Yelm wrestlers believe they’re peaking at the right time as they head to Mat Classic XXXII

Yelm High School is ranked fifth among 3A schools by Washington Wrestling Report heading into Mat Classic XXXII on Friday and Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.

But with a few of the nine boys the Tornados will bring to state only recently rounding into full shape and coming off a strong performance in last week’s Region 4 meet in Spokane, coach Gaylord Strand has a feeling his team could finish higher than predicted if all goes well.

“We’ve got some kids who were tested in fire over at Region 4,” said the 67-year old Strand, in his 46th season as Yelm’s coach with no retirement in sight. “We performed really well. If they can wrestle like that again this week, we can move up.”

Cameron Dubose, Yelm’s 220-pounder, who had to skip last year’s state meet with a broken orbital bone suffered during a match, was the runner-up in the Region 4 meet, losing a 5-2 decision to Sam Cadenas of Hermiston.

He’s built a 21-7 record, including an earlier victory over Cadenas, but was victimized by the success of Yelm’s football team, which he helped carry into the state playoffs.

“Cameron got off to a little bit of a late start this year,” said Strand. “He came off football a little heavy, so it took a little while for his descent plan to work and get him down to where he wanted to be. I made him wrestle heavyweight (285). He didn’t like that.

“Since Christmas he’s done pretty well.”

Ranked fifth individually by WWR, Dubose went to state as a sophomore but didn’t place.

“It’s a lot tougher than everybody thinks,” he said. “Ideally, the first couple matches should be easy, but they’re not. Everybody brings their A game.”

Dubose, who plans to wrestle in college but hasn’t committed yet, knows how he can fare better this time around.

“Shoot and be active. My sophomore year at state I wasn’t very active,” he recalled. “I only went for throws and that didn’t work out very well.

Another football player whose wrestling season featured a gap was 182-pounder Braden Hill, who made it through football unscathed but suffered a shoulder injury on an early season takedown and watched a sizable middle portion of the wrestling season vanish.

“Braden had a great start to the season before he got injured,” said Strand. “We didn’t see him for quite a while, but he recovered well enough to finish first at district and third in regions. I’m hoping for great things out of him.”

Hill, who is ranked third with a 15-2 record, advanced to state with a quick pin of teammate Ray Wright in the third place match at Regions. Wright, a freshman with a 25-10 mark, also advanced.

Hill’s had some challenges after returning from injury, which was complicated by an illness.

“My conditioning had to improve,” he said. “I’ve done better than I expected.”

A state participant last year, Hill, who plans to major in education next year at St. Martin’s University. found himself a little overwhelmed.

“You can’t get caught up in the craziness. I was a little bit freaked out by the environment,” he said. “Now I know just to focus on my match.”

Junior heavyweight Slade Edwards didn’t show much enthusiasm when Strand tried to recruit him, despite a run of success in middle school wrestling.

“I tried to get him out last year and he hee-hawed about it,” Strand said. “He finally came out this season and he just loves it. He beat two ranked wrestlers last week. Who knows what he can do?”

Eli Osso, 22-9, on the season, wrestling mostly at 152 until he dropped to 145, where he’s ranked fourth, for the post-season.

“He’s got a pretty good seed in his bracket so we’re excited for him,” Strand said.

Also headed to state for the Tornados boys are sophomore Ryan Babuata at 113, junior Gage Nelson, who takes an 18-8 record to the 126 bracket, senior Reise Eide (18-10) at 138, and promising sophomore star Logan Platt (25-8) at 195.

Other local Olympia area competitors:

4A

Olympia – Luke Martin, SR, 2-2, 285.

3A

Capital – Joshua Halpin, JR, 120; Alijah Wiatt, FR, 160. Centralia – Juan Gaspar, SR, 113; Eduardo Matias, SR, 126; Alex Hicks-Avron, SO, 138; Sawyer Cassell, JR, 160; Caleb Hylton, SR, 170. North Thurston – Joseph Oliver, JR, 195; Armani Tonauo, JR, 285. Shelton – Cameron MacAlevy, SR, 126; Beau Ward, SR, 138; Robert Allred, JR, 145. Timberline – Gabriel Duchesneau, SR, 132; Cameron Rosalin, SR, 152.

2A

Black Hills – Mikey Johnston, SO, 106; Julian Kennedy, SR, 182; Tate Elliott, SR, 285. River Ridge – Sammy Lile, SR, 120; Kaden Rodriguez, SR, 145; Riley Edwards, SR, 160; Nathaniel Millin, JR, 195. Rochester – Dailin Schlecht, SR, 132; Riley Cohron, SR, 145; Jayden Lancaster, SR, 152. Tumwater – Kaden Latchaw, SR, 126; Brooks Greenwell, JR, 138; Reece Martin, JR, 145; Phillip Severson, JR, 160; Gavin Murphy, SR, 170; Tyler Woods, SR, 195; John Judy, JR, 220. W.F. West – Brady Davis, SO, 110; Caleb Walters, SR, 126; Zach Evans, SR, 132; Darren Gray, JR, 138; Connor Trodahl, SR, 138; Evan Moon, JR, 152; Desmond Parriott, SR, 160; Isaac Reavis, SR, 195; Daniel Matagi, FR, 220; Garrett VonMoos, SR, 220; Bryson Boyd, JR, 285.

1A

Elma – Trenton Alderman, SO, 160. Tenino – Robert Marti, JR, 220.

1B/2B

Rainier – Jayson Ducey, SO, 106; Levi Swann, FR, 113; Joe Gerrish, SR, 132; Collin Davis, FR, 132; Julian Hambly, JR, 152; Brody Klein, SR, 160.

Girls

Capital – Kylee Heaston, SR, 115. Centralia – Jade Hudson, FR, 100; Kupria Lapierre, SR, 135. Elma – Jamison Carrell, JR, 125. North Thurston – Dolly Manlapaz, SO, 110; Payton Irish, SR, 190. Olympia – Erica Grant, SR, 35-4, 140. Shelton – Jazlind Warren, JR, 170. Tenino – Jamiah Christin, JR, 115. W.F. West – Elizabeth Patana, SO, 110; Courtney Jones, FR, 120; Xylia Warner, SR, 140. Yelm – Jordyn Rabalais, SO, 135; Dasha Burnett, JR, 140; Camryn Erickson, FR, 145.

This story was originally published February 21, 2020 at 5:00 AM.