What you need to know about the high school wrestling state championships
2019 WIAA WRESTLING STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS — MAT CLASSIC XXXI
TICKETS
Daily tickets are $18 for adults, $13 for students and senior citizens. Tournament passes are $32 for adults, $23 for students and senior citizens.
SCHEDULE
Friday — Session I (3A, 2A, 1B/2B round of 32 and 16, and consolation matches), 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Session II (4A, 1A and girls’ round of 32 and 16, and consolation matches), 2-8 p.m. Saturday — Session III (all-classification quarterfinal, semifinal and placing matches), 9:45 a.m.-2:45 p.m. Session IV (all championship matches), 5-9:30 p.m.
2018 TEAM CHAMPIONS
4A — South Kitsap
3A — Mount Spokane
2A — White River
1A — Deer Park
2B/1B — Tonasket
Girls — Yelm
RETURNING SOUTH SOUND CHAMPIONS
4A — Xavier Eaglin, South Kitsap, soph. (won at 106/wrestling this season at 126); Aizayah Yacapin, Curtis, jr. (113/126). 3A — Yusief Lillie, Bonney Lake, soph. (106/113); Brenden Chaowanapibool, Bonney Lake, sr. (113/120); Josh Walker, Bethel, sr. (160/170); Derrick Platt, Yelm, sr. (182/195). 2A — Gabe Hawthorne, White River, jr. (132/138); Nate Moore, White River, sr. (152/160). Girls — Phoenix Dubose, Yelm, sr. (115); Of a He Lotu Tuifua, Kent-Meridian, soph. (190).
THE SKINNY
4A — Is this the year Curtis finally nabs that elusive state championship? The two-time 4A runner-up (1977, 2017) placed a disappointing sixth last season, and finished a surprising second to South Kitsap at the 4A SPSL tournament. But, the Vikings have star power in Yacapin, Ryan Wheeler at 145 and Luke Purcella at 220. … Mead (11 finalists at GSL tournament, including two-time state champion Chase Tebbets) and Chiawana (14 finalists at MCC tournament) are also co-favorites.
3A — Led by returning state champion Blake Haney, top-ranked Mount Spokane is the clear favorite to become the first repeat 3A winner since Enumclaw in 2012. The Wildcats could also break Sedro-Woolley’s tournament record of 197.5 points, set in 2006. … If the GSL champions falter, SSC champion Yelm (17 entrants) could be in the hunt for its first 3A title since 2010. … If Lillie and Chaowanapibool are able to add to their state-title haul, it would mark the fourth consecutive season the Panthers have had multiple Mat Classic champions.
2A — From top to bottom, arguably the best program in the state is Toppenish, which has five returning state finalists (and three champions in Haiden Drury, Kyler Romero and Andy Aguilera) among its 18 combatants in Tacoma this weekend. The Wildcats won back-to-back 2A titles in 2016-17. … Defending state champion White River (21 entrants) and Orting (18), which won four consecutive 1A crowns from 2009-12, will be no pushovers in what is expected to be a three-team chase.
1A and 2B/1B — It could be a banner weekend for Colville, which could see its first four-time state champion crowned in Trent Baun in the 1A 132 class. And this could be the weekend the Indians break through for their first state team championship after placing as the runner-up the past four seasons, although talent-rich Granger comes in as the favorite. … Tonasket has five returning state finalists, including three reigning 2B/1B champions in Colin Silverthorn, Dawson Bretz and Garrett Wilson. With 21 entrants, the Tigers are favorites to win their third state title in a row, but Lake Roosevelt is formidable.
Girls — If the prestigious Kelso Invitational is any indicator how close this race will be among top-ranked White River, Sunnyside and Union — this could be a barn-burner. The Grizzlies have numbers, and won that big in-season event over the Hornets, who boast three state championship hopefuls in Payton Stroud (120), Claire Dicugno (125) and Rachel Poussier (130). Whichever school wins, it will be its first state crown.