Mat Classic XXXIII state wrestling preview: Will loaded Class 1A powerhouse Toppenish boys crack the magical 300-point barrier?

After a two-year absence, the WIAA state wrestling championships - Mat Classic XXXIII - take place this weekend where six classification teams champions and 84 individual winners will be crowned in both the boys and girls brackets.

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

SCHEDULE

Session I Friday - First round, quarterfinals and consolation are from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Session II Saturday - Semifinals and consolation are 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Session III Saturday - All championship matches go from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m.

2020 TEAM CHAMPIONS

Class 4A - Chiawana. Class 3A - Mount Spokane. Class 2A - Toppenish (now 1A). Class 1A - Granger (now 2B). Class 2B/1B - Tonasket. Girls - White River.

RETURNING 2020 INDIVIDUAL WINNERS

4A - Isaiah Anderson, Chiawana, sr. (now at 195 pounds/won it at 195).

3A - Kenndyl Mobley, North Central, sr. (now at 120 pounds/won it at 126); Q’Veli Quintanilla, University, jr. (145/126 in 4A); Alex Rapelje, Edmonds-Woodway, sr. (160/138); Christopher Hamblin, Mountain View, sr. (182/152 in 1A).

2A - Zach Lopez, Shadle Park, sr. (now at 132 pounds/won it at 120 in 3A); Gabe Smith, Pullman, sr. (152/126).

1A - Joel Godino, Toppenish, sr. (now at 126 pounds/won it at 106 in 2A); Nathan Gregory, Deer Park, sr. (126/120); Horacio Godinez, Toppenish, sr. (138/113 in 2A); Miah Zuniga, Toppenish, jr. (145/120 in 2A); Abel Nava, Toppenish, sr. (152/126).

B - Oscar Alvarez, Granger, sr. (now at 120 pounds/won it at 106 in 1A); Waylon Thomas, Tonasket, sr. (132/113); Waylon Wilson, Tonasket, sr. (138/120); Kevin Sanabria, Tonasket, sr. (145/132); Conan Northwind, Granger, jr. (170/138 in 1A); Gage Cook, Granger, sr. (285/220 in 1A).

Girls - Kayla McKinley-Johnson, Federal Way, sr. (now at 105 pounds/won it at 100); Isabella Morales, Toppenish, sr. (100/105); Ayanna Asselin, Kennewick, sr. (170/155); Alivia White, Marysville-Pilchuck, jr. (190/190).

4A PRIMER

It could be an emotional weekend for two-time reigning state champion Chiawana, which is vying to become the first 4A school to win three Mat Classic titles in a row since Lake Stevens (2007-09). For starters, the Riverhawks have arguably the best wrestler in the building in Oregon State University signee Isaiah Anderson, who has returned from a serious shoulder injury to wrestler for a third state title. And their coach - Jack Anderson (Isaiah's father) - has announced this is his final event. Likely in their way is the same team that pushed them to the wire in last week's Region IV tournament - Sunnyside, which was also the Riverhawks' top chaser at the 2020 state tournament (143-132). The Grizzlies are sending more participants (14-13) and regional finalists (10-5) and have the same amount of regional champions as Chiawana (four). ... If the co-favorites falter, Tahoma (14 entrants), Lake Stevens (13) and Central Valley (11) could find opportunity.

READ: He lost his father to COVID-19. Then Chiawana's wrestling program stepped up

3A PRIMER

Again, another classification where the favorite comes from Region IV in eastern Washington. And the way the past two weekends of the postseason have unfolded, Mead - with 13 combatants in the Mat Classic field - is the clear favorite to win it all for the first time since claiming the 4A crown in 1992-93. The Panthers had eight wrestlers in the regional finals, with five champions. ... Also with 13 entrants, University is certainly in the hunt. The Titans placed second to Mead at regionals, finishing 35 points behind. And they have the top underclassmen grappler in the state in Q'veli Quintanilla, who is the clear favorite in the 145-pound weight class. He won a 4A title at 125 in 2020 for Gonzaga Prep.

2A PRIMER

The happiest squad to see Toppenish move down to 1A? It has to be Orting, which has finished the state runner-up in four of the five past Mat Classic tournaments - and three times to the Wildcats. The four-time 1A champion Cardinals are in great position to claim their first 2A crown, with 12 wrestlers in the field - 10 of whom reached the regional finals a week ago, claiming six titles. Coach Jody Coleman thinks if things fall right, his program could claim a school-best six Mat Classic titles as well, led by Owen Cline at 138. ... Selah and W.F. West should be Orting's top challengers.

1A PRIMER

In all honesty, this race is over before it begins. Toppenish is just that good. The Wildcats have four returning state champions in the field, led by Horacio Godinez at 138 and Abel Nava at 152. In fact, Nava is going for a third Mat Classic championship on Saturday after winning earlier titles with Granger. They are bringing a troop of 19 entrants, including 14 wrestlers who were in the regional finals last week. The only real suspense this weekend is whether Toppenish's wave of dominance will pile up 300 points, which has never been done in a 16-person-per-bracket state tournament.

2B/1B PRIMER

Don't forget about the smallest classification with its eight-wrestler brackets - this could be the best team race of the weekend. For starters, it is very rare that two reigning team champions from 2020 - Granger in 1A, Tonasket in B - will go head-to-head for all the marbles. Both programs have star power with three returning Mat Classic champions apiece. So this battle truly could come down to which school performs better on the back end of brackets. Four-time defending state champion Tonasket has more wrestlers in the field (11-10), and did win the regional title a week ago (256-229).

GIRLS PRIMER

Defending state champion White River and Toppenish came into the season as the teams to beat - and now are even more decisive Mat Classic co-favorites. And one of the intriguing storylines of this year's tournament is that neither school will see much of the other in head-to-head showdowns. Although the Hornets have no returning championships from 2020, one of their nine combatants is Shelby Moore, a five-time national champion and overwhelming favorite at 130. Toppenish has reigning Mat Classic winner Isabella Morales leading the way among its eight entrants.

TICKETS

Tournament passes are $32 for adults, $23 for students and senior citizens. Single-day tickets are $18/$13.

(Featured file photo by Vince Miller)