Six Sequim wrestlers went toe-to-toe with some of Washington’s best wrestlers last weekend at the Mat Classic state wrestling tournament.

There were plenty of surprises, drama and action for the Wolves in the Tacoma Dome on Feb. 19-20, with three Sequim grapplers earning spots on the medal stand.

Sequim’s Kiara Pierson improved on her personal best at the state final, taking fourth at 110 pounds after an eighth-place finish as a freshman a year prior.

“I wasn’t expecting to take fourth,” Pierson said. “But I was really ready to wrestle.”

Fellow Lady Wolves wrestler Alma Mendoza (140 pounds) took seventh to replicate her results from last year, and Kevyn Ward (160) placed eighth on his second trip to state and first medal finish.

They were joined by three first-time state competitors — Craig Baker (132), Adrian Klarich (182) and Michael Latimer (220).

Pierson said returning to state felt different this time around.

“Last year I was more nervous, but this year it was more fun,” she said.

Pierson nearly met her first day goal to win two matches by opening state with a 10-4 win over Nicole Whittern of Nooksack Valley, but lost 4-1 to fifth-place finisher Kateri Rowell of Quincy.

Sequim assistant coach Bill Schroepfer said Pierson came out the second day “on fire.” In the consolation, she opened with a pin of Alexcina Coleman of Nooksack Valley in 1:13, followed by a 1-0 win over Tommie Mosteller of Lakewood (the eighth-place finisher) and a pin in 2:01 over Alyssa Edson of Warden (sixth place finisher).

That effort set up the third/fourth place finish with Makayla Grimm of Columbia. Pierson was up 1-0, Sequim coach Charles Drabek said, but Grimm got an escape and takedown at the end of the third period to win 3-1.

Sequim’s Alma Mendoza, top, looks to turn the tone of the match against Hailey Hall of Pasco at the Mat Classic state wrestling tournament on Feb. 19. Mendoza took seventh in the girls’ 140-pound bracket.

Mendoza had a momentary scare in the middle of her first match with Hailey Hall of Pasco, a top wrestler who took third 2015. Schroepfer said Mendoza hit her knee hard on the mat early in the second period, which led her to stop the match lying on her back in pain. But the moment made her mad and energized her, Mendoza said. She was in control from then on, he said, despite the 7-2 loss.

“With another 15 seconds, Alma would have pinned her,” Schroepfer said.

In the consolation bracket, Mendoza recovered with an 11-2 win over Dajah Mendiola of Mount Vernon and a 5-0 win over Maria Enriquez of Kiona Benton.

Mendoza, however, lost by pin in 1:58 to Kaylee Martinez of Othello, who placed fifth. In the seventh/eighth matchup, Mendoza won 11-0 over Kali Spady of Lynden.

“I’m happy I stuck with it,” Mendoza said. “I’m also happy for Kiara.”

Schroepfer contends that Mendoza took home a medal in one of the toughest weight classes at state.

“Five of the seven (state) finalists came from our region,” he said.

They include Flor Parker-Borrero of Wilson (first), Chloe Rogers of Port Townsend (second), Mariya Gaither of Rogers (fourth) and Brianna Galvan of Steilacoom (sixth).

Schroepfer is optimistic Mendoza will move up the medal stand next year.

“Next year I think we could see three or four girls at state and we’ll see a new contingent of solid eighth-grade girls coming (into the program),” he said.

Worth remembering

Sequim’s other medalist, Ward, a senior, was hard on himself momentarily after the eighth-place finish, Drabek said.

“I told him eighth place is still pretty darn good,” Drabek said. “You’ll look back at it when you’re old and gray and feel proud.”

Sequim’s Kevyn Ward keeps Connor Horton of Aberdeen in check late in his 12-7 win to open the Mat Classic tournament. He took eighth in the boys’ 2A 160-pound bracket.

Ward opened state with a dominating 12-7 win over Connor Horton of Aberdeen. He went up 5-0 the end of the first period and 6-0 in the second and they traded points in the third.

Ward lost his next matchup 13-0 to Aaron Pimentel of Selah (fifth place) but won his first consolation matchup 11-9 over Noah Stroosma of Sedro-Woolley. They wrestled twice before at regionals and Ward won both times.

Ward faced another familiar foe in his next Mat Classic match in Logan Madison of Olympic. Madison pinned Ward in 2:56 and went on to take third.

Ward then lost 6-0 in the seventh/eighth place match to Owen Donnelly of Shorecrest.

Drabek said Ward kept it close in the first period with no score but Donnelly scored a series of points with an escape and a takedown that changed the tone of the match.

First-timers

Baker, a junior, was the only other Sequim wrestler to notch a win at state.

He opened the 132-pound division bracket with a 13-6 loss to Darion Green of Hudson’s Bay, but rebounded in the consolation bracket with a 9-2 against Alexis Salinas of Renton. In his third match, he faced fourth-place finisher Derreck Camba, dropping the match 4-1.

Klarich, a junior, opened state against eventual 182-pound champion Diego Gallegos of Lindbergh, falling 15-4. In the consolation, he lost 9-5 to Ruben Valle of R.A. Long.

Adrian Klarich holds down 182-pound first place finisher Diego Gallegos of Lindbergh in their match. Klarich lost 15-4 but told coaches he’s determined to train hard in the offseason with fellow state competitor Craig Baker (132 pounds).

Drabek said both Baker and Klarich said they want to pursue offseason wrestling training. Pierson and Mendoza said the same for themselves.

Latimer, a senior, faced his eventual weight class champion Cameron Loos of Hockinson (220 pounds) to open state. At the end of the first period, Latimer was only down 2-1 to Loos, and he tied it up 3-3 at the end of the second period. Loos, however, got a takedown in the third to win 5-3. In the consolation, Latimer lost another close match, a 4-3 decision to David Camacho of Washington; Camacho went on to place eighth.

Getting to state was a long journey for Latimer. In his freshman year, he couldn’t compete at regionals due to an infection, and as a sophomore he got a concussion prior to the postseason. As a junior, he injured both hamstrings at regionals.

“Truthfully, this wasn’t about winning or losing,” Latimer said. “It’s a good accomplishment just to be here. I’ve surprised a lot people. When I talk to them and they find out I’ve never been to state, they don’t believe it.”

Sequim’s Michael Latimer shoots for points against eventual first-place finisher Cameron Loos of Hockinson in the 220-pound 2A boys bracket. Latimer lost 5-3 but kept it tied late into the third period.

He and other Wolves said it took a lot of determination to make state.

“It’s a matter of not burning out,” Latimer said. “You may want it (the season) to be over, but you keep progressing.”

Latimer and Ward are two of Sequim’s three seniors graduating this year. Drabek anticipates another strong Sequim contingent in the postseason next year.

“We’ll still be a strong team,” the Sequim coach said. “These boys got a taste for state and we’ll start seeing these younger kids producing.”