For high school wrestlers across the state, the road to the Tacoma Dome begins this weekend.
The wrestling postseason gets underway Friday and Saturday with the sub-regional tournaments. It continues Feb. 12 with the regional tournaments. And it all culminates Feb. 18-19 with Mat Classic XXXIII in the Tacoma Dome.
With no high school state tournaments last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, this will be the first wrestling postseason and Mat Classic since 2020.
To get ready for the action, below is a look at some of the top local wrestlers heading into the postseason.
Included are the names of local wrestlers who are ranked by Washington Wrestling Report in the top 10 of their respective classifications — with writeups for anyone with a top-three ranking.
NOTE: With no Mat Classic last season, some wrestlers competed in a Super State meet last June that was organized by the Washington State Wrestling Association. All classifications were combined into one bracket for each weight class.
CLASS 4A BOYS
Tyler Fouts, sr., Lake Stevens
4A ranking: No. 2 at 145 pounds
All-classification ranking: No. 4 at 145 pounds
Fouts advanced to the Mat Classic in each of his first two high school seasons and claimed a medal at the 2020 event, placing fourth in the Class 4A 120-pound division. The senior has a 16-2 record this season, including tournament titles at the Viking Invitational in Lake Stevens, the Everett Classic and the South Kitsap Invite. He also earned a second-place finish at the Sidney Eagle Invitational in Montana.
Wyatt Springer, sr., Lake Stevens
4A ranking: No. 2 at 160 pounds
All-classification ranking: No. 4 at 160 pounds
Springer reached the Mat Classic in each of his first two high school seasons, including a fifth-place medal in the 4A 152-pound division in 2020. He followed that by placing second at 170 pounds in last year’s WSWA Super State event. He is 18-3 this season, highlighted by a tournament title at the Everett Classic. He also earned second-place finishes at the Sidney Eagle Invitational, the Viking Invitational and the South Kitsap Invite.
Jacob Erickson, sr., Glacier Peak
4A ranking: No. 2 at 220 pounds
All-classification ranking: No. 8 at 220 pounds
Erickson advanced to the Mat Classic as a freshman in 2019, but fell just short in 2020. This season, he’s captured tournament titles at the Spud Walley Invite in Sedro-Woolley, the Panther Classic in Snohomish and the Lynden Wrestling Tournament. He also placed third at the Tri-State Invitational in Idaho. This past fall, he helped the Glacier Peak football team reach the 4A state playoffs as a two-way All-Area lineman.
Jacob Christianson, soph., Lake Stevens
4A ranking: No. 3 at 106 pounds
All-classification ranking: No. 12 at 106 pounds
Christianson is 16-4 this season, including a tournament title in the Battle at the Border in Blaine. He also placed second in the South Kitsap Invite, third in the Viking Invitational, fourth in the Everett Classic and fifth in the Sidney Eagle Invitational.
Other local 4A-ranked wrestlers: Koen Mattern, soph., Lake Stevens (No. 4 at 220); Gil Mossburg, soph., Glacier Peak (No. 5 at 138); Theron Tate, sr., Lake Stevens (No. 6 at 126); Jackson Balmer, sr., Lake Stevens (No. 6 at 152); Sean Sanchez, sr., Lake Stevens (No. 9 at 195); Connor Aney, fr., Glacier Peak (No. 10 in 285)
CLASS 3A BOYS
Alex Rapelje, sr., Edmonds-Woodway
3A ranking: No. 1 at 160 pounds
All-classification ranking: No. 2 at 160 pounds
Rapelje won the 3A state title at 138 pounds in 2020 and earned a fourth-place medal at 120 pounds in the 2019 Mat Classic. Last year, he took sixth place at 170 pounds in the WSWA Super State meet. He is 23-1 this season, including a tournament title at the Edmonds Invite.
Hunter Tibodeau, jr., Shorewood
3A ranking: No. 1 at 195 pounds
All-classification ranking: No. 4 at 195 pounds
Tibodeau began his prep career with a fifth-place medal in the 3A 182-pound division at the 2020 Mat Classic. Last year, he took fourth place at 195 pounds in the WSWA Super State meet. He followed that by earning All-American honors at last summer’s USA Wrestling Junior and 16U National Championships, where he placed seventh at 195 pounds in the men’s 16U Greco-Roman division. He is 17-1 this season, with 15 pins. This past fall, he was a captain and a two-way starter on the Shorewood football team.
Trevor Latta, sr., Arlington
3A ranking: No. 2 at 170 pounds
Latta, who reached the Mat Classic two years ago as a sophomore, has a 16-5 record this season. He won a tournament title at the Edmonds Invite and placed second at both the Everett Classic and the Jaguar Invitational in Puyallup. In the latter tournament, he lost a 7-6 decision in final to Capital’s Ezekiel McEwen, who is ranked just above Latta as the top 170-pounder in 3A.
Thomas Rhodes, sr., Shorecrest
3A ranking: No. 2 at 145 pounds
All-classification ranking: No. 11 at 145 pounds
Rhodes advanced to the Mat Classic in each of his first two high school seasons and earned a medal at the 2020 event, placing fourth in the 3A 113-pound division. He’s a perfect 20-0 this season, including tournament titles at the Spud Walley Invite and the Lynden Wrestling Tournament. He plans to continue his wrestling career at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut.
Alec Rust, sr., Edmonds-Woodway
3A ranking: No. 3 at 170 pounds
All-classification ranking: No. 9 at 170 pounds
Rust reached the Mat Classic in each of his first two high school seasons and claimed a medal at the 2020 event, placing fifth in the 3A 160-pound division. He is 20-2 this season, including a tournament title at the Edmonds Invite. This past fall, he was the starting quarterback on the Edmonds-Woodway football team.
Tyler Rhue, jr., Stanwood
3A ranking: No. 3 at 126 pounds
All-classification ranking: No. 10 at 126 pounds
Two years ago as a freshman, Rhue earned a third-place medal at the Mat Classic in the 3A 106-pound division. He followed that by placing second at 120 pounds in last year’s WSWA Super State meet. He’s a perfect 15-0 this season, including tournament titles at the White River Classic, Spud Walley Invite and Panther Classic.
Other local 3A-ranked wrestlers: Lane Ovenell, jr., Stanwood (No. 4 at 132); Dustin Baxter, soph., Arlington (No. 4 at 138); Mason Ferguson, jr., Stanwood (No. 4 at 182); George Quintans, sr., Edmonds-Woodway (No. 5 at 145); Isaac VanHorn, jr., Shorewood (No. 6 at 145); Eric Vogel, jr., Arlington (No. 7 at 145); Russel Hare, sr., Edmonds-Woodway (No. 7 at 195); Connor King, jr., Snohomish (No. 7 at 220); Saul Hernandez, sr., Meadowdale (No. 8 at 195); Marc Hruscha, jr., Stanwood (No. 8 at 106); Hilmy Burch, sr., Meadowdale (No. 8 at 113); Keaton Mayernik, jr., Stanwood (No. 8 at 138); Joseph Martinez, jr., Shorecrest (No. 9 at 126); Nathaniel Wilder, sr., Lynnwood (No. 9 at 145); Emiliano Velazquez, jr., Everett (No. 9 at 285); Kayden Richman Myers, jr., Lynnwood (No. 10 at 145); Seraphim Treperinas, jr., Mountlake Terrace (No. 10 at 113); Ryan Carlson, sr., Snohomish (No. 10 at 152); Ryder Bumgarner, jr., Stanwood (No. 10 at 170)
CLASS 2A BOYS
Evan Reid, sr., Cedarcrest
2A ranking: No. 3 at 145 pounds
Reid reached the Mat Classic in each of his first two high school seasons and then placed fifth at 138 pounds in last year’s WSWA Super State meet. This season, he placed third at the South Kitsap Invite.
CLASS 1A BOYS
Local 1A-ranked wrestlers: Riley Hoople, sr., Granite Falls (No. 5 at 132); Izac Ruther, sr., Sultan (No. 5 at 285)
CLASS 2B/1B BOYS
Aksel Espeland, jr., Darrington
2B/1B ranking: No. 2 at 113 pounds
Espeland advanced to the Mat Classic two years ago as a freshman. This season, he’s won tournament titles at the Battle at the Border and the Ocosta Invitational. He also placed third at the Viking Invite.
GIRLS
Alivia White, jr., Marysville Pilchuck
Ranking: No. 1 at 190 pounds
White won the 190-pound state title as a freshman in 2020 and is currently ranked No. 3 in the nation at 180 pounds by USA Wrestling. Last summer, she earned All-American honors at the USA Wrestling Junior and 16U National Championships, where she placed fourth at 180 pounds in the women’s junior freestyle division. The ultra-talented junior is a perfect 26-0 this season, including titles at the Yelm Girls Jump On In tournament, the Everett Girls Wrestling Championships, the Kelso Girls Tournament and the Lady Lancer Lipstick Open in Lakewood. In all four tournaments, she needed less than 75 seconds to record a pin in the championship match. Two of those pins came against Burlington-Edison’s Delaney Cobbs, the No. 2-ranked wrestler at 190 pounds.
Karianne Baldwin, soph., Glacier Peak
Ranking: No. 2 at 125 pounds
As a freshman last year, Baldwin placed third at 125 pounds in the WSWA Super State. This season, she’s won titles at the Lady Knights Invitational in Mukilteo, the Othello Lady Huskie Invite and the Everett Girls Wrestling Championships. She also earned a second-place finish at the Women’s West Coast Tournament of Champions in Roseville, California, in December.
Abby Varaday, sr., Cedarcrest
Ranking: No. 3 at 135 pounds
Varaday is ranked No. 16 nationally at 138 pounds by USA Wrestling. She reached the Mat Classic in each of her first two high school seasons, including a sixth-place finish in the 130-pound division in 2020. She captured a Lady Knights Invitational title this season by defeating White River’s Nicole Poussier, who is ranked No. 2 at 135 pounds. Varaday also earned a title at the Lady Jag Kickoff Tournament in Puyallup and a second-place finish in the Lady Lancer Lipstick Open.
Other local ranked wrestlers: Laura Alcantar Soto, sr., Cascade (No. 5 at 130); Madisen Bowers, jr., Lake Stevens (No. 9 at 135); Juju Kilroy, jr., Marysville Pilchuck (No. 10 at 135)
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