Tri-Cities area sending 154 wrestlers to WA state championships

The Mid-Columbia Conference will send 154 competitors this week to Mat Classic XXVII in the Tacoma Dome.

The event features nine separate tournaments over three days in the Dome.

For the boys, there is a 4A, a 3A, a 2A, a 1A, and a 2B/1B tournament. In the girls, championing will be named in a 4A tourney, a 3A event, a 2A tournament, and a 1B/2B/1A event.

The 4A and 3A tournaments for boys and girls will be on Thursday and Friday.

The remaining tournaments will be on Friday and Saturday.

Here is a look at some of this region’s top performances in recent district tournaments:

4A girls

The Kamiakin and Richland girls went 1-2 in the team standings at the Class 4A district wrestling tournament that was held Feb. 6-7 at the Spokane Convention Center.

Both the Braves and Bombers will send 15 wrestlers each to this week’s Class 4A girls state tournament in the Tacoma Dome.

Kamiakin, which scored 305 points to win the team title in Spokane, had five district individual champs.

Ayla Mitchell raised her season record to 36-4 after pinning Pasco’s Netzary Delcid in 1:47 to win the 105-pound title.

Other Kamiakin district champs were Amber Glass at 120 pounds, Daneill Tristan at 125, Liliana Torres at 155, and Reagan Downing at 235.

Leading the way for Richland was Yaneece Sanchez, who won a district crown at 190 pounds, raising her season record to 11-2.

Also winning titles for the Bombers was Alyzah Gonzalez at 100 pounds, Savannah Thorpe at 115, and Amelia Ellis at 130.

Hanford’s Rylie Brewer also earned a district title at 140 pounds, as did teammate Bree Burt at 145.

Pasco will send 10 wrestlers to Tacoma, while Chiawana sends nine, and Hanford sends six.

3A boys

Hermiston’s boys had six individual champions to take the team title at the District 6 3A wrestling tournament at the Spokane Convention Center.

Led by Aiden Larson, a junior with a 40-4 record, the Bulldogs scored 377.5 points for the team title.

Aiden Larson (138 pounds), Alexis Lujano (120), Hayden Larson (175), Jayden Martinez (132), Seth Reeve (285) and Jacoby Rodriguez (144) all won titles.

The Bulldogs will send 14 wrestlers to the state tournament this week.

Southridge senior Gabe Borisch (25-3) also came home with a district championship at 165 pounds.

Kennewick qualified 10 wrestlers for state, while Southridge (3), Sageview (2) and Walla Walla (2) will also have state competitors.

3A girls

Hermiston’s girls ran away from the field to win the District 6 3A wrestling tournament on Feb. 6-7 in Spokane.

The Bulldogs, who will send 15 wrestlers to Tacoma, had four individual champions: Harleigh Cubbage-Thorp (235 pounds), Kianna Gutierrez-Munoz (145), Jocelyn Silvani (155) and Emily Stone (140).

Walla Walla’s Kylie Whitaker raised her record to 29-1 after winning the 135-pound title. Whitaker is the defending 3A champion at that weight.

Joining Whitaker will be district champion Brooklyn Quigg (190).

Southridge had three individual champs. Desirae Juarez, who placed third last year at 135, won the district crown at 130. She has a 38-2 record.

Suns Lexi Allen (120) and Kiara Haertling (170) were also crowned champs. Southridge qualified five for state.

Kennewick’s Evelyn Mendoza (115) was also a district winner.

First-year Sageview is sending seven wrestlers to Tacoma. Kennewick (6) and Walla Walla (5) also have state-qualifying contingents.

4A boys

Kamiakin finished third at the District 6 4A boys wrestling tournament Feb. 6-7 at the Spokane Convention Center, earning three individual championships.

Keldy Granados (157 pounds), Brooks Knight (285) and Teague Meagher (120) each won weight-class divisions for the Braves.

Mead won the team title with 431 points, while Gonzaga Prep was second with 368, and Kamiakin third at 302.5 points.

Chiawana’s Zach Delgado also earned a district title with a win at 165 pounds.

Kamiakin is sending 10 wrestlers to the state tournament, while Chiawana has 8, Pasco and Richland with 5 each, and Hanford is sending 2.

4A Sunnyside

Defending state champion Danica Torres of Sunnyside won the Big Nine Conference girls district wrestling title at 110 pounds.

The Grizzlies won the team title with 369 points. The tournament was held on Feb. 7 at Davis High School in Yakima.

Torres raises her season record to 33-5, heading into this week’s 4A girls state tournament in the Tacoma Dome.

Other Sunnyside wrestlers to earn district championships were Isabell Garcia at 120 pounds, and Audrina Rendon at 135. The Grizzlies will send 18 wrestlers to the state tournament.

In the CBBN boys 4A district tournament, held in Wenatchee on Feb. 7, Eisenhower won the team title with 342 points.

Sunnyside will send six wrestlers to the state tournament, led by 106-pound district champion Kaleb Campos.

-Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.