TACOMA — Prairie senior Bryan Person is in the 220-pound semifinals in the Class 3A state wrestling championships after a quarterfinal victory he will never forget.
Person won in overtime over Lincoln’s Will Willsey, who placed second in state last year.
After regulation ended 4-4, Person fell behind 6-4 in the first overtime period.
In the second overtime, Person was awarded two points after Willsey was penalized for multiple stall warnings.
That sent the match to a the third “sudden victory” overtime. Person was awarded the win when Willsey was penalized one point for an illegal hold with five seconds remaining.
The reaction of Willsey and his coaches after the penalty led to the official result being listed as a disqualification.
Regardless, Person, who placed eighth last year, is in the semifinals.
“I was super nervous,” he said. “But I went in with the mindset that I want to win. It’s my last year, so I want to put my stamp on it.”
Dylan Goodpaster of Evergreen, Jon McMillan of Hudson’s Bay and Anton Culver of Mountain View all won their first-round matches, but were beaten in the quarterfinals.
Other local wrestlers at Mat Classic:
Class 2A
Washougal junior Tanner Lees cruised into the semifinals. The No. 3-ranked wrestler in the 145-pound bracket pinned his quarterfinal opponent in 5:25 after winning his first-round match 19-3.
Hockinson’s Colton Wheeler and Ridgefield’s Trevor Newburn were the only other 2A locals to win their first-round matches. Both were beaten in the quarterfinals.
Class 1A
Jeffrey Mayolo of La Center and Mike Garrison of King’s Way Christian advanced to the semifinals.
Mayolo, ranked No. 3 in the 152-pound bracket, has clinched his third straight top-six finish.
But the senior is looking for more after winning by pin in 1:57 followed by a 16-0 technical fall.
“I got into a zone,” he said. “I wasn’t worried about anybody else’s matches. I focused on myself and did what I needed to do to win.”
Garrison won his first-round match by pin win just 11 seconds remaining. The 195-pound senior, making his first state appearance, followed that with a 7-3 victory over a Goldendale’s Cameron Reed, a three-time state participant.
Girls
Four Clark County wrestlers reached the semifinals, mostly in dominating fashion.
Washougal’s Abby Lees pinned both of her 235-pound opponents in the first round. The 2015 state champ is looking for her fourth finals appearance.
Allison Blaine, a Hudson’s Bay freshman, is in the 130-pound semifinals. She won her quarterfinal 15-1 after pinning her first opponent in 1:19.
Skyview junior Hikaru Abe pinned both of her 105-pound opponents in less than one minute.
Sierra Joner of Battle Ground is in the 120-pound semifinals. The senior, who is ranked No. 1 at her weight, pinned her first-round opponent, before winning her quarterfinal 1-0.
