Othello teammates Reese Jones, T.J. Martinez win last-second championships
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Othello's Reese Jones celebrates with his coaches after winning the 170-pound state championship 3-2.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald T.J. Martinez shows off his Othello pride after winning the 195-pound state championship 3-2.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake’s Melanie Flores prepares for her semifinal match.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake’s Melanie Flores competes in the state semifinals.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Warden’s Angelica Vela (blue) competes at Mat Classic XXIX.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Warden’s Rodrigo Ozuna tries to avoid being pinned.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Royal’s Eduardo Rodriguez wrestles at Mat Classic XXIX.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Othello’s Nikki Velazquez ties up her opponent in the state semifinals.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Nikki Velazquez of Othello looks at the clock as she tries to pin her opponent.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Nikki Velazquez of Othello takes a breather during her semifinal match.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Othello’s Nikki Velazquez celebrates after punching her ticket to the state 130-pound finals.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Othello head girls wrestling coach J.J. Martinez gives instruction.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Othello’s Kaylee Martinez works to take down Thomas Jefferson Jasmine Pleasants.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Othello’s T.J. Martinez competes in the state semifinals.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Ephrata’s Sammy Flores competes in a consolation match.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Warden’s Aaliyah Escamilla hangs on to Moses Lake’s Melanie Flores in the third/fourth place match.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Royal’s Abraham Medina is thrown to the ground in the 126-pound finals.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Othello’s Nikki Velazquez wrestles White River’s Erin Redford in the 130-pound finals.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Othello’s Reese Jones wrestles White River’s Ryan Redford in the 170-pound finals.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Othello’s T.J. Martinez hangs on to win the 195-pound championship.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Othello teammates Reese Jones (left) and T.J. Martinez embrace after Martinez won the 195-pound state championship.
Kennady Schlagel/courtesy photo Ephrata's Mya Spencer receives some instruction from coach P.J. Anderson.
TACOMA — Reese Jones had visualized the moment of winning a state championship.
Sometimes it manifested in a wonderful dream, other times tiny mistakes turned it into a nightmare. And with less than 10 seconds to go in the Class 2A 170-pound state championship match, the latter was about to manifest until Jones took White River's Ryan Redford down in the waning moments to win 3-2.
He can now rest easy.
“I can't even describe it,” Jones said. “I've been waiting for this all my life and last year I came so close and lost. There was such a big weight it felt like taking me down and when I won it there in the last few seconds everything was gone, just relief.”
A four-time state participant and a finalist in 2016, Jones finally captured the elusive championship.
It did not come easy.
Jones received a stall warning about a minute into the match and Redford was then awarded a stall point later in the first round.
“I was really nervous and scared after I got that second one and he got that point,” Jones said. “The negative went into my head — I might lose. I've wasted all this time and I'm going to lose, but I just caught him off guard right there at the last second.”
Jones evened the match with an escape and Redford freed himself with about 90 seconds left in the third round to regain the lead 2-1. Redford worked to defend any shot attempt before Jones saw an opening with no time to spare.
“I heard someone yell 10 seconds, 10 seconds and I just popped it, shot a double, hooked it around and as soon as I hooked it around I only knew there was like only four or five seconds left and I was already almost crying.”
Othello was only afforded a brief reprieve from the dramatics. 195-pounder T.J. Martinez tested the Husky contingent's resolve when his championship match also came down to the final seconds.
Martinez led 1-0 in the third round before he was reversed by Lynden's Brody Weinheimer. Weinheimer looked in position to score back points until Martinez kicked free and scored his own reversal to lead 3-2.
“All year I haven't touched my shoulders and all year I have been practicing my work to stay off my back,” Martinez said. “I told myself at the beginning of the season I didn't want to go to my back once and every time they get you in a position there's always a way out, there's always a way out no matter what. You always have to find a way out.”
Martinez found a way out and, after a reset, had to hold Weinheimer down for 30 seconds to win the state championship. Weinheimer found a way to his feet and was able to turn and face Martinez. However, with only two interlocked fingers, Martinez kept his grip until time expired and won 3-2.
“I couldn't see the clock and honestly I was trying to look at the clock and see how long,” Martinez said. “I only had one finger, my two index fingers holding on and I told myself don't let go. You use every muscle in your body to hold him. I didn't want go into overtime; I wanted the state title in three rounds.
“Coach told me I had six minutes to do it and that's what I was going to do.”
2A team standings
- 1. Toppenish 157
- 2. Orting 137.5
- 6. Othello 83
- 18. Ephrata 27
- 41. Quincy 10
2A local placers
- 106: Sammy Flores, Ephrata, fourth
- 126: Raul Barajas, Quincy, sixth
- 152: Collin Freeman, Othello, fifth
- 170: Reese Jones, Othello, first; Cole Spencer, Ephrata, sixth
- 195: T.J. Martinez, Othello, first; D.J. Guzman, Othello, sixth
- 220: Isaiah Perez, Othello, seventh
Othello girls third, Nikki Velazquez runner-up
Othello girls wrestling had state championship aspirations.
But the first state tournament trophy in program history was not a bad consolation prize.
The Huskies placed five of seven participants, finishing behind champion Yelm and Federal Way in the team standings with 72 points.
“We had really high hopes for this tournament and it was probably higher than we should've,” Othello head coach J.J. Martinez said. “We knew we could be contenders and it came down to one match and not winning one match in the semifinals.”
Kaylee Martinez (140) went into overtime against top-ranked Jasmine Pleasants of Thomas Jefferson tied 1-1. Pleasants scored the match-ending take-down with 3.2 seconds left.
Nikki Velazquez (130) overcame a 2-0 deficit in the semifinals to win 10-5 and ran into familiar foe Erin Redford of White River in the finals. Velazquez trailed 6-4 and tried a shot to even the match before she was thrown to her back by Redford. Redford completed her march to the championship, winning 13-6.
“Erin Redford's committed to Oklahoma State University — one of the big top dog schools of girls wrestling,” J.J. Martinez said. “We lost to her 11-7 in Othello and Nikki went out there knowing she wasn't the high favorite and she had nothing to lose. She took her down and we got right back into the match. One throw got her (Redford) in separation.”
Strong lightweights helped Warden finish eighth with 47.5 points. Aaliyah Escamilla (third), Angelica Vela (fifth) and Mariah Garza (fifth) all won their final matches in succession.
“Ending with three wins, it's great because two being seniors you want them to end their careers with wins and being able to leave the dome with positive vibes and great experience and it's hard coming back through the bracket,” Warden head coach Valerie Hernandez said.
Girls team standings
- 1. Yelm 97
- 2. Federal Way 91
- 3. Othello 72
- 8. Warden 47.5
- 35. Ephrata 20
- 54. Moses Lake 15
- 91. Royal 2
Girls local placers
- 100: Aaliyah Escamilla, Warden, third; Melanie Flores, Moses Lake, fourth
- 105: Angelica Vela, Warden, fifth; Emily Mendez, Othello, sixth
- 110: Mariah Garza, Warden, fifth
- 115: Mya Spencer, Ephrata, third; Iyalhye Barraza, Othello, sixth
- 130: Nikki Velazquez, Othello, second
- 135: Elizabeth Giles, Othello, fourth
- 140: Kaylee Martinez, Othello, fifth
Warden fares well in consolation bracket
Anthony Martinez (113) scored late back points to solidify third place 9-8.
Martinez was joined on the podium by teammates Bryce Martinez (126), Rodrigo Ozuna (132) and Tyrone Mendez (170). Ozuna rebounded from a semifinal loss to pin his way to third place. Bryce Martinez finished seventh and Mendez took sixth.
Royal's Abraham Medina was a state runner-up, falling to Granger's Chuco Cisneros 5-2.
1A team standings
- 1. Granger 190
- 2. Colville 185.5
- 9. Warden 68.5
- 13. Royal 44
1A local placers
- 113: Anthony Martinez, Warden, third
- 120: Eduardo Rodriguez, Royal, fourth
- 126: Abraham Medina, Royal, second; Bryce Martinez, Warden, seventh
- 132: Rodrigo Ozuna, Warden, third
- 138: Regan Callahan, Royal, eighth
- 170: Tyrone Mendez, Warden, sixth
- 182: Carlos Quinero, Royal, eighth