Dylan Morris wins state in lone appearance
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake’s Dylan Morris has his hand raised after winning the 182-pound state championship.
TACOMA — Dylan Morris made the most of his lone trip to the state wrestling tournament, winning the 182-pound championship.
Morris defeated Levi Meinzinger of University 6-4 in the finals.
“I’m just waiting for someone to wake me up like I keep saying,” Morris said. “This is a dream. There’s no way it can be real. I dreamed about this and it’s actually happened so there’s no words I can put it in because I’m a state champ.”
Morris took a workmanlike route through the bracket with close matches the entire way. Morris’ largest margin of victory was five points.
Morris was one of seven placers for Moses Lake at the 2016 Mat Classic.
The Chiefs finished second for the second time in three years; Lake Stevens won the team championship.
Warden wrestling dominates the B ranks
TACOMA — Warden wrestling dominated in its two years at Class 2B.
At Mat Classic XVIII, Warden ran away from the field with 176 points for its second state championship.
The Cougars put five in the finals and crowned two champions: Tyson Yamane and Mikey Hernandez.
Anthony Martinez, Josiah Guerra and Peter Manville were runners-up.
Othello softball captures fourth state championship
SELAH — Othello topped Fife 3-1 to capture its fourth state softball championship in school history.
Nikki Martinez pitched every inning of every game at the state tournament, allowing two hits in the championship game.
Diamond Franco drove in Othello’s first run on a two-out double in the fourth inning. Fife tied the game in the fifth inning on a solo home run.
Mariah DeLeon hit a two-run double to put the Huskies ahead for good.
Martinez and DeLeon recently signed national letters of intent to play softball for the University of Hawaii and Western Oregon University, respectively.
Royal football goes back-to-back
TACOMA — Royal capped its second consecutive undefeated season with its second straight state championship, beating league rival Connell 25-10.
Both teams were tied 10-10 at halftime before the Knights shutout the Eagles 15-0 in the second half.
Royal quarterback Kaden Jenks rushed for 146 yards, passed for 246 and totaled three touchdowns. Corbin Christensen and Juan Niebla each caught TD passes from Jenks.
Later, Jenks was named the Associated Press Class 1A State Player of the Year and finished fourth in the overall player of the year race.
The Knights’ win streak sits at 26 games.