TACOMA — Tre Haines would not go as far as to say he expected it.
After all, winning four consecutive wrestling state championships is a rare feat. Entering the second day of Mat Classic XXXVII at the Tacoma Dome on Friday, just 27 people had ever done it before in WIAA history.
But when the Arlington senior defeated Auburn’s Bryce Rowland in a 9-3 decision for the Boys 4A 165 Championship, he joined the rare list. About an hour after University’s Czar Quintanilla became the 28th to win four state championships with a victory in the Boys 3A 126, Haines became No. 29. It marked the crowning achievement for the multi-time All-American.
“In the back of my mind, I always had it as a goal,” Haines told The Herald moments after the bout. “But just achieving it throughout the years, slowly building with my freshman year, it’s just incredible. Just all glory to God, to be honest. He just cemented me, all the times I’ve not wanted to work out. I’m waking up early to go for runs, and sometimes if I don’t want to, I’m like, ‘I need to get one more. One more.’”
When the final whistle blew, Haines clapped his hands twice, still on his knees, before taking off his headgear and rising to his feet. After the official raised his arm in the air to declare him the victor, Haines turned to the crowd and took a bow.
The show was over.
“I’m slowly getting it right now,” Haines said. “But just, it’s crazy to take in that I was here for four years in high school, and that was my very last high school match. So I’m glad I won it. I wish it went a little better, but it was good to put on a show for the crowd, and that was my goal this year.”
It’s hard to picture how clinching a state four-peat could go any better, but Haines had several notes. For starters, he wanted to build his lead up to 15 points and win via technical fall. He’d have to settle for a decision. Haines also expressed a desire to move his feet better, pointing to his fast fakes that allow him to move around quickly as something he could have done more.
The self-critique won’t stop there. While most of the other state champions will bask in their achievement, at least for one night, Haines won’t even wait that long.
“I shouldn’t, but I’ll probably watch my match a couple times tonight,” Haines said. “Just thinking what I could do better.”
That mentality is what allowed Haines to come back and win his bracket year after year. When the bar was set as high as he did as a freshman, making progress was that much harder.
Arlington’s Tre Haines attempts a takedown during the 4A boys 165-pound championship match at the Mat Classic on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026 in Tacoma, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Haines also credits the Arlington coaching staff, led by Jonny Gilbertson, who he called “one of the best coaches that’s sticking to a game plan.” According to Gilbertson, Haines followed the game plan to a T in the championship bout.
Heading into the match, Gilbertson wanted to take pressure off Haines with what was at stake, and the coach credited his wrestler’s mental strength for making that an easy task. Win or lose, Haines’ legacy was set.
“We talk about always looking for the next best thing, and no one can ever take away what you’ve already done,” Gilbertson said, relaying his message. “There’s no pressure. You’re already a state champion for the rest of your life. You can tell people you’re a state champion. Let’s just go chase one more.
“His mind is rock solid. When he sets his mind on accomplishing what he wants to do in the (Tacoma) Dome, I’ve never seen anybody with a stronger mind.”
Both wrestlers came out conservative in the first period, waiting patiently for the right moment to shoot. Haines picked up a point with 43 seconds left on a penalty from Rowland, who later managed to get both arms around Haines’ legs and found leverage beneath him to attempt a double leg takedown with around 18 seconds left in the period, but Haines stabilized himself in the air, got both feet back on the ground and pushed Rowland towards the mat without giving up any points.
“He had a really deep, I think it was double (leg takedown), and it was weird. I got déjà vu in that moment,” Haines said. “I was like, ‘Oh, I can’t get taken down.’ But I excelled scrambling, just same position the whole match.”
Rowland evened it up with an escape just four seconds into the second period after opting to start bottom. Haines grappled more aggressively than before, eventually pulling Rowland down almost parallel to the mat before flipping him for a takedown with 55 seconds left. Rowland picked up a point with an escape 17 seconds later to make it 4-2, but Haines restored his three-point lead with an escape of his own after starting the third period on bottom.
Arlington’s Tre Haines gains control of his opponents leg during the 4A boys 165-pound championship match at the Mat Classic on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026 in Tacoma, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
As the clock ticked down to under a minute left, Haines picked up another three points with a takedown, and while Rowland escaped five seconds later, Haines also received a point on another penalty from Rowland. From there, Haines fended off the final takedown attempts to secure the victory.
“We’ve been talking about some different Conor McGregor quotes,” Gilbertson said, referring to the former UFC champion. “And one of them was creating dead space, setting traps and letting him fall into it, and that’s what (Haines) did when he started creating his motion, getting him biting on the fakes, and then getting to his attacks and short offense. I know he wanted to pour it on and put on more of a show, but he came game and kept it close and kept it respectable.”
With his high school career in the books, Haines will continue wrestling at Little Rock next year, where he anticipates “getting whooped in the practice room.” He plans to spend the coming months getting leaner and building muscle to prepare himself for the college level, and will head out to Arkansas in June shortly after graduating from Arlington.
While Haines’ graduation will represent a big loss for the Eagles program, the impact he’ll leave behind will be long-lasting.
“I tell all the freshmen this year, ‘It going to go by fast, but don’t think the moment’s too big for yourself,’” Haines said. “We’ve had a couple of big dual (meets) against Lake Stevens, and (for) a couple of the kids, the moment got way too big. So just really focusing on yourself, trusting in yourself, trusting God, just having faith that all your training and all the time you’ve put in— You just need to go wrestle like you, and it will all come true.”
— — — — — —
Area Boys 4A State Medalists
Championship matches
144— Alec Fraser (Camas) dec. Dayton Fitzgibbon (Arlington) 4-1 (SV-1); 165— Tre Haines (A) dec. Bryce Rowland (Auburn) 9-3; 285— Brooks Knight (Kamiakin) dec. Mikey Lawrence (Lake Stevens) 4-2.
5th place: Brody Hanson, Lake Stevens, 132.
8th place: Michael Baxter, Arlington, 138; Oliver Martinez, Glacier Peak, 190.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
Gallery
