Grappling Greatness: Tahoma Bears Make History with State Qualifiers

In what continues to be a record-setting year, the Tahoma Bears are poised to make a significant mark as they push 19 wrestlers to the State Tournament at the Tacoma Dome next weekend. This achievement marks the highest number of qualifiers the team has ever had. Yesterday, the team clinched victory at the Regional tournament, scoring an impressive 384.5 points, finishing ahead of Lake Stevens, Glacier Peak, and Kentwood respectively.

The team had an outstanding day, crowning eight champions in the tournament. At 106 pounds, Crew Lambro maintained his unbeaten streak with two pins and a technical fall. Alex Othon dominated senior state placer Troy Valentine from Lake Stevens with a major decision at 126 pounds. Zach Baker secured revenge against his opponent from Kentwood, Isaiah Adamson, whom he had lost to the previous week at League, with a significant pin in the finals at 132 pounds. Additionally, freshman Gavin Wells continued his dominance with three falls on the day at 138 pounds. Senior Joe Sullivan displayed surgical precision in his matches, including a 7-1 victory in the finals against the fifth-ranked wrestler, Jaden Jennings from Lake Stevens. Cyrus Comia claimed the title at 157 pounds after strategizing to catch his opponent, who spent a considerable amount of time evading him on the mat. Adriano Perez avenged a loss from the previous week to the second-ranked Emanuele Collins from Kennedy with a solid 3-1 victory in the finals at 165 pounds. Kage Repenn secured the final victory at 190 pounds with three falls on the day.

The Bears also boasted five wrestlers finishing in second place, positioning themselves for success next week. At 106 pounds, Colby Hill suffered his sole loss to his teammate in the finals. Freshman Carter Tughan battled against his senior opponent from Lake Stevens, coming up just short in the finals at 113 pounds. Freshman Owen Marshall faced the number one ranked wrestler in the state in a closely contested match. Sophomore Isac Deonigi also faced the number one ranked wrestler, Gill Mossburg, losing with a score of 7-1. Trey Monaghan had an impressive performance, securing second place against the top-ranked heavyweight in the state.

Six other wrestlers earned their ticket to the state tournament by finishing in fourth place. Jackson Stoops, Eben Nau, Jase Macatangay, Paul Tarintino, Dylan Stover, and Alex Mondt all battled fiercely to earn their spots at the dome. Notable matches included Tarintino's victories by fall in two separate matches, where he fought back from being down to secure victory in the final seconds.

With a staggering 19 wrestlers advancing to the state tournament, the Bears lead the state in qualifiers across all classifications. Ranked number one going into the tournament, the team anticipates facing tough competition from Chiawana, the reigning four-time champions.