Mike Harter admits he might be biased but still can’t imagine a tougher one-day wrestling tournament than the Matman Classic, set for Saturday in Silverdale.
“Not too often do you have the defending 1A, 3A and 4A team champions at one tournament,” Harter said.
Harter is the tournament director of the 33rd Matman Classic and is also head wrestling coach at Central Kitsap High School, where the tournament will be held.
The event starts at 10 a.m. Saturday with semifinals around 1 p.m. (depending on the event’s flow) and finals beginning between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. (check back Saturday night for coverage of this event on the Coaches Aid website).
Orting is making its first Matman Classic appearance. Although a Class 1A program, the Cardinals are ranked No. 1 overall in the all-classification state rankings put out by the Washington Wrestling Report.
Orting, the defending 1A state champions, will see how it fares against powerful programs such as Lake Stevens and Enumclaw, the defending 4A and 3A champs.
“Normally, we’d be going to the Rocky Mountain Rumble down in Utah,” Orting coach Mike Sowards said. “We decided to stay close. This will test a lot of guys.”
Orting will bring a formidable group, led by three wrestlers who are ranked No. 1 in the all-classification state rankings – Drew Templeman (119 pounds), Antonio Brown (125) and two-time state champion Taylor Meeks (189). Meeks has signed with Oregon State University.
The 16-team field includes: defending Matman Classic champion Graham-Kapowsin, Shelton, Davis, Mount Spokane, Rogers of Puyallup, Bremerton, Central Kitsap, Olympic, South Kitsap, Lake Washington, Auburn Riverside, Kentwood, Tahoma and the three defending state champions.
“It’s kind of weird,” Sowards said. “We’ve seen a lot of these teams a number of times this year. This is the third time we’ve seen Enumclaw, the fourth time we’ve seen Tahoma. Everybody will be here for this tournament. So it will be pretty loaded.”
Of the 14 all-classification No. 1-ranked boys wrestlers in Washington, eight will be at the Matman Classic. Outside of Orting, they are: Ruben Navejas, Kentwood, 103 pounds; Josh Heinzer, Lake Stevens, 112; Steven Walkley, Lake Stevens, 135; Tyler Lamb, Tahoma, 140; and Konner Knudtsen, Tahoma, 215.
In several cases, top-ranked wrestlers will have opportunities to square off in Silverdale.
Such is the case at 125 pounds, where Heinzer, a two-time state champion, and Efrain Aguilar of Graham-Kapowsin are wrestling this weekend. Aguilar is ranked No. 2 at 119 pounds.
Another example is at 119 pounds, where Templeman has to contend with No. 3-ranked Hunter File of Enumclaw. Templeman won a state championship as a freshman last season.
A top wrestler at 112 pounds is Rogers junior Bryce Evans, who recently won the 112-pound championship at the El Cajon, Calif., Invitational, where he was named the most valuable wrestler in the lower weights.
Just ask Olympic’s Branden Yeik how tough the Matman Classic is.
Yeik has won just about everything imaginable in his career – a state championship, two regional titles, a Pacific Coast championship – but no Matman. He brings an unbeaten record this season in the 145-pound division into this weekend’s tournament.
“I think as 16-team, one-day tournaments go, they don’t come any tougher,” Harter said. “There might be others equal to it. But I don’t know which ones they are.”
Admission to the Matman Classic is $10 for adults and $5 for children. There also is a $20 family pass.
Around the state – Graham-Kapowsin won the Matman Classic last year with 202 points, followed by Enumclaw (198.5), Tahoma (160), Rogers (144.5) and South Kitsap (131). …
Five W.F. West wrestlers captured individual titles as the Bearcats won their own invitational last Saturday in Chehalis. W.F. West won the 11-team tournament with 227.5 points, followed by Yelm (197.5) and Centralia (189). The champions for the Bearcasts were: Jesse O’Camb (112), Andrew White (135), Alex Nunez (140), Ben Bellmont (160) and Austin Hanson (171). Yelm won four titles in the first five championship matches. …
Zillah captured the 37th annual Wapato Invitational tournament title last weekend. Two Leopards – Chris Castillo and Kyle Kluever – won titles at 160 and 171 pounds. Zillah, ranked No. 2 in 1A behind Orting, finished with 237 points, while runner-up Kentridge had 178. …
Host Castle Rock won the 36th annual Jim Bair Memorial Invitational last weekend. Rochester finished second. …
Washougal won the 33-team Kelso Invitational girls tournament last weekend. Washougal scored 123 points, ahead of Mount Baker (117) and Kelso (111). In one of the key matches, Kelso’s Alisha Beach beat defending state champion Kendra Creamens of Bethel, 10-0, in the finals.
Selah beat Ellensburg, 46-22, Thursday to claim the Clash of the Canyon dual meet and improve to 6-0 this season. Pins by Kyle Anson, Nikko Rodriguez and Levi Needles helped the Vikings break out to a 22-0 lead. Next up for Selah is Toppenish (5-1) Tuesday.
Ron Newberry can be reached by e-mail at ronnewberry@coachesaid.com.
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