfied both criteria later Friday afternoon, as two of the first-round losers won both consolation bouts to stick around till Saturday. They’ll join five Viking semifinalists in making a run at the Chiefs, who faltered a bit to aid Lake Stevens’ cause.

Soler, who will have a tough road toward a third state championship in as many years on Saturday, immediately went over to cheer Douglas in his triple overtime quarterfinal victory following his own win.

“The team title is the most important thing for us,” Soler said. “We want it really bad.”

Vigoren, who posted a pair of first-period pins on Friday, added that the thought of letting down 10 teammates keeps each Viking wrestler pushing along, even if individual title hopes have faded.

“We fight for each other,” he said. “It’s easy to quit when you’re only worrying about yourself.”

Snohomish coach Kevin Judkins said a case of tournament anxiety coupled with a well-devised Mount Vernon game plan combined to produce the Bulldogs’ Draven Hodgins’ 8-5 victory over the Panthers’ Alex Fairhurst in last weekend’s regional final.

Judkins said Fairhurst wrestled uncharacteristically tentative against Hodgins, but the senior is in a much better frame of mind at Mat Classic, evidenced by his first-round victory over Federal Way’s Andrzej Hughes-Murray and subsequent pin of West Valley Yakima’s Sam Heidt in the quarters.

Hodgins pinned Decatur’s Joe Johnson in 1:08, but lost in his quarterfinal bout.

Class 1A

Sultan found itself in a similar situation to Lake Stevens, after the 15 Turks in the Mat Classic field combined to go 8-7 in their first-round bouts.

Headliners James Mackenzie (126 pounds) and Jamell Carroll (132) both won their openers, but only Carroll will continue on in the winner’s bracket.

Mackenzie dropped an 8-6 overtime decision to Highland’s David Peterson in the quarterfinals, leaving the Turks with Carroll and 145-pounder Cory Martinez in the semifinals. Sultan was seventh in the team standings with 51 points

The Turks got a major assist from the parents of Darrington’s Mat Classic contingent on Friday morning.

Sultan’s bus broke down at their hotel in Federal Way, and the Logger families piled all 19 Turks into their cars and got them to the Tacoma Dome for the morning weigh-in.

“The hotel wouldn’t give us a shuttle, so we were stuck,” MacDicken said. “But that’s wrestling. We stick together.”

Class 2B/1B

Darrington senior heavyweight Lane Monteith’s dream of ending his prep wrestling career with a second consecutive state championship unraveled in the early going on Friday, as Tonasket’s Chad Edwards beat him 9-8 in the opening round.

Monteith won the title at 195 pounds last season, and attempted to go up two weight classes for his senior campaign.

The Loggers’ Mason McKenzie, a state champion at 220 last year as a sophomore, stayed at that weight this season and will have a chance to repeat. McKenzie pinned both of his opponents Friday in the eight-man bracket and is through to Saturday’s final against Toledo’s Dalton Yoder.

Class 2A

The only local wrestler to win his first-round match was Cedarcrest sophomore 113-pounder Parker McBride, who defeated Ben Basden of Port Angeles 12-7.

McBride lost to Clarkston’s Spencer Clegg 12-2 in the quarterfinals, but won his first consolation match later Friday to stay alive.

At Tacoma Dome

Team scores after day one and the wrestlers who advanced to the semifinals by winning their first two matches on Friday

Class 4A

Team scores (Top 10): 1. Moses Lake 63, 2. Lake Stevens 55, 3. University 43, 4. Yelm 41, 5. Sunnyside 38, 6. Tahoma 36, 7. (tie), Union and Decatur 35, 9. (tie) Rogers Puyallup and Central Valley 32.

Local teams: 22. Snohomish 17. 32. Mount Vernon 7. 46. Jackson 3. 50. Monroe 2. 53. Cascade 1. 54. Mariner, Kamiak 0.

106—Derek Freitag (Kentridge), Jose Garcia (Moses Lake), Ethan Rotondo (Union), Elias Romero (Sunnyside); 113—Brandon Huft (Mountain View), Patrick Wheeler (Curtis), Julian Arrellano (Eastmont), Trey Long (Moses Lake); 120—Nathan Swanson (Skyline), Bryson Beard (Central Valley), Cooper McCullough (Moses Lake), Beau Shatto Rogers; 126—Darren Harris (Yelm), Josiah Rodriguez (Sunnyside), Justin Sipila (Tahoma), Alex Rodorigo (Lake Stevens); 132—Andrew Boharski (Mead), Timmy Martinez (Pasco), Cam Sorensen (University), Michael Soler (Lake Stevens); 138—Ryden Fu (Tahoma), Blake Beard (Central Valley), Jahleel Smith (Kent Meridian), Jake Douglas (Lake Stevens); 145—Sean Van Earwage (Todd Beamer), Diego Castaneda (Sunnyside), Chase Clasen (Moses Lake), Troy Wilson (Rogers); 152—Justin Edens (Mount Si), Isaiah Diggs (Decatur), Virgil Smith (Bothell, Ty Wilson (Rogers); 160—Hudson Mauseth (Moses Lake), Cesar Quintanilla (Emerald Ridge), Michael Snediker (Union), Jared Schroeder (Graham-Kapowsin); 170—Levi Meinzinger (University), Mitchell Owens (Todd Beamer), Mark Mulligan (Mount Si), Heng Yon (Thomas Jefferson); 182—Emmanuel Daigbe (Kent Meridian), Mason Beaver (Lake Stevens), AJ Sarno (Decatur), Alex Berfanger (Union); 195—Adam Hokenson (Tahoma), Aaron Ibanez (Bothell), Cody Vigoren (Lake Stevens), Levi McBride (Chiawana); 220—Kyle Capperauld (Kentwood), Alex Fairhurst (Snohomish), Dallas Goodpaster (Evergreen), Tyler Rickel (University); 285—Austin Wright (Evergreen), Noah Buckley (Lewis and Clark), Tanner Torr (Kent Meridian), Tate Orndorff (University).

Class 3A

Team scores (Top 10): 1. Enumclaw 49, 2. North Central 48.5, 3. Arlington 42, 4. Mt. Spokane 39, 5. Shadle Park 36.5, 6. Peninsula 35. 7. Auburn Mountainview 35, 8. Bonney Lake 32.5, 9. Auburn 31, 10. Kamiakin 29.

Local teams: 11. Oak Harbor 28, 12. Edmonds-Woodway 27.5, 13. Stanwood 27. 19. Marysville Pilchuck 21. 21. Glacier Peak 16.5. 24. Meadowdale 14, 29. Shorewood 12. 31. Everett 10. 46. Mountlake Terrace 1. 50. Lynnwood 0.

106—Riley Gurr (Kamiakin), Kalel Salcedo (Sumner), Bryce Miller (Kelso), Brandon Kaylor (Bonney Lake); 113—Clai Quintanilla (North Central), Carson Corbaley (Bonney Lake), Sidat Kanyi (Edmonds-Woodway), Taylan Yuasa (Mercer Island); 120—Yayha Mirzaei (Auburn Mountainview), Alec Hoover (Mt. Spokane), Blake Llarenas (Hanford) Quinton Southcott (Enumclaw); 126—Jake Treece (Enumclaw), Gavin Rork (Arlington), Jeremy Nygard (Arlington), Hunter Haney (Enumclaw); 132—Hiram Martin (Edmonds-Woodway), Dylan Foley (Auburn Mountainview), Kodi Walls (Prairie), Andrew Ramirez (Lakes); 138—West Weinert (Stanwood), Rich Bondurant (Mt. Spokane, Erik Harris-Udall (Shorewood), Tino Nieves (Lakes); 145—Matt Iwicki (Eastside Catholic), Cooper McAuslan (Arlington), Avery Meyer (Bonney Lake), Mark Johnston (Oak Harbor); 152—Christian Villani (Bellevue), Bernardo Olivas (Shelton), Morgan Ruegsegger (Mt. Spokane), Zach Goodard (Peninsula); 160—Calvin Fischer (Central Kitsap), Izaec Quintanilla (North Central), Ruben Crew (Arlington), Ben Broselle (Ferndale); 170—Mason McDaniel (Juanita), Stephan Babcock (Shadle Park), Killian Page (Marysville Pilchuck), Bryson Pierce (North Central); 182—Kione Gill (Enumclaw), Luke Holsinger (Peninsula), Sam Lindsey (Auburn), Kyle Vinson (Shadle Park); 195—Garret Arrona (Stanwood), Ryan Burnett (Shadle Park), Evan Condon (Mercer Island), Chance Stolz (Peninsula); 220—Markus Robinson (Rogers-Spokane), Mario Luevano (Auburn), Tim Smith (Meadowdale), BJ Hawthorne (Lincoln); 285—Alex Neale (Eastside Catholic), Mosese Fifita (Glacier Peak), Jackson Constant (Oak Harbor), Nick Little (Kamiakin).

Class 2A

Team scores (Top 10): 1. Toppenish 57, 2. Sedro-Woolley 56, 3. Clarkston 56, 4. W.F. West 47, 5. Orting 47, 6. Port Angeles 45.5, 7. Blaine 41, 8. East Valley Spokane 40. 9. Tumwater 39. 10. Olympic 36.

Local teams: 44. Cedarcrest 4. 45. Lakewood 4. 55. Archbishop Murphy 0. 56. Granite Falls 0. 61, Shorecrest 0.

106—Jacob Flores (Fife), Ty Peth (Burlington-Edison), Alex Cruz (Orting), Alex Vaca (Wapato) 113—Colton Economy (Blaine), Spencer Clegg (Clarkston), Trevor Newburn (Ridgefield), Tre Toledo (Olympic); 120—Adam Adkinson (Sedro-Woolley), Zach Oster (Washougal), Carlos Lopez (Selah), Orion Yates (R.A. Long); 126—Logan Sundheim (East Valley), Brady Anderson (Port Angeles), Tanner Benton (Clarkston), Josue Rodriguez (Toppenish); 132—Ben Gore (Orting), Eric Schmidt (Tumwater), Michael Anderson( W.F. West), Manny Martinez (Othello); 138—Fred Green (Orting), Andrew Saavedra (Toppenish), Cameron Dubos (Bremerton), Daniel Juarez (Toppenish); 145—Nathan Patterson (Woodland), Caleb Frey (Blaine), Zach Volk (Fife), Michael Matagi (W.F. West); 152—Davon Johnson (Clover Park), Trey Meyer (East Valley), Andy Vargas (Quincy), Brent Evans (Toppenish); 160—Lucas Eastman (Rochester), Logan Madison (Olympic), Volodymyr Kalinin (Renton), Eric Braun (W.F. West); 170—Jacob Zocco (River Ridge), Jacob Farrell (Sedro-Woolley), Conner Small (Liberty), Tait Stevenson (Ellensburg); 182—Aaron Tisinger (Anacortes), Jacob Nelson (Washington), Romney Noel (Liberty), Quinten Dickman-Roppel (Sedro-Woolley); 195—Allan McClure (W.F. West), Matt Robbins (Port Angeles), Nate Vaughn (Sedro-Woolley), Geordyn Shinard (Olympic); 220—Cameron Loos (Hockinson), Kenny Martinez (East Valley), Matt Shields (Rochester), Dylan Beeler (Clarkston); 285—Hunter Mullins (Orting), Joe Leal (Mark Morris), Roberto Coronel (Port Angeles), Cy Hicks (Tumwater).

Class 1A

Team scores (Top 10): 1. Freeman 98, 2. Colville 60.5, 3. Royal 58.5, 4. Forks 58, 5. Deer Park 56, 6. Montesano 56. 7. Sultan 51. 8. Vashon Island 50. 9. Granger 37. 10. Klahowya 33.

Local teams: 40. South Whidbey 0.

106—Jaron Gunter (Kiona-Benton), Luke Larson (Vashon Island), TJ Baun (Colville), Eduardo Rodriguez (Royal); 113—Sebastian Morales (Forks), Seth Hoog (Deer Park), Chase Wickman (Vashon Island), Tony Williams (Montesano); 120—Oscar Ortiz (Connell), Jacob Ellefson (Montesano), Dalton Young (Lakeside), Alvaro Ortiz (Forks); 126—Carlos Hernandez (Royal), Derick Tollen (LA Center), John Crise (Chewelah), David Peterson (Highland); 132—Tysen Jorgensen (Deer Park), Tyler Ward (Colville), Jamell Carroll (Sultan), Adrian Morales (Granger); 138—Dean Lockwood (Deer Park), Victory Almaguer (Granger), Isaiah Crane (Freeman), Matt Crise (Chewelah); 145—Austin Cain (Montesano), Cory Martinez (Sultan), Gabe Wallis (Klahowya), Diego Hernandez (Zillah); 152—Garrett Brown (Lakeside), Carson Hoffine (Cle Elum), Shawn Godinho (Castle Rock), Ian Cox (Colville); 160—Ryley Smith (Colville), Colton Vanpelt (Stevenson), Alex Aguilar (Omak), Logan Nelson (Vashon Island); 170—Ben Knight (Colville), Darrin Miller (Royal), Kylar Prante (Montesano), Billy Sims (Freeman); 182—Jack Dahlgren (Forks), Markus Goldbach (Freeman), Preston Hoppman (Freeman), Austin Darvell (Castle Rock); 195—Jason Aebischer (Deer Park), Ruvim Tyutyunnik (River View), Juan Zamora (Granger); 220—Trevor Eicher (Deer Park), Miguel Ayala (Royal), Lasaro Ochoa (Zillah), Damon Davis (Cascade Christian); 285—Teigan Glidewell (Freeman), Tanner Cook (Kiona-Benton), Miguel Morales (Forks), Peyton Smetana (Freeman).

Class 2B/1B

Weight classes with local finalists

220—Mason McKenzie (Darrington), Dalton Yoder (Toledo).

GIRLS

Weight classes with local semifinalists

140—Ally De La Cruz (Kamiak), Chloe Rogers (Port Townsend), Makayla Ramirez (South Kitsap), Desiree Zavala (Grandview); 170—Ruthie Karlberg (Stanwood), Daiza Vann (Todd Beamer), Vanessa Dixon (Todd Beamer), Tally Thomas (Federal Way).

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