Whatcom County high school wrestling teams are sending 54 athletes to the Mat Classic XXXV state wrestling tournament following regional events at various locations on Saturday, Feb. 10.
More than half of the county’s 96 wrestlers that advanced to regional tournaments qualified for state, held Feb. 16–17 at the Tacoma Dome, led by the boys teams of Mount Baker (nine qualifiers), Blaine (eight) and Bellingham (eight).
The area’s 54 state qualifiers improved on last year’s total of 48 that reached the wrestling season’s final stage.
Ten wrestlers spread across nine different local teams also earned first-place regional titles, with the Mountaineers’ boys group being the only team with two top finishers.
Andrew Montieth won the 126-pound weight class at the 13-team WIAA 1A Region 1 tournament at Vashon Island High School, while Daniel Washburn — who finished third at state last season — captured the 157-pound title.
Mount Baker also had the most combined qualifiers between its boys and girls teams with 12. Ana Camacho led the Mountaineers’ girls team with her second-place finish at 105 pounds in the WIAA Girls 1B/2B/1A/2A Region 1 tournament at White River High School.
Blaine is sending 11 wrestlers to state, with three on the girls side. Lucyanna Dahl, who finished fourth at state a season ago, finished first in the 145-pound weight class.
Reigning state runner-up Victor Gervol led Blaine’s boys team at the 1A tournament with his regional title at 285 pounds — defeating teammate Otto Shelton in the championship match.
Despite not having any first-place finishers, Bellingham’s boys team had seven wrestlers finish top three in their weight classes at the 17-team WIAA 2A Region 1 tournament hosted at Highline High School.
Dylan Roath (106 pounds), Nathan Laas (144), Pavel Shintar (150), Alexander Scott (157) and Sonny Powell (215) all finished second. Shintar is the only one that has prior state experience.
Meridian and Squalicum are each sending three boys and two girls to state.
Squalicum’s Bella Phillips maintained her undefeated record this season (32-0) by earning a first-place finish at 190 pounds at the girls tournament, while Lucas Hansen (157 pounds) earned a regional title for the Storm’s boys team at the 2A tournament.
Meridian’s lone regional title was won by Regan Swope in the girls 170-pound weight class, while the Trojans’ boys team was led by a second-place finish from Rhett Dursch (215 pounds) at the 1A tournament.
Lynden, which is sending two boys and a girl to state, got a regional title from Belen Lopez (155 pounds) at the girls tournament, while Christian Velasquez (126 pounds) was the Lions’ top boys wrestler with his second-place finish. Lopez finished second at state last season.
Ferndale, the county’s lone Class 3A team, has four wrestlers headed to state — three boys and a girl. Gabe Rios-Gordillo finished first at 106 pounds at the 19-team WIAA 3A Region 1 boys tournament at Oak Harbor High School to lead the Golden Eagles.
Eliana Guillory (fourth place, 170 pounds) was Ferndale’s lone qualifier from the 30-team WIAA Girls 3A/4A Region 1 tournament at Monroe High School.
Nooksack Valley is only sending one boy and one girl to state, but the Pioneers’ Wyatt Bacon won the 190-pound title at the 1A boys tournament. Mina Azzam will represent NV’s girls team after finishing second in the 235-pound weight class at the girls 1B/2A/1A/2A tournament.
Sehome has four boys wrestlers headed to state. Grant Oliver (150 pounds) and Caleb Davis (157 pounds) each finished third at the 2A boys tournament.
A full list of qualifiers from regional tournaments is below, sorted by tournament and weight class.
WIAA Girls 1B/2B/1A/2A Region 1
100
3rd Place – Makenna Lausier, Blaine
105
2nd Place – Ana Camacho, Mount Baker
115
4th Place – Karalynn Cook, Mount Baker
120
4th Place – Claire Hume, Blaine
140
2nd Place – Sadie Wilson, Squalicum
3rd Place – Tyla Olson, Mount Baker
145
1st Place – Lucyanna Dahl, Blaine
155
1st Place – Belen Lopez, Lynden
170
1st Place – Regan Swope, Meridian
2nd Place – Kennedy Farrar, Meridian
190
1st Place – Isabella Phillips, Squalicum
235
2nd Place – Mina Azzam, Nooksack Valley
WIAA Girls 3A/4A Region 1
170
4th Place – Eliana Guillory, Ferndale
WIAA 1A Region 1
106
2nd Place – Isaac DeKriek, Mount Baker
3rd Place – Christopher Zamudio, Blaine
4th Place – Treyson Lewis-Kelley, Meridian
113
3rd Place – Cole Voigt, Blaine
126
1st Place – Andrew Montieth, Mount Baker
2nd Place – Vinnie Saia, Blaine
132
3rd Place – Daniel Johner, Blaine
4th Place – Shaun Dugger, Mount Baker
138
3rd Place – Gavin Compton, Mount Baker
144
2nd Place – Cal Fitzgerald, Blaine
150
3rd Place – Joshtyn Elmer, Meridian
157
1st Place – Daniel Washburn, Mount Baker
165
2nd Place – Wyatt Freeman, Mount Baker
175
2nd Place – Vance Lawrence, Mount Baker
190
1st Place – Wyatt Bacon, Nooksack Valley
2nd Place – Blake Goltz, Blaine
3rd Place – Dylan Moa, Mount Baker
215
2nd Place – Rhett Duersch, Meridian
3rd Place – Alder Giarde, Mount Baker
285
1st Place – Victor Gervol, Blaine
2nd Place – Otto Shelton, Blaine
WIAA 2A Region 1
106
2nd Place – Dylan Roath, Bellingham
126
2nd Place – Christian Velasquez, Lynden
4th Place – Aidan Borchert, Bellingham
138
3rd Place – Conor Rodriguez Stiff, Bellingham
144
2nd Place – Nathan Laas, Bellingham
3rd Place – Griffin Smith, Squalicum
4th Place – Colin Mcgiverin, Sehome
150
2nd Place – Pavel Shintar, Bellingham
3rd Place – Grant Oliver, Sehome
4th Place – Simeon Blas, Squalicum
157
1st Place – Lucas Hansen, Squalicum
2nd Place – Alexander Scott, Bellingham
3rd Place – Caleb Davis, Sehome
5th Place – Clarence Valladares, Lynden
165
5th Place – Aiden Holmes, Sehome
215
2nd Place – Sonny Powell, Bellingham
285
3rd Place – Finnegan Jensen, Bellingham
WIAA 3A Region 1
106
1st Place – Gabe Rios-Gordillo, Ferndale
126
3rd Place – Mason Filippinni, Ferndale
285
2nd Place – Wyatt Strait, Ferndale
Connor J. Benintendi is a former CDN sports reporter, send tips and information to newstips@cascadiadaily.com.
