37 local wrestlers place at Mat Classic

TACOMA — Nearly 70 wrestlers traveled from the Columbia Basin to Tacoma to compete in the Mat Classic last week, with 37 wrestlers reaching the podium in their respective classifications.

4A Boys

Two Moses Lake wrestlers reached the podium in the 4A Boys classification, with freshman Duane Zamora placing seventh in the 120-pound class and senior Dayton Regan placing second in the 150-pound class.

“(Regan) was hungry to try and get a state title, and he really turned it up a notch during mid-season,” Tanguma said. “Started staying after practice, extra workouts because he knew he had to do those extra workouts if he wants to be in the finals at the Mat Classic.”

The Mavericks had five wrestlers qualify for the Mat Classic, four of which will return next season; Zamora, sophomore Ian Garza (106), junior Drayden Gaither (126) and freshman Trenton Vasquez (132).

“These guys are hungry — they’re not going to take a break from wrestling,” Tanguma said. “These guys are going to keep competing all year until the next season starts.”

Team Score

Moses Lake: 30 points, 21st place.

3A/4A Girls

The Mavericks had two wrestlers qualify for the 3A/4A Girls Mat Classic, and both reached the finals in their respective brackets; senior Ashley Naranjo (110) and sophomore Reese Prescott (115). 

Both Naranjo and Prescott were in the finals last year; Moses Lake girls wrestling head coach David Peralez cited that experience as a key factor in both wrestlers returning to the finals this year.

“We’ve seen what other teams have and we’ve seen the best so far, and Ashley (Naranjo) and Reese (Prescott) have wrestled the best so far,” Peralez said. “Knowing that they’re going back to the Tacoma Dome after the first time — the big eyes and the overwhelming excitement, and maybe nerves — it goes to show after you’ve been there a couple times, it’s just another tournament.”

Naranjo won her third consecutive state championship — finishing her high school career with an undefeated record — while Prescott took second place in the 115-pound class.

Team Score

Moses Lake: 57 points, 15th place.

2A Boys

Othello secured its third straight top-three team finish at the Mat Classic, placing second with 120 points. The Huskies had seven wrestlers reach the podium in Tacoma; senior Isaac Campos (113, second), sophomore Daniel Gonzalez (113, fourth), sophomore Mason Russell (126, fifth), senior Anthony Abundiz (132, fourth), junior Jeremiah Flores (150, fourth), sophomore Camilo Mendez III (157, fourth) and junior Mason Perez (285, second).

Ephrata sent four wrestlers to the 2A Mat Classic, with senior Alex Gutierrez taking fifth in the 120-pound class. Three of Ephrata’s four state wrestlers — Gutierrez, Zander Boyd and Jorge Rodriguez — will graduate this May. Sophomore Micah Sandberg will be the lone returner.

Team Scores

Othello: 120 points, second place.
Ephrata: 19 points, 28th place.

2A/1A/B Girls

Basin teams made up half of the top 10 in the 2A/1A/B Girls classification at the Mat Classic this weekend; Royal placed third (89.5 points), Othello placed fourth (87 points), Warden placed fifth (83 points), Quincy placed eighth (49 points) and Ephrata tied for ninth place (40 points).

Royal, Warden, Quincy and Ephrata all had five or fewer wrestlers qualify for the Mat Classic.

Four Huskies saw the podium Saturday; freshman Grayce Mendez (110, fourth), junior Diamond Van Cleve (135, fifth), senior Elia Velazquez (190, second) and sophomore Alejandria Espindola (235, fourth).

Warden brought five wrestlers to the Mat Classic, four which placed; senior Alona Castro (100, fifth), senior Brianalee Martinez (115, second), senior Jada Hernandez (120, first) and senior Maira Zaragoza (125, fifth).

“It was touching and emotional to see them in each individual aspect of their matches, because everyone was a little different,” Warden girls wrestling coach Valerie Hernandez said. “As much as they are the same, they are different; they react differently. At the end, it’s a lot of happiness that we’re experiencing out of those emotions, because they’re realizing that they did accomplish their goals.”

Three of Quincy’s four state wrestlers reached the podium; junior Alondra Cordova (115, third), sophomore Hayden Morris (120, sixth) and senior Michelle Acevedo (130, third).

Ephrata seniors Kadie McMullen (145) and Leslie Sanchez Guerrero (140) both placed, with McMullen taking fourth and Sanchez Guerrero reaching the finals.

“They’ve put in the time, and they’ve wrested some really good matches,” Ephrata girls wrestling coach Raul Tejeda said. “They’ve just gotten better. It’s rewarding to see them there, they deserve to be there.”

Sanchez Guerrero reached the state finals a year after taking sixth in the 2023 Mat Classic, placing second this year.

“She’s been working hard, and she’s mentally tough,” Tejeda said. “She’s gotten where she visualized and knew that she could be there with the tough girls, and it shows. I think the biggest thing is her mental toughness that’s come around from last year to this year.”

See today’s story on the Royal girls wrestling team for placers from the third-place Knights.

Team Scores

Royal: 89.5 points, third place.
Othello: 87 points, fourth place.
Warden: 83 points, fifth place.
Quincy: 49 points, eighth place.
Ephrata: 40 points, tied-ninth place.
Wahluke: four points, 63rd place.

1A Boys

Royal sophomore Shea Stevenson reached the finals of the 150-pound class Saturday, placing second. Sophomore Dennis Hernandez joined Stevenson as a state placer, taking fifth in the 113-pound bracket.

“That was an amazing moment for Shea, considering he didn’t even make it to the (Tacoma) Dome last year,” Royal boys wrestling head coach Darrin Miller said. “He wrestled the best I’ve ever seen him wrestle, and he was consistent throughout the entire tournament.”

Quincy junior Saidt Alvarez took third in the 113-pound class, his third straight placing at state. 

Team Scores

Royal: 32 points, 14th place.
Quincy: 24 points, 21st place.

1B/2B Boys

Almira/Coulee-Hartline took 11th at the 1B/2B Boys Mat Classic, seeing three wrestlers place; junior Jack Molitor (120, fifth), senior Everett Wood (157, fifth) and freshman Noah Butley (215, second).

“They wrestled tough, they worked hard all season,” ACH head coach Brandon Walsh said. “I thought they peaked at the right time at regional and state, and it’s a credit to them and all the hard work they put in. It’s a fun weekend.”

Butler, a freshman, wrestled against Lind-Ritzville/Sprague senior Gabe Smith in the finals.

“That experience is going to be invaluable for him if he gets to the state tournament again,” Walsh said. “He’s going to know what to expect. (Butler’s) a great athlete, obviously a great wrestler. It was one of those deals where he was super excited that he accomplished what he did, but he’s definitely hungry to get back in that championship match.”

The Broncos had two wrestlers place at the 1B/2B Mat Classic, junior Brock Tracy (285, fifth) and senior Gabe Smith (215, first), both of whom were returning state placers from 2023.

“We were able to really wrestle with them hard in practice, fine-tune some stuff that they could do,” LRS head coach Jason Hilzer said. “Watched a lot of film on a lot of the guys that they were going to face, and I think that’s what helped.”

Team Scores

ACH: 59.5 points, 11th place.
LRS: 44 points, tied-14th place.

    Moses Lake senior Dayton Regan, background, takes a look at the clock during his semifinal match at the 4A Mat Classic in Tacoma. Regan placed second in the 4A 150-pound class.
  

    Warden senior Jada Hernandez, top, won a state championship in the 2A/1A/B Girls 120-pound bracket at the Mat Classic last week.