The high school wrestling postseason continues with Saturday’s regional tournaments, which determine who advances to next weekend’s Mat Classic XXXIII in the Tacoma Dome.
It will be the first Mat Classic since 2020, due to last year’s event being canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Here’s a preview of the regionals that involve local teams. All state rankings are from Washington Wrestling Report.
4A BOYS REGION 1 TOURNAMENT
Lake Stevens senior Tyler Fouts lifts Glacier Peak sophomore Gil Mossburg during a dual meet last month. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
When: Saturday, 10 a.m.
Where: Tahoma H.S. (Maple Valley)
Teams: 12
Leagues: Wesco 4A, North Puget Sound League 4A
Wrestlers per team: Tahoma (24), Lake Stevens (21), Glacier Peak (13), Kentwood (13), Kennedy Catholic (10), Federal Way (8), Kentridge (8), Decatur (6), Jackson (6), Kamiak (2), Mount Rainier (2), Mariner (1)
4A state-ranked teams: 4. Tahoma 5. Lake Stevens 13. Glacier Peak 15. Kennedy Catholic 17. Decatur
State qualifiers: Top four in each weight class
Favorites: Tahoma and Lake Stevens. This regional features a clash between two of the state’s premier programs. From 2011 through 2017, Tahoma and Lake Stevens combined for six 4A state team titles in seven years. In the past 10 Mat Classics, they’ve totaled 11 top-three finishes in the 4A team standings. And this year, both look primed for another top state finish. Both dominated their sub-regionals last week and are overflowing with talent once again, sporting a combined 17 wrestlers with top-10 4A rankings in their weight class.
Top-ranked Glacier Peak senior Jacob Erickson pinned Lake Stevens sophomore Koen Mattern in last weekend’s 220-pound sub-regional final. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Three locals to watch: Glacier Peak senior Jacob Erickson (22-1) is the top-ranked 220-pounder in 4A. He needed less than 2 minutes combined to pin both of his opponents in last week’s sub-regional, including a 62-second pin of 4A No. 6-ranked Lake Stevens sophomore Koen Mattern in the final. … Lake Stevens senior Tyler Fouts (18-2) is ranked No. 2 in 4A at 145 pounds. He reached the Mat Classic in each of his first two seasons, including a fourth-place 4A state medal at 120 pounds in 2020. … Lake Stevens senior Wyatt Springer (20-3) is ranked No. 2 in 4A at 160 pounds. He also reached the Mat Classic in each of his first two seasons, including a fifth-place 4A state medal at 152 pounds in 2020.
Weight class to watch: 160 pounds. This bracket includes three of the top six 4A state-ranked wrestlers for this weight class: Top-ranked Kennedy Catholic senior Mateo De La Pena, the aforementioned second-ranked Springer and sixth-ranked Kennedy Catholic sophomore Emanuele Collins. De La Pena and Springer would square off in the semifinal round if they both win their opening matches.
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3A BOYS REGION 1 TOURNAMENT
Stanwood junior Tyler Rhue celebrates his victory during a dual meet last month. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
When: Saturday, 10 a.m.
Where: Snohomish H.S.
Teams: 20
Leagues: Wesco 3A North, Northwest Conference, South Sound Conference, Olympic League
Wrestlers per team: Yelm (20), Stanwood (15), Ferndale (12), Oak Harbor (12), North Thurston (10), Central Kitsap (9), Arlington (8), Peninsula (8), Capital (7), Marysville Pilchuck (7), Snohomish (7), Everett (6), Marysville Getchell (6), Mount Vernon (6), River Ridge (6), Gig Harbor (5), Bainbridge (4), Cascade (4), Monroe (4), Timberline (3)
3A state-ranked teams: 5. Yelm 8. Stanwood 10. Arlington 13. Capital 15. Ferndale
State qualifiers: Top five in each weight class
Favorites: Yelm and Stanwood. These two programs finished near the top of the 3A team standings at the 2020 Mat Classic, with Yelm placing third and Stanwood fourth. And both teams have the pieces for another high finish this year. Yelm has nine wrestlers ranked in the top 12 of their weight class for 3A, including four with top-three rankings. Stanwood has eight wrestlers with top-15 rankings. Both teams comfortably won sub-regional titles last week.
Three locals to watch: Arlington senior Trevor Latta (20-5) is ranked No. 2 in 3A at 160 pounds. He reached the Mat Classic two years ago. … Stanwood junior Mason Ferguson (19-0) is ranked No. 2 in 3A at 182 pounds. He’s seeking his first trip to the Mat Classic. … Stanwood junior Tyler Rhue (18-0) is ranked No. 3 in 3A at 126 pounds. He defeated fourth-ranked Mount Vernon junior Ryan Wilson in last week’s sub-regional final. Two years ago as a freshman, Rhue claimed a third-place 3A state medal at 106 pounds.
Weight class to watch: 220 pounds. This bracket features six of the top 12 3A state-ranked wrestlers for this weight class: No. 4-ranked Ferndale junior Sam Brulotte, No. 5 North Thurston junior Marcellus Belton, No. 8 Snohomish junior Connor King, No. 10 Bainbridge junior Wyatt Goade, No. 11 Everett senior Joey Hudson and No. 12 Everett junior Emiliano Velazquez. With just five available state berths, at least one of these six won’t advance to state.
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3A BOYS REGION 3 TOURNAMENT
Edmonds-Woodway senior Alex Rapelje celebrates after winning a state title at the 2020 Mat Classic. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
When: Saturday, 10 a.m.
Where: Foss H.S. (Tacoma)
Teams: 20
Leagues: Wesco 3A South, North Puget Sound League 3A, Pierce County League
Wrestlers per team: Auburn Riverside (19), Edmonds-Woodway (18), Meadowdale (15), Silas (15), Spanaway Lake (15), Lincoln-Tacoma (14), Auburn (12), Lynnwood (12), Auburn Mountainview (10), Lakes (10), Shorecrest (10), Shorewood (10), Todd Beamer (10), Bonney Lake (9), Kent Meridian (9), Mountlake Terrace (7), Thomas Jefferson (6), Kentlake (5), Mount Tahoma (4), Stadium (3)
3A state-ranked teams: 6. Lincoln-Tacoma 9. Edmonds-Woodway 17. Auburn Riverside 19. Shorewood
State qualifiers: Top five in each weight class
Favorites: Auburn Riverside, Edmonds-Woodway, Lincoln-Tacoma and Silas. Auburn Riverside and 2020 3A state runner-up Edmonds-Woodway both cruised to sub-regional team titles last week. But the Pierce County League sub-regional was more tightly contested, with Silas beating second-place Lincoln by 33.5 points for the top spot in the team standings. All four teams could be in the mix for the regional crown.
Three locals to watch: Edmonds-Woodway senior Alex Rapelje (26-1) is the top-ranked 152-pounder in 3A. He won the 3A state title at 138 pounds in 2020 and earned a fourth-place state medal at 120 pounds in 2019. … Shorecrest senior Thomas Rhodes (23-0) is ranked No. 2 in 3A at 145 pounds. He reached the Mat Classic in each of his first two seasons, including a fourth-place 3A state medal at 113 pounds in 2020. … Shorewood junior Hunter Tibodeau (18-1) is ranked No. 2 in 3A at 195 pounds. As a freshman two years ago, he claimed a fifth-place 3A state medal at 182 pounds.
Weight class to watch: 145 pounds. This bracket includes five of the top 13 3A state-ranked wrestlers for this weight class: The aforementioned No. 2-ranked Rhodes, No. 6 Lynnwood senior Nathaniel Wilder, No. 7 Shorewood junior Isaac VanHorn, No. 9 Silas sophomore Carter Johnson and No. 13 Todd Beamer sophomore Miguel Serrato. The latter four wrestlers are all on one half of the 12-man bracket. In last week’s sub-regional final, Rhodes defeated Wilder with a 3-0 decision.
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GIRLS REGION 1 TOURNAMENT
Marysville Pilchuck junior Alivia White celebrates after winning a state title at the 2020 Mat Classic. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
When: Saturday, 10 a.m.
Where: Sedro-Woolley H.S.
Teams: 47
Teams with at least five wrestlers: Arlington (14), Mount Vernon (9), Everett (7), Lake Stevens (7), Mount Baker (7), Glacier Peak (6), Marysville Pilchuck (6), Oak Harbor (6), Snohomish (6), Bellingham (5), Blaine (5), Burlington-Edison (5), Hazen (5), Meridian (5), Stanwood (5)
Other local teams: Kamiak (4), Shorewood (4), Cedarcrest (3), Jackson (3), Cascade (2), Lakewood (2), Marysville Getchell (2), Monroe (2), Mountlake Terrace (2), Shorecrest (2), Edmonds-Woodway (1), Mariner (1), Meadowdale (1), Sultan (1)
State-ranked teams: 15. Burlington-Edison 19. Glacier Peak 20. Marysville Pilchuck
State qualifiers: Top five in each weight class
Favorite: Arlington. The Eagles cruised to a sub-regional title last week, finishing well ahead of second-place Everett, third-place Stanwood and fourth-place Marysville Pilchuck in the team standings. Arlington had seven individual top-three finishers and advanced 14 wrestlers to regionals.
Three locals to watch: Marysville Pilchuck junior phenom Alivia White (28-0) captured the 190-pound state title two years ago as a freshman and is the state’s top-ranked wrestler in that same weight class this season. She’s also ranked No. 3 in the nation at 180 pounds by USA Wrestling. … Glacier Peak sophomore Karianne Baldwin (23-1) is the top-ranked wrestler in the state at 125 pounds. As a freshman last year, she placed third at 125 pounds in the Washington State Wrestling Association’s Super State meet. … Cedarcrest senior Abby Varaday (17-1) is ranked No. 3 in the state at 135 pounds. She’s also ranked No. 16 nationally at 138 pounds by USA Wrestling.
Weight class to watch: 190 pounds. With the top two 190-pound wrestlers in the state on opposite sides of this bracket — the aforementioned No. 1-ranked White and No. 2-ranked Burlington-Edison senior Delaney Cobbs — the regional final in this division could be a state championship match preview. White has handed Cobbs her only two losses of the season, pinning her in 72 seconds and 27 seconds in a pair of tournament finals.
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2A BOYS REGION 1 TOURNAMENT
When: Saturday, 10 a.m.
Where: Lindbergh H.S. (Renton)
Teams: 17
Leagues: Northwest Conference, Wesco 2A, KingCo 2A
Teams with at least 10 wrestlers: Burlington-Edison (19), Lindbergh (18), Sedro-Woolley (16), Cedarcrest (15), Bellingham (14), Anacortes (12), Lakewood (10)
Other local teams: Archbishop Murphy (7)
2A state-ranked teams: 13. Anacortes 14. Burlington-Edison 18. Lindbergh
State qualifiers: Top four in each weight class
Local to watch: Cedarcrest senior Evan Reid (16-2) is ranked No. 3 in 2A at 145 pounds. He reached the Mat Classic in each of his first two seasons.
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1A BOYS REGION 1 TOURNAMENT
When: Saturday, 11 a.m.
Where: Hoquiam H.S.
Teams: 23
Leagues: Emerald Sound Conference, Northwest Conference, Evergreen 1A, Nisqually League, Trico League
Teams with at least 10 wrestlers: Blaine (22), Eatonville (15), Montesano (15), Vashon Island (15), Castle Rock (12), Seattle Academy (12), Mount Baker (11), Granite Falls (10)
Other local teams: Sultan (7)
1A state-ranked teams: 9. Blaine
State qualifiers: Top six in each weight class
Local to watch: Granite Falls senior Riley Hoople (23-0) is ranked No. 5 in 1A at 132 pounds. He reached the Mat Classic in each of his first two seasons, including a fifth-place 1A state medal at 113 pounds in 2020.
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2B/1B BOYS REGION 1 TOURNAMENT
When: Saturday, 10 a.m.
Where: Adna Middle/High School
Teams: 21
Leagues: Northwest 2B/1B, Sea-Tac League, Pacific 2B League, Central 2B League, Coastal 1B League
Teams with at least five wrestlers: Forks (17), Kalama (9), Rainier (9), Stevenson (9), Adna (8), Ilwaco (8), Concrete (6), Darrington (6), Ocosta (5), Toledo (5), Willapa Valley (5)
Other local teams: none
2B/1B state-ranked teams: 3. Forks 6. Kalama 9. North Beach
State qualifiers: Top three in each weight class
Local to watch: Darrington junior Aksel Espeland is ranked No. 2 in 2B/1B at 113 pounds. He reached the Mat Classic two years ago as a freshman.
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