Dixon lays down the ‘LAW,’ wins second Mat Classic title. Who were all the local state champions?

Willie Ross wrestled with former two-stime state wrestling champion K.C. Walsh at Lincon High School — and coached senior JJ Dixon Jr. to his second Mat Classic title Saturday night.

Who was better?

“Man, I cannot say. Both of them are my buddies,” Ross said. “They are two of the all-time greats to put on a Lincoln uniform.”

Dixon completed a spotless 41-0 season Saturday night by dominating Mercer Island’s Donnie Howard, 8-1, in the Class 3A 195-pound championship finals Saturday night in the Tacoma Dome.

Dixon rode a pair of two-point near falls in the second period to a victory. He was not scored upon all season.

“I never stopped,” Dixon said. “I trained, trained and trained — every day of the week, Sundays at noon and the rest of the days at 6 in the morning.”

Last season, Dixon was the weave-out-of-trouble artist in his matches, but kept winning. And he was won the 182 title with a 4-3 victory over Meadowdale’s Liam Ball.

This time around, Dixon sat at the head of the class.

“It was different, Dixon said. “I wasn’t as nervous. I just went in there and wrestled my match.”

It helped that he had a boisterous cheering section of 50 people standing near the fence on the floor, and more sitting in the grandstands.

“It meant the world to me,” Dixon said. “I do this for me, but at the same time, I do it for them. They are motivating.”

Dixon was one of News Tribune’s eight “Untouchables” wrestlers for 2017-18, holding the same honor Walsh did in 2001 when he won the second of back-to-back titles at 215.

“I felt honored being an ‘Untouchables,’ ” said Dixon, who is receiving recruiting interest from Oregon State. “I felt real good about being one of the best wrestlers here.”

Other local Mat Classic XXX winners

CLASS 4A

106: Xavier Eaglin, South Kitsap, junior (9-8 decision over Mead’s Chase Randall)

113: Aizayah Yacapin, Curtis, sophomore (5-2 decision over Auburn Riverside’s Yusef Nelson)

125: Steele Starren, Tahoma, freshman (3-2 decision over University’s Terrell Sanders

145: Chad Simonson, Graham-Kapowsin, senior (11-9 decision over Davis’ Emiliano Mata in overtime)

170: Mason Eaglin, South Kitsap, senior (6-5 decision over Auburn’s Cole Washburn)

220: Kione Gill, Tahoma, senior (8-3 decision over Curtis’ Luke Purcella)

CLASS 3A

106: Yusief Lillie, Bonney Lake, freshman (technical fall in 3:10 over Bethel’s Donnie Krissak)

113: Brenden Chaowanapibool, Bonney Lake, junior (fall in 5:59 over Mount Spokane’s Jarret Sharp)

120: Brandon Kaylor, Bonney Lake, senior (6-3 decision over Kelso’s Bryce Miller)

160: Josh Walker, Bethel, junior (5-1 decision over Edmonds Woodway’s Emilio Ramos)

182: Derrick Platt, Yelm, junior (7-1 decision over Mount Spokane’s Tayven King)

195: JJ Dixon Jr., Lincoln, senior (8-1 decision over Mercer Island’s Donnie Howard)

CLASS 2A

132: Gabe Hawthorne, White River, sophomore (16-9 decision over Toppenish’s Alexei Robles)

138: Alex Cruz, Orting, senior (13-0 decision over Olympic’s Alec Acfalle)

142: Nate Moore, White River, junior (technical fall over Gane Enriguez of East Valley of Spokane)

182: Mason Sabin, White River, senior (5-3 decision over Cheney’s Boedy Taylor)

195: Ryan Redford, White River, senior (2-1 decision over East Valley of Spokane Winston Scott).

GIRLS

105: Alina Collins, Bellarmine Prep, senior (7-3 decision over Grandview’s Maria Reyes)

115: Phoenix Dubose, Yelm, junior (7-5 decision over Grandview’s Viktorya Torres)

140: Nicole Clark, Sumner, senior (6-4 decision over Union’s Krista Warren)

155: Kathleen Flanagan, Wilson, senior (fall in :43 over Sunnyside’s Lourdes Torres

170: Sabrina Perez, Kentwood, senior (fall in 2:50 over Highlands Caylee Collins)

190: Ofa He Lotu Tuifua, Kent-Meridian, freshman (fall in 2:45 over Mount Rainier’s Guiliana Pepe)

235: Mariah Stewart, Federal Way, senior (fall in 1:05 over West Valley of Spokane’s Jasmine Fryer).

This story was originally published February 17, 2018 at 9:54 PM with the headline "Dixon lays down the ‘LAW,’ wins second Mat Classic title. Who were all the local state champions?."