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TACOMA - Toppenish's boys made state wrestling history Saturday - before the start of the Mat Classic XXXIII championship finals.

Heck, it happened prior to lunch.

The Wildcats are one of those once-in-a-lifetime group. They will send 14 of their 19 entrants into the Class 1A finals, set to begin at 3 p.m.

And their already-secured 356 tournament points? It not only set a new 1A record, they wiped away Tonasket's overall "regular" state tournament mark of 294.5 points, set in 2019-20 in the 2B/1B ranks.

"All year, I’ve said it’s probably the best team I’ve ever seen in this state, at least in my coaching career," Orting coach Jody Coleman said. "They are just so dominant. They would dominate 4A, 3A - anybody."

The only weight classes a Toppenish wrestler won't be in later Saturday is 113 and 182. But the school will have both combatants in two finals - at 106 and 195.

Before the finals, Wildcats grapplers are 41-8 with 19 pins in matches wrestled. They also have had 14 bye-round victories.

"We went to tournaments everywhere ... and beat all of them," Toppenish co-coach Pepe Segovia said. "And I've told them, 'You are the greatest team ever (at Toppenish).'"

Maybe ever - period.

Mead in 3A (230.5 points), and Orting in 2A (185.5) had spectacular showings in the morning semifinals to all but clinch Mat Classic team titles in their respective classifications.

Both programs are sending six wrestlers into the championship finals.

"The goal was to go 6-for-6 in the semifinals," Coleman said. "I told them if we do that, we close it out - it’s a done deal. They came out ready to wrestle."

Both the 4A and 2B/1B team races are tight heading into the Mat Classic finals.

Two-time defending state champion Chiawana leads Sunnyside, 150.5-136.0. The Riverhawks have four wrestlers in the finals, including two-time 4A champion Isaiah Anderson at 195 - while Sunnyside has three.

The 2B/1B title chase is even closer - with three-time defending 'B' champion Tonasket holding a 145.5-133.5 lead over 2020 1A champion Granger,

"It is exciting," Tonasket coach Cole Denison said. "It is going to come down to whoever has the best day will win the tournament."

Toppenish girls also clinched their first Mat Classic title, dethroning defending champion White River.

(Featured photo by Vince Miller)