TACOMA – Dallas Goodpaster and Austin Wright are hardly intimidated by the best heavy wrestlers in the state.
Each goes against another one every day during practice at Evergreen High School.
The Plainsmen pair pushed and pinned their way into the semifinals of the Mat Classic state wrestling championships Friday at The Tacoma Dome. They are among 15 Clark County wrestlers still alive for state titles when the tournament concludes today.
Wrestling among the heavier weights might not have the lightning-fast kinetic energy that the smaller guys bring. It’s more like that physics conundrum where an irresistible force meets an immovable object.
But nothing looks to be stopping Goodpaster in the Class 4A 220-pound class. The state’s top-ranked wrestler at that weight breezed through his two matches Friday, winning 13-4 before pinning his quarterfinal opponent in 45 seconds.
The junior, who wrestled for Prairie the past two seasons, is looking for his first semifinal win in three tries when he faces University’s Tyler Rickel at 11:20 a.m.
“I just have my mind set that I’m not losing,” Goodpaster said. “I’ve lost in the semis the last two years. I’m not losing this year.”
Goodpaster’s success literally rubs off on Wright when the two spar against each other.
“Just like my coaches tell me, ‘iron sharpens iron.’ Wright said. “Having the best practice partner in the state definitely helps me prepare for the state tournament.”
After breezing through his first 285-pound match 20-4, Wright survived a tough match against Richland’s Nic Workman 6-5. He scored a two-point takedown with 1:07 remaining to break a 4-4 tie.
To score the deciding points, Wright grabbed Workman by one leg, lifted him about a foot off the mat and slammed him down.
Asked how difficult it is to lift a 285-pounder, Goodpaster smiled and said “it’s really hard.”
To which Wright said “In the middle of the match, I don’t really even care.”
Mountain View semifinalist Brandon Huft is on the opposite of the scale, but on just as big of a roll. The 113-pounder cut nearly 20 pounds to qualify in that weight class.
It appears that was a good strategy. The senior hasn’t been scored on in the regional or state tournaments. Friday, Huft won his first match 15-0 before beating Pasco’s Bobby Guzman 3-0.
“Moving down another weight class, I knew I was going to be dominant,” Huft said. “I’m pretty big. It had to do quite a bit of a cut, but it’s worth it. It’s good to (have a bigger frame) than a lot of these kids.
Huft also cut 20 pounds last year en route to placing third at 106 pounds.
“I’ve been doing it for a while, so I understand how to cut now,” Huft said. “You’ve just got to have heart. When times are hard and I’m sitting in that sauna with my sauna suit on, you just need to push through and be mentally tough.”
Union has three semifinalists, the most of any Clark County school. Ethan Rotondo’s state title goals are alive at 106 pounds. Michael Snediker won two matches at 160 and 182-pounder Alex Berfanger is pursuing his second consecutive state title.
Class 3A
Prairie junior Kodi Walls is the only 3A wrestler from Clark County to qualify for the semifinals. He pinned his first opponent in 3:13 before beating Roosevelt’s Trygve Groh 13-7.
Walls will next face the bracket’s top ranked wrestler in Andrew Ramirez of Lakes.
Class 2A
Four Clark County wrestlers are in the semifinals in the 2A tournament.
Ridgefield’s Trevor Newburn breezed through his first match 15-0. A sixth-place finisher last year, Newburn then won 5-3 over Quincy’s Victor Salgado, a fifth-place finisher last year in 1A.
At 120 pounds, Washougal’s Zach Oster won two matches 7-5 and 6-0, respectively. His semifinal opponent is Adam Adkinson of Sedro Woolley, the No. 2 ranked wrestler in that bracket.
Woodland’s Nathan Patterson won twice at 145 pounds. He pinned Payton Peterson-Scotter in 1:57 before beating Orting’s Brandon Rodarte 10-4.
At 220 pounds, Hockinson’s Cameron Loos needed 56 seconds to earn a pin in his first match. He then outfoxed Cheney’s Michael Ferguson, scoring the last three points in a 6-3 victory.
Class 1A
La Center’s Derick Tollen is the lone local 1A semifinalist.
A third-place finisher in Oregon’s Class 5A for Churchill past two seasons, Tollen pinned his first opponent before beating Deer Park’s Aaron Klauder 6-5.
Girls
Washougal’s Abby Lees was among three local girls to reach the semifinals.
Last year’s runner up at 155 pounds, the sophomore has her sights on that title after earning two pins Friday.
“As a freshman you don’t have all the experience,” Lees said. “Now, when you get in there, you know what to do. This year, you just want to do what you didn’t do last year.”
Yaneli Martinez, also of Washougal, is in the semifinals at 100 pounds.
Skyview’s Caitlin Horrocks is in the semifinals at 120 pounds.
WRESTLING
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
CLASS 4A
BATTLE GROUND
126 – Jason Cole lost by pin to Alex Rodorigo (Lake Stevens) 1:15; lost by pin to Layn Pannkuk (Olympia) 2:46, eliminated.
138 – Colton Blake lost to Jake Douglas (Lake Stevens) 8-0; lost Jake Covington (Pasco) 2-0, eliminated.
CAMAS
126 – Rylan Thompson def. Angel Coria (Spanaway Lake) 7-5; lost by pin to Josiah Rodriguez (Sunnyside) 3:08; def. Dakota Benson (Yelm) 11-9.
145 – Bryant Elliot def. Noah Bomar (Snohomish) 6-2; lost to Chase Clasen (Moses Lake) 5-4, lost to Tommy Strassenberg (Union) 3-1, OT eliminated.
EVERGREEN
113 – Andrew Loreno lost to Deion Anderson (South Kitsap) 10-0; lost to Jesse Torres (Sunnyside) 14-5, eliminated.
120 – Isaiah Av lost to Tyler Headland (Lake Stevens) 5-2; def. Trevor Shaw (Olympia) 4-0; lost to Nick Whitehead (Tahoma) 15-2, eliminated.
220 – Dallas Goodpaster def. Calhoun Helmberger (Curtis) 13-4; pinned Elliott Villars (Bellarmine Prep) 0:45.
285 – Austin Wright def. Donovon Foster (Timberline) 20-4; def. Nic Workman (Richland) 6-5.
HERITAGE
152 – Marcus Hendrickson def. J.J. Rodriguez (Sunnyside) 7-3; lost to Ty Wilson (Rogers-Puyallup) 7-6; def. Malachi Lawrence (Lake Stevens) 5-3.
MOUNTAIN VIEW
106 – Will Taisacan pinned Leroy Portillo (South Kitsap) 2:41; lost to Elias Romero (Sunnyside) 5-0; def. Ashton Schessler (South Kitsap) 7-2.
113 – Brandon Huft def. Martin Miller (Eastlake) 15-0; def. Bobby Guzman (Pasco) 3-0.
132 – Damon Thomas def. Ryan Colkitt (Puyallup) 6-2; lost to Cam Sorensen (University), 7-4; def. Baylee Tran (Curtis) 11-9, OT.
138 – Emanuel Mendez lost to Corde Ferreira (Graham-Kapowsin) 12-2; lost by pin to Andy Pham (Inglemoor) 2:40, eliminated.
152 – Skylar Scott lost to Joel Torres (Moses Lake) 10-1; lost to Malachi Lawrence (Lake Stevens) 6-0, eliminated.
170 – Grayson Funk lost to Levi Meinzinger (University) 8-4. lost by pin to Bo Campbell (Yelm) 1:39, eliminated.
UNION
106 – Ethan Rotondo def. William Tickman (Issaquah) 16-4; def. Mason Eaglin (Graham-Kapowsin) 5-4.
145 – Tommy Strassenberg lost to Oscar Springsteen (Bethel) 2-0; def. Hunter Risk (Timberline) 7-2; def. Bryant Elliot (Camas) 3-1, OT.
160 – Michael Snediker def. Jacob Garcia (Chiawana) 6-4; pinned Tristan Cleek (Puyallup) 3:26.
170 – Javier Martinez def. Beau Fickle (Mead) 15-7; lost to Mark Mulligan (Mount Si) 3-1, OT; def. Alex Kudryashov (Redmond) 8-3.
182 – Alex Berfanger def. Tyler Losch (Yelm) 12-4; def. Chauncye Garigan (Central Valley) 3-2.
195 – Zach Berfanger def. Brennan Moore (Bellarmine Prep) 5-1; lost by pin to Cody Vigoren (Lake Stevens) 1:46; lost by pin to Eli Teu Teu (Bethel) 3:38, eliminated.
CLASS 3A
COLUMBIA RIVER
138 – Connor Thun lost to Jeremy Vester (Oak Harbor) 7-3; pinned Nicholas Outley (West Seattle) 1:53; lost to Hunter Eberhart 9-5, eliminated.
152 – Larry Andersen pinned Antoine Combs (Ingraham) 1:34; lost to Zach Goddard (Peninsula) 13-12; lost by pin to Braden Kalloway (Shorewood) 5:04, eliminated.
285 – Holt Douglass lost to Jacob Apodaca (Auburn) 7-2; lost by pin to Adam Deehring (Ballard) 3:30, eliminated.
PRAIRIE
106 – Rivers Greensky lost to Lam Tran (Franklin) 3-1. def. Anthony Scott (Hazen) 18-2; lost to Ebrima Fatty (Edmonds-Woodway) 5-3, eliminated.
113 – Tommy Greensky pinned Zachariah Gomez (Bishop Blanchet) 3:08; lost to Carson Corbaley (Bonney Lake) 16-1; pinned Chris Jackson (Lincoln) 1:44.
126 – Talen Goodpaster pinned Filmon Woldemariam (Nathan Hale) 3:16; lost to Jeremy Nygard (Arlington) 6-2; lost to Braham Trujillo (Auburn Mountainview) 13-4, eliminated.
132 – Kodi Walls pinned Clayton Hunter (Arlington) 3:13; def. Trygve Groh (Roosevelt) 13-7.
138 – Peter Mattson lost by pin to Wes Weinert (Stanwood) 1:02; lost to Erik Choi (Roosevelt) 15-4; lost to Jeremy Vester (Oak Harbor) 7-3, eliminated.
160 – Miguel Avila-Leal lost to Colton Davis (Meadowdale) 10-1; lost by pin to Aaron Jumpa (Bainbridge Island) 3:47, eliminated.
CLASS 2A
HOCKINSON
106 – Dale Anderson lost to Tyler Gale (Port Angeles) 16-0; lost by pin to Carlos Cortez (Selah) 0:57, eliminated.
170 – Joe Davis lost by pin to Jacob Farrell (Sedro Woolley) 0:55; def. Austin Spokely (Franklin Pierce) 4-2; lost to Ross Atterberry (Anacortes) 6-0, eliminated.
220 – Cameron Loos pinned Zeke Culbertson (Anacortes) 0:56; def. Michael Ferguson (Cheney) 6-3.
HUDSON’S BAY
113- Jon McMillian lost to Colton Economy (Blaine) 6-5; lost to Jeremy Mendez (Othello) 19-8, eliminated.
132- Darion Green lost to Ben Gore (Orting) 9-7; def. Javier Hart (Toppenish) 11-4; def. Bobby Brien (Rochester) 6-2.
152- Tristan Maxwell lost by pin to Davon Johnson (Clover Park) 4:35; lost by pin to Alden Roberts (Bellingham) 2:42, eliminated.
RIDGEFIELD
113 – Trevor Newburn def. Cody Anderson (Port Angeles) 15-0; def. Victor Salgado (Quincy) 5-3.
WASHOUGAL
120 – Zach Oster def. Carlos Flores (Ephrata) 7-5; def. Zach Edson (Highline) 6-0.
138 – A.J. Christianson def. Deven Maddy (Lindbergh) 2-1; lost by pin to Cameron Dubos (Bremerton) 1:40; lost to Zachary Wallace (Squalicum) 6-2, eliminated.
195 – Ruben Aguillar lost to Matt Robbins (Port Angeles) 10-3; def. Robert Gibbons (Orting) 3-1, lost to Kirtrell Willingham (Washington) 13-12, eliminated.
220 – Jacob Brown lost to Connor Lundberg (North Mason) 3-1, OT; def. Evan Barger (Orting) 6-3; lost by pin to Michael Ferguson (Cheney) 3:38, eliminated.
WOODLAND
126 – Josh Pratt lost to Gage Lott (Blaine) 7-2; lost to Jayden Schwope (Lindbergh), 2-1, eliminated.
145 – Nathan Patterson pinned Payton Peterson-Scotter (Lynden) 1:57; def. Brandon Rodarte (Orting) 10-4.
160 – Kurtis Patterson lost by pin to Logan Madison (Olympic) 4:57; lost to Garret Severson (White River) 14-5, eliminated.
182 – Jeff Jackson lost by pin to Kerrigan Simpson (Ellensberg) 5:19; lost to Cole Bonagofski (Bremerton), 9-6, eliminated.
195 – Jared Cloud lost by pin to Nate Vaughn (Sedro Wooley) 1:20; lost by pin to Hunter Sisemore (Clarkston) 0:24, eliminated.
285 – Isaac Andersen lost by pin to Hunter Mullins (Orting) 1:04; def. Rey Rubio (Quincy) 3-1; pinned Aleksey Dyfort (West Valley-Spokane) 4:39.
CLASS 1A
LA CENTER
126 – Derick Tollen pinned Abraham Medina (Royal) 4:49; def. Aaron Klauder (Deer Park) 6-5.
138 – Jeffrey Mayolo pinned Andrew Jennings (Cascade Christian) 1:58; lost to Victor Almaguer (Granger) 9-0; def. Jose Ponce (Royal) 1-0.
220 – Hazen Kapp lost by pin to Damon Davis (Cascade Christian) 1:37; lost by pin to Seer Deines (Connell) 2:01, eliminated.
STEVENSON
152- Noah Richart lost by pin to Tanner Belcher (Sultan) lost by pin to Bram Schweiger (Freeman) 4:49, eliminated.
160- Colton VanPelt def. Jack Moen (Cle Elum) 4-1; def. Dylan Oster (Sultan) 11-4.
WHITE SALMON
182- Paul Demchuk lost by pin to Markus Goldbach (Freeman) 0:18; lost by pin to Dakotah Petty (Kiona-Benton) 3:32, eliminated.
GIRLS
BATTLE GROUND
115- Sierra Joner pinned Katie Kortekaas (Lakewood) 2:26; lost to Anesia Ramirez (Lakes) 8-4; pinned Julia Negrete (Eastmont) 5:54.
SKYVIEW
115 – Foster Scott pinned Nyla Lee (Mount Vernon) 1:03; lost to Brooklyn Bartelson (Puyallup) 13-4; lost to Tania Dominguez (Warden) 14-4, eliminated.
120 – Caitlin Horrocks pinned Joessie Gonzales (Snohomish) 4:36; def. Zahlee Stephens (Quincy) 13-0.
130 – Natasha Williams lost by pin to Elizabeth Jimenez (Rogers-Puyallup) 4:44; pinned Delaney Cop (Nooksack Valley) 1:23; def. Regina Bell 16-3.
155 – Haley Horrocks def. Kendra Maxfield (Emerald Ridge) 10-3; lost to Leigh Lamay (Mount Vernon) 9-0; lost by pin to Aneicea Camacho (Mount Baker) 4:20, eliminated.
WASHOUGAL
100 – Yaneli Martinez pinned Sidney Suit (Kentwood) 1:25; def. Laura Maldanado (Pasco) 8-5.
105 – Jessica Eakins lost by pin to Jeniya Guillen (Sunnyside) 3:58; def. Sam Weeks (Mount Tahoma) 6-0; pinned Robin Hernandez (Arlington) 3:56.
120 – Baylee Wright lost by pin to Emma Bruntil (Nooksack Valley) 3:16; pinned Jillian Strickland (Federal Way) 4:05; lost by pin to Hailey Myers (Yelm) 0:35, eliminated.
125 – Mialisa Oster lost by pin to Nikki Velazquez (Othello) 3:02; def. Madeline Corn (Concrete) 18-1; lost to Erin Redford (White River) 5-1, eliminated.
135 – Morgan Ratcliff lost by pin to Alejandra Rodriguez (Granger) 1:27; lost to Makala Jackson (Lakewood) 6-4, eliminated.
155 – Abby Lees pinned Kathleen Flanagan (Wilson) 3:18; pinned Kendra Vanbeek (Burlington Edison) 3:25.
WHITE SALMON
110 – Alexis McCafferty lost by pin to Tommie Mosteller (Lakewood) 3:10; lost to Ana Sanchez (Federal Way) 1-0, eliminated.
130 – Regina Bell pinned Kaylin Wilson (Yelm) 3:26; lost by pin to Morgan Jones (Eastmont) 5:03; lost to Natasha Williams (Skyview) 16-3, eliminated.
