Federal Way girls wrestling has three top four state finishes. Is this the year they finish No. 1?
Fourth. Second. Third.
Those are the state finishes for the Federal Way High School girls wrestling team the last three years. Excellent by any definition, even without a state title to claim as their own.
This season, the Eagles find themselves back in the mix. They entered the week as the No. 4-ranked girls team in the state according to Washington Wrestling Report.
“It makes people want to push hard because they see that they can make it to the top if we work hard enough,” said London Houston, one of three wrestlers on the team ranked among the top eight in the state.
“I think we have people who just want to learn more and get better.”
Rankings have never been very important to Federal Way coach Travis Mango, who’s guided the program for the last 12 years. With Yelm having a down year, Sunnyside (No. 1), White River (No. 2) and Union (No. 3) are the competition for that elusive title.
“I think it will come back and only worry about what we do, and not worry about what the rest of the state does,” Mango said. “At the end of the day, the rankings are what (a few) people believe to be reality. I think it won’t be decided until we all go wrestle out at the Tacoma Dome.”
That ability to get improve, to compete and work as unit is what Mango strives to employ. He stresses the team does best when it acts like a family.
“I think a lot of it is that the girls come back and really buying into the system and buying into the program,” Mango said. “I think our principle philosophy is family. Where no one is above the team, and no matter what, we find a way to come together in order to find that one percent to improve in every day.”
And there’s plenty of hope that this might be the year for Federal Way. They have quality and depth to match.
Freshman Kayla McKinley-Johnson is the top-ranked 105-pound wrestler in the state. Houston, a sophomore, is the second-ranked 125-pounder, and senior Anjilia Sumandig is third at 120 pounds.
“I think we’re a very inspiring team. The team inspires me in seeing what we’re able to do, seeing what we’re able to accomplish,” said Sumandig, who has been a part of the each of Federal Way’s top four finishes at the Tacoma Dome.
“It makes me really proud to be a part of this program, and it makes me really happy that these are my teammates. It’s like a family and we try to instill that at the end of every practice. We’re very family oriented.”
Teammates Tevahinerii Maiava (10th, 155) and Tanae Hitchye (ninth, 235) help round out a solid group looking to make an impact next month at Mat Classic.
“With this team is just our dedication and everything in coming together as a team,” Maiava said. “Our commitment – we strive not only as an individual to push past our limits, to push past what we think we can do, but to work together as a team; to bring out the best of us as well.”
In her first year in high school, McKinley-Johnson has been a revelation. Houston wrestled with her in the summer and said she’s seen real improvement since then.
“She’s been wrestling way better than usual,” Houston said.
The 105-pound bracket presents a tough challenge for the freshman. The other seven ranked wrestlers are juniors and seniors who’ve experienced the pressure of February wrestling.
“I want to show them I’m not here to play,” McKinley-Johnson said. “I want to try show that just because I’m a freshman, just because people have heard of me, that that’s not the reason that they ranked me (as high).
“I want to show them that this is why I’m ranked.”
It’s that type of attitude that’s lifted Federal Way this season, said Sumandig.
“I definitely think that all of us feed off each other’s energy. If Kayla goes out and she has a really good match, the next person that comes out, the want to beat that,” Sumandig said. “We all try to feed off each other. It definitely shows because you can see it with our wrestling.”
This story was originally published January 25, 2019 at 2:16 PM.