Mat Classic XXXVI state wrestling preview: Will Orting, Toppenish produce an all-time great team showdown in 2A?

Four seniors are going for a fourth career WIAA championship in the Tacoma Dome

Toppenish has 17 wrestlers in the Mat Classic field, including returning state champion Kiyanno Zuniga, as it grapples with Orting for the Class 2A championship. / Photo by Joshua Hart

To meet the fast-growing demand of girls wrestling, the WIAA has added two more additional classification brackets this weekend for Mat Classic XXXVI, bringing the total number of girls tournaments to four (4A, 3A, 2A, 1A/B).

To accommodate the extra tournaments, the WIAA changed the overall format, expanding it to three days in the Tacoma Dome.

Here is a preview of the three-day state tournament in the Tacoma Dome:

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Faith Tarrant, of Prairie, is one of four seniors vying to join the four-timer club at this weekend's Mat Classic. / Photo by Joshua Hart

SCHEDULE

Session I Thursday - First round, round of 16 and quarterfinals and consolation for 4A boys and girls, and 3A boys and girls are from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. Session II Friday - First round, round of 16 and quarterfinals and consolation for 2A, 1A and 'B' boys and girls are from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Session III Friday - Semifinals and consolation for 4A and 3A boys and girls are at 4:30 p.m.. Championship finals follow from 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Session IV Saturday - Semifinals and consolation for 2A, 1A and 'B' boys and girls are from 9 a.m. until championship finals begin at 5 p.m.

2024 TEAM CHAMPIONS

Class 4A - Tahoma. Class 3A - Mead (now in 4A). Class 2A - Orting. Class 1A - Toppenish (now in 2A). Class 2B/1B - Tonasket. Large school girls - Peninsula. Small school girls - Toppenish.

RETURNING MULTIPLE-TITLE INDIVIDUAL WINNERS

4A - Tre Haines, Arlington, jr. (157); Jon Schoenlein, Skyview, sr. (175); Connor Aney, Glacier Peak, sr. (285).

3A - Czar Quintanilla, University, jr. (126).

2A - Steve Romero, Toppensh, sr. (120); Dominic Thomas, Orting, sr. (132); Justyce Zuniga, Toppenish, jr. (132); A.J. Salguero, Orting, sr. (138); Kiyanno Zuniga, Toppenish, sr. (150); Quentin Harding, Orting, sr. (157); Anthony Nava, Toppenish, sr. (285).

1A - Darrell Nanpuya, Omak, sr. (138).

B - Tanner Grooms, Okanogan, sr. (120); Gerardo Hernandez, Tonasket, sr. (132); Chad Busching, Okanogan, sr. (144); Matthew Gray, Goldendale, jr. (157).

Girls - Sophia Torrez, Toppenish, jr. (105); Libby Roberts, University, sr. (110); Adalyne Montiel, Toppenish, jr. (110); Makayla Torres, Toppenish, sr. (155); Faith Tarrant, Prairie, sr. (235).

4A PRIMER

Tahoma ended Chiawana's championship reign of four consecutive years in 2024 by winning with 193.5 points (while the Riverhawks were runners-up).' Now, the 4A NPSL powerhouse has an entirely different challenge this week - defeat reigning 3A champion Mead, which has moved up this season. Both programs are bringing 18 entrants and a returning state champion - Crew Lambro for the Bears (XX), and Kaysic Lundquist for the Panthers. Both could meet in the 120-pound bracket.

3A PRIMER

Now that Mead is up a division, which school takes the Panthers' place at the top? The favorite is likely a team that also moved up a classification this winter - White River, led by returning state champion Riley Simmons and 2024 state runners-up Caleb Dale and Luke Lisherness. The Hornets have 15 combatants in the field, including seven district champions. If White River falters, watch out for eastern Washington programs University or Hermiston and Lincoln of Tacoma.

2A PRIMER

This is where the state's true heavyweights reside. And if thie championship chase between defending 2A champion Orting and reigning 1A champion Toppenish is anything like their testy dual meet in December - this could be a dandy duel. Both blessed with front-line talent - seven wrestlers combined are going for a third or fourth career title this weekend - the difference might be in sheer numbers. Orting has 24 grapplers competing; the Wildcats have 17.

1A PRIMER

With Toppenish gone, could its nearby ex-1A SCAC neighbor be in line for its first Mat Classic championship? Wapato is loaded for bear this weekend with 16 entrants, including five district champions. The Wolves have a pair of seniors in Raul Sanchez III and Angel Leyva who were state finalists in 2024. And they have plenty of momentum, winning Pacific Coast in January - and dominating expected top challenger Zillah at last week's district tournament (556-373).

'B' PRIMER

This might end up being the closest championship race of all between two league rivals - defending state champion Tonasket, led by Gerardo Hernandez, and Okanogan, who has a pair of multiple state-title winners in Tanner Grooms and Chad Busching, Both schools have 21 wrestlers competing, but the Tigers won the league and district tournaments over the Bulldogs, who are in search of their first Mat Classic crown (and are coached by former Tonasket great Martin Mitchell).

GIRLS PRIMER

Perhaps the most riveting race will be in Class 2A between record-setting three-time defending champion Toppenish and CWAC rival Othello, which knocked off the Wildcats at districts, 351-332.5. ... Peninsula won its first Mat Classic championship in dramatic fashion a year ago, and is the favorite to win in Class 3A. But Kelso is dangerous. ... Who is the Class 4A favorite? It is truly up in the air - but the winner could come from the Sumner School District (Bonney Lake, Sumner).

TICKETS

Tournament passes are $37 for adults, and $25 for students and senior citizens. Single-day tickets are $22/$15.

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