Hernandez only Warden wrestler to place at state

TACOMA — At the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Mat Classic XXXIII this year, Warden High School sophomore Jada Hernandez was the only Warden wrestler to place out of the three that went to the state tournament.

Hernandez was also the only wrestler from Warden to represent the girls team at the state competition. She wrestled in the 115-pound weight classification.

While the boys classification separates the wrestlers by school size as well as weight, the girls only wrestled by weight, which means a 1A wrestler could wrestle against a 4A wrestler. Any place that the wrestler made at state was truly the place they were in the state; for the girls there was only one champion per weight class, not five as in the boys classification.

According to Warden girls wrestling head coach Valerie Hernandez, this was the tournament's first time using a 20-person bracket, so Jada needed to battle through eight matches over the course of the two days.

On the first day Jada finished with three wins and one loss, putting her into day two but needing one more win to secure a state placing, Valerie Hernandez wrote in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald

Valerie’s email went on to explain that Jada's first match Saturday morning, day two, was a very tight match that went into overtime. Jada was able to get the takedown and secure a state medal. Jada then went on to win her next match 15-4. Jada would then have a tough loss and finish the state tournament with a 6th place finish, according to Valerie.

“As a sophomore Jada was tested throughout the tournament and proved time and time again that she belonged amongst the top wrestlers at state,” Valerie wrote.

Jada finished her season 31-10 with a sixth-place finish at state.

Rebecca Pettingill can be reached via email at rpettingill@columbiabasinherald.com.