WIAA wrestling at Mat Classic: 3 things you should be paying attention to on final day
TACOMA - If you thought Friday was a good start to Mat Classic, the WIAA state wrestling extravaganza - wait until Saturday.
The suspense is just getting started.
Here are three storylines that need to be monitored Saturday on the final day of Mat Classic XXXIV in the Tacoma Dome.
HOW HIGH CAN TOPPENISH, ORTING GO?
Photo courtesy of Toppenish athletics
No two programs came into this weekend with more returning state champions - and overall firepower than Toppenish in Class 1A, and Orting in Class 2A.
Both have easily staked out big leads at the midway point of the state tournament.
Machine-like Toppenish, which set the Mat Classic scoring record a year ago with a whopping 402 points, sent 13 wrestlers into the semifinals Friday, The Wildcats have scored 155 points already, well ahead of second-place Omak (49.5).
"Our kids wrestled tough," Toppenish coach Pepe Segovia said. "The expectation coming into the tournament was surpassing last year's score."
Orting isn't quite as lofty in points (106.5) and semifinalists (nine), but is in cruise control in defending its 2A crown.
"We are pretty much doing what we should be doing," Cardinals coach Jody Coleman said. "I am pretty happy."
IS CHIAWANA'S THREE-YEAR 4A REIGN IN JEOPARDY?
Photo by VInce Miller
Good news - With 80 points, Chiawana is holding steady as the first-day leader in the Class 4A team race.
Bad news - there is a freight train of chasers with at least twice as many semifinalists as the Riverhawks.
Sumner sits fourth with 66 points behind Chiawana, Tahoma (69.5) and South Kitsap (66.5), but is in great shape to make a big move with a classification-best eight wrestlers in the final four.
Tahoma, the 2017 state champion, has six semifinalists - while Chiawana and South Kitsap have three apiece.
What all of this means is that a winner might not be determined until well into Saturday action.
"All of these teams are well-coached, and all of these kids have come in and brought it," Sumner coach Matt Harshman said. "Now it's just, which team comes together through the pressure moments?"
WHAT ARE MEAD'S CHANCES OF REPEATING?
Photo by Vince Miller
Pretty good - but the Panthers have a pair of schools right on their heels.
With 129 points, Mead is the overnight leader - with Hermiston (118.5) and Stanwood (114) well within striking distance.
Of the three schools, Hermiston - the lone Oregon representative in the WIAA - has five wrestlers in the final four, followed by Stanwood (four) and then the Panthers (three).
Where Mead has the real advantage is in WIAA titles - three. Hermiston's best finish is finishing as the runner-up to the Panthers a year ago.
"We've preached all year about getting out and scoring first, getting out in front of matches and putting pressure on guys," Hermiston coach Kyle Larson said. "Across the board, we are looking good."
