Community Sports

Mat Classic starts today; these local wrestlers will compete

Editor’s note: This article has been updated. The name of one Peninsula wrestler was omitted in a previous version.

Mat Classic XXXVI, the state wrestling championship, is Feb. 20-22 at the Tacoma Dome, and 32 wrestlers from Peninsula and Gig Harbor will participate. All of them begin their quest today (Thursday, Feb. 20) to become that legendary figure who rose to the top of one of the toughest sports in the state.

The Peninsula girls wrestling team returned all but one member of their Class 3A state championship team from 2024 and is looking for back-to-back state titles.

The Seahawks girls won every dual match this season in their quest to defend their state championship. They employed a number of wrestling moves — with colorful names like the hip toss, fireman’s carry and KP cradle — along the way.

All of those moves are different but they have one thing in common: They are extremely effective at scoring points and winning matches.

The Seahawks sent an amazing 16 girls — every team member — to state. They won the District III championship with a staggering 291.5 points and handed a District Coach of the Year award to Gary Griffin on Feb. 15 at Silas High School in Tacoma.

The Peninsula girls wrestling team won the District III championship. Photo by Leann Casey

“It was nice to see our girls have such a good day on the mat. I thought we looked pretty sharp,” Griffin said. “Crowning six champions is pretty awesome, and our girls love to support each other. I’m excited to get back to the dome and watch our girls perform on the big stage to defend our championship. They are all in good spirits, and ready to go.”

District champions were:

• Justus Johnson, 120 pound weight class, 25-7 season record
• Paige Powers, 125 pounds, 21-7
• Ava Miranda, 135 pounds, 31-11
• Mira Sonnen, 145 pounds, 29-2
• Bailey Parker, 155 pounds, 17-2
• Lindsey Shipp, 170 pounds, 37-9

Sonnen and Parker are defending individual state champions.

Paige Powers of Peninsula won the district title at 125 pounds. Photo by Leann Casey

Finishing second at districts were Georgina Johnson, 100 pounds, 26-10; and Bri Sanderson, 115 pounds, 22-15.

Third-place district finishers were Mya Robles, 100 pounds, 26-10; Lily Robles, 115 pounds, 27-13; Lyla Klingler, 130 pound,  14-12; and Olivia Howell, third at 140 pounds, 25-16.

Other qualifiers included Olivia Griffin, fourth at 105 pounds, 16-10; Rae Nichols, fourth at 110 pounds, 14-22; Clara Casey, sixth at 155 pounds, 6-13; and Esme Zacharias-Miguel, seventh at 145 pounds, 9-9.

Peninsula boys

A talented group of nine Peninsula boys will join their female teammates in Tacoma. A couple of them could be individual state title contenders as well.

“The boys put together some tough, gritty performances on Saturday (at districts) culminating in taking six wrestlers to state with three alternates,” Griffin said. “I am pleased with the boys’ efforts and look forward to them putting it together in the dome one last time this year.”

Griffin said Nehemiah Grandorff is “in it to win it, and he is poised and prepared.” Grandorff, who wrestles at 144 pounds, went 37-8 on the season.

Bryce Tillman of Peninsula won a district championship at 132 pounds and has a season record of 33-14. Photo by Leann Casey

“Bryce Tillman (132 pounds, 33-14 record) has some big wins under his belt and should be a name to watch this year,” Griffin said. “Our other qualifiers, David Howard (150 pounds, 24-7), Cash Cano (150 pounds, 14-10), Mathis Crepin (165 pounds, 19-14) and Yashua Fonoti (285 pounds, 18-12) all came ready to wrestle and were rewarded for their efforts.”

State alternates for Peninsula are Ben Griffin at 106 pounds, Aaron Nickels at 138 pounds and Maddox Ice at 175 pounds.

Nimrick a contender for Gig Harbor

The biggest threat to win a state championship for Gig Harbor is probably Ella Nimrick, who tore through her bracket to win the district championship at 105 pounds. She combines technique, power and intensity and went 25-5 on the season.

Ella Nimrick of Gig Harbor, shown at a match earlier this year, won a district title and is a contender for a state championship. Photo by Dennis Browne

Another top contender is Liam McDermott, who finished second in the Division III 138 pound bracket. McDermott boasts a record of 30-11 on the season. Gig Harbor’s Juan Mateo also took home a second-place district trophy at 106 pounds and is 32-12 this year.

Two Tides wrestlers qualified at 126 pounds after placing third and fifth, respectively, at districts: Cyrus Maya (27-10) and Murphy Massey-O’Hanlon (24-8). State qualifier Jack Greer finished sixth in the stacked 120-pound division at district and is 24-13 on the year. Luke Young finished fourth at at 132 pounds and has a 17-8 record.

The Class 3A portion of Mat Classic runs Thursday and Friday, Feb. 20 and 21. Doors open at the Tacoma Dome at 8 a.m. both days. Click here for updated brackets and schedules.

Nehemiah Grandorff of Peninsula and Liam McDermott of Gig Harbor square off earlier this year. Both will compete at Mat Classic. Photo by Dennis Browne