Mat Classic: Familiar feeling for repeat champs Craig, Snediker

TACOMA – Tanner Craig didn’t need to see it. As a previous state champion, he knew it was a winning move.

Danny Snediker had deja vu in the championship match. For a second straight year, he’ll leave with good memories.

Craig, a Camas senior, and Snediker, a Union senior, both ended their high school careers as two-time state wrestling champions Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.

They were among four Clark County boys to win state titles at Mat Classic XXXI. Gideon Malychewski added a second title for Camas shortly after Craig. CJ Hamblin became Seton Catholic’s first wrestling champion.

Of all the trails to the top of the podium, Craig’s was the toughest.

In a stacked 4A 138-pound division, Craig beat a returning state champion in the semifinals winning 5-3 in overtime over Tahoma’s Steele Starren.

In the final, Craig faced a two-time state runner-up in Chiawana’s Robby Vaughn. Trailing 5-3 in the third period, Craig scored four points in the final 15 seconds, combining a reversal and a near-fall.

It was a move Craig credits his coach, Cory Vom Baur, with teaching him.

“I hated that move when I first learned it,” Craig said. “But I got better at it and I saw it there. As soon as I felt it, I knew it was there.”

Without his glasses, Craig wasn’t sure how many points he had scored when an injury stoppage was called with four seconds left.

“I couldn’t see the score or time or anything,” he said. “I had to go ask my coaches what was happening.”

Snediker was in a familiar situation in the 160-pound final against Mead’s Cameron Crawford, the same wrestler he beat for the 152-pound title last year.

Snediker bloodied his opponent in a match stopped often to patch Crawford’s wounds. Snediker won 9-5, controlling the match late.

“I knew I could beat him, but I also knew he had that chip on his shoulder,” Snediker said. “I tried to wrestle my heart out like I do every time,”

Malychewski won with a pin shortly into the third period of the 170-pound title match. Leading 1-0, the junior closed the deal after his opponent, Devin Neal of Curtis, was hobbled with an aggravation of a knee injury.

Malychewski entered the tournament as the top-ranked wrestler at 170 pounds. But he didn’t let that soften his will, collecting two pins and three wins by eight points or more.”

“I wrestled like the underdog,” Malychewski said. “I didn’t let the rankings get to my head.”

Hamblin is only a freshman, but he wrestled like a veteran in a 2-1 win over Brent Hodgson of Deer Park in the 1A 145-pound final.

Hamblin credited his teammates and 12 years of wrestling experience for collecting Seton Catholic’s first wrestling title.

Clark County had five runner-up finishers – Andrew Fritz of Mountain View, Brayden Sofianos of Prairie, Scott Lees of Washougal, Colby Stoller of Camas and Dawson Lieurance of Columbia River.

Wrestling

Mat Classic State Championships

At Tacoma Dome

Local wrestlers

CLASS 4A

CAMAS

132 – Jack Latimer def. Kyle Vanderleest (Puyallup) 10-1; def. Jose Campos (Sunnyside) 5-2; lost to Chase Tebbets (Mead) 6-4, OT, SECOND PLACE.

138 – Tanner Craig def. Alex Lopez (Kentlake) 12-2; def. Steele Starren (Tahoma) 5-3, OT; def. Robby Vaughn (Chiawana) 7-5, CHAMPION.

145 – Isaac Duncan p. David Tobias (Pasco) 4:42; lost to Noah Talavera (Union) 10-8, eliminated.

170 – Gideon Malychewski def. Victor Silva (Chiawana) 13-1; def. Zack Stratton (Central Valley) 11-3; p. Devin Neal (Curtis) 4:37, CHAMPION.

182 – Dustin Hubbard lost by pin to Christian Balmer (Jackson) 5:27; p. Connor Plett (Kentwood)  3:47; lost to Kaden Martin (Emerald Ridge) 10-3; lost to Hayden Henry (Hanford) 6-5, EIGHTH PLACE.

195 – Colby Stoller def. Dominic Kremer (Kentwood) 3-1, OT; def. Carson Duncan (Lewis and Clark) 6-5, OT; lost by pin to Isaiah Anderson (Chiawana) 1:06, SECOND PLACE.

HERITAGE

106 – Sanry Nguyen lost by pin to Tyron Kaess (Mount Si) 3:18; lost to Jason Franklin (University) 8-4, eliminated.

106 – Israel Gonzalez lost to Jaden Sanchez (Davis) 4-0; def. Eli Barajas (Sunnyside) 8-4; def. Ryan Esperto (Union) 3-1; lost to Nathaniel Tovar (Pasco) 6-1; lost to Jonathan Tanguma (Moses Lake) 3-0, SIXTH PLACE.

152 – Alex Newberry lost to Connor Koch (West Valley-Yakima) 3-2, eliminated.

SKYVIEW

138 – Logan Smith def. Hunter Tretyak (North Creek) 6-3; lost to Charles Richmond (Sumner) 4-0, eliminated.

UNION

106 – Ryan Esperto lost to Jonathan Tanguma (Moses Lake) 6-0; p. Will Sirbu (Hazen) 4:22; lost to Israel Gonzalez (Heritage) 3-1; p. Jason Franklin (University) 2:59, SEVENTH PLACE.

113 – Brandon Esperto lost to Eric Correa (Pasco) 5-1, eliminated.

132 – Andres Nicacio lost to Parker Hardy (Glacier Peak) 7-0; lost by pin to Austin Villanueva (Sunnyside) 4:04, eliminated.

145 – Noah Talavera lost to Ryan Wheeler (Curtis) 8-2; def. Isaac Duncan (Camas) 10-8; def. Israel Romero (Chiawana) 12-4; lost by pin to Marcus Peterson (Sumner); def. Jeremy Hernandez (Redmond) 4-3, FIFTH PLACE.

152 – Six Buck lost to Riley Cissne (Chiawana) 8-3; lost by pin to Cruz Vasquez (Moses Lake) 3:59, eliminated.

160 – Danny Snediker def. Rodrigo Texeira (Kent Meridian) 19-6; def. Shaine Arzberger (Rogers-Puyallup) 14-9; def. Cameron Crawford (Mead) 9-5, CHAMPION.

182 – Kyle Brosius def. Christian Pedro (Auburn Riverside) 11-3; lost to Isaac Gust (Lake Stevens) 7-4, eliminated.

CLASS 3A

EVERGREEN

138 – Denny Roa p. Connor Richardson (Ingraham) 3:52; def. CJ Lefsky (Stanwood) 9-2; def. Trey Padgett (Marysville-Getchell) 6-3; lost to Zyle Blas (Bethel) 10-2; lost to Derick Soto (Kelso) 5-1, SIXTH PLACE.

FORT VANCOUVER

220 – Bryant Coronel p. Sam Smith (Everett) 3:35; lost by pin to George Kartono (Edmonds-Woodway) 0:59, eliminated.

HUDSON’S BAY

195 – Hayden DeGrandpre lost by pin to Jacob Olson (Kamiakin) 0:28; lost to Dejovnni Arns (Cleveland) 2-1, eliminated.

285 – Malek Mabrouk lost by pin to Wyatt Tayon (Stanwood) 1:45, eliminated.

MOUNTAIN VIEW

106 – Hunter Brown lost to Jonah Palabrica (Everett) 18-5; lost to Steven Zaragoza (North Central) 15-2, eliminated.

113 – Edward Jones def. Ethan Diego (Central Kitsap) 8-7; lost to Sam Maher (O’Dea) 2-1, OT, eliminated.

120 – Andrew Fritz def. Boira Mokmouen (Lincoln) 11-5; def. Ben Hunnicutt (Kelso) 2-0, lost by pin to Brendan Chaowanapibool (Bonney Lake) 0:25, SECOND PLACE.

120 – Noah Messman def. Cameron MacAlevy (Shelton) 11-5; lost to Brendan Chaowanapibool (Bonney Lake) 16-1; lost to Xavier Zavala (Kamiakin) 10-4; def. Ben Hunnicutt (Kelso) injury default, FIFTH PLACE.

126 – Kevin Chen def. Jakob Dailey (Oak Harbor) 9-6; lost to Brock Williamson (Wilson) 6-5, eliminated.

152 – Robert Shepard lost by pin to Cody Coffey (Bonney Lake) 0:40; lost to Jeremy Williams (Stanwood) 6-3, eliminated.

182 – Zach Curry def. David Barlow (Yelm) 5-1; p. Ayden Ganitano (Bethel) 4:59; lost by pin to Grayson Bowles (Mount Spokane) 3:57; lost to Blake Fowler (Kelso) 5-1, EIGHTH PLACE.

195 – Va Ili lost by pin to Derrick Platt (Yelm) 1:07; p. Tre Harstad (Ingraham) 2:36; lost to Jake Flynn (Gig Harbor) 5-2; p. Dejovnni Arns (Cleveland) 3:47, SEVENTH PLACE.

PRAIRIE

113 – Noah Larsen lost to Ty Whitney (Bethel) 8-7; lost to Jacob Carr (Mount Spokane) 3-0, eliminated.

132 – Jason Wilcox lost by pin to Austin Almaguer (Kamiakin) 1:35; p. Jordan Franklin (Hermiston) 1:43; def. Howard Hare (Edmonds-Woodway) 8-2; p. Diego Enriquez May (Ingraham) 4:45, FIFTH PLACE.

145 – Brayden Sofianos p. Izaiah Thomas (Spanaway Lake) 3:46; def. Isaiah Galindo (Marysville-Pilchuck) 3-1; lost to Dominic Damon (Nathan Hale) 12-3, SECOND PLACE.

160 – Benjamin Matson lost by pin to Riley Van Scoy (Stanwood) 2:40; lost by pin to David Shaulis (Bethel) 4:52, eliminated.

160 – Justace Walmer def. Adam Fox (Central Kitsap) 7-2; lost to Kristian Fairbanks (Arlington) 8-1, eliminated.

170 – Easton Lane lost to Jason Nelson (Yelm) 14-7; lost by pin to Issiah Burluti (Shadle Park) 4:47, eliminated.

182 – Nicholas Langer def. Ayden Ganitano (Bethel) 7-0; lost by pin to Mason Miethe (Mount Spokane) 5:04; p. Tyson Zeutschel (Bethel) 3:43; def. Grayson Bowles (Mount Spokane) 8-6, OT, THIRD PLACE.

CLASS 2A

COLUMBIA RIVER

138 – Miguel Fuentes lost to Thomas Francisco-Juan (North Mason) 6-2, eliminated.

152 – Attitus Kurtz p. Gus Shelley (Washougal) 2:41; def. Andrew Spooner (Orting) 5-3; lost to Alexander Brady (Steilacoom) 7-2; def. Jackson Schowalter (Cheney) 6-4, OT. SEVENTH PLACE.

182 – Rylee Sadler lost by pin to Gavyn Potteiger (Franklin Pierce) 2:56; lost to Dylan Lalone (Orting) 4-0, eliminated.

220 – Dawson Lieurance def. Devin Tsuffis (Burlington-Edison) 6-4; def. Caden Hicks (Tumwater) 6-2; lost to Amadeo Pimentel (Selah), 4-2, SECOND PLACE.

HOCKINSON

170 – Aiden Mallory lost by pin to Jack Ervien (White River) 0:56; p. Mitchael LaVielle 1:46; lost by pin to Logan Candanoza (Prosser) 1:41; def. Johnathan Wegleitner (Steilacoom) 5-4, SEVENTH PLACE.

195 – Cody Wheeler lost to Caleb Lay (Cedarcrest) 3-0, eliminated.

RIDGEFIELD

106 – Brancen Nash p. Diego Contreras (Prosser) 3:45; def. Gaige Pilot (Woodland) 10-0; p. Ben Milligan (White River) 4:57; p. Anjelo Pangelinan (Olympic) 4:21; def. Dean Thomas (Orting) 6-2, THIRD PLACE.

132 – Dylan Draper lost to Kyler Romero (Toppenish) 10-4; def. Riley Cohron (Rochester) 6-3; def. Elijah Marquez (Bellingham) 9-4; lost to Mason Marones (W.F. West) 3-2; lost to Robert Gomez (North Kitsap) 7-2, SIXTH PLACE.

160 – Bryce Lawrence lost by pin to Keyano Zamarripa (Toppenish) 5:47; lost by pin to Andy Waters (Sehome) 1:38, eliminated.

WASHOUGAL

138 – Scott Lees def. Arturo Solorio (Othello) 18-3; p. Dylan Straley (Cheney) 0:38; lost by pin to Gabe Hawthorne (White River) 0:53, SECOND PLACE.

152 – Gus Shelley lost by pin to Attitus Kurtz (Columbia River) 2:41, eliminated.

195 – Bryce Williams lost to Jordan Claridge (Black Hills) 10-3, eliminated.

220 – Andrew Darr lost to Cody Schutte (Burlington-Edison) 4-0, eliminated.

285 – Xander Romo lost by pin to Chase Conaway (W.F. West) 3:37, eliminated.

WOODLAND

106 – Gaige Pilot lost by pin to Demani Thomas (Orting) 3:33; lost to Bracen Nash (Ridgefield) 10-0, eliminated

113 – Judeah Sanders lost to Reyden Huizar (Prosser) 9-4; def. Juan Gaspar (Centralia) 3-1; lost by pin to Gabriel Smith (Pullman) 1:41; p. Evan Anderson (Selah) 2:38, SEVENTH PLACE.

126 – JJ Fuerst def. Zach Evans (WF West) 7-2; lost by pin to Adam Borde (Port Angeles) 4:58, eliminated.

145 – Anthony Clifford lost to Mason Burbidge (Tumwater) by forfeit, eliminated.

285 – Andrew Pottratz def. Curtis O’Neil (Washington) 6-3; p. Ethan Simpson (West Valley-Spokane) 1:24; p. Terrell Underwood (Toppenish) 0:53; lost by pin to Lupeti Sarte (Fife) 1:17; lost by pin to Apelu Sellem (Lindberg) 2:12, SIXTH PLACE.

CLASS 1A

LA CENTER

126 – Robel Grove lost by pin to Everett Pierce (Deer Park) 3:07; def. Ariel Morales (Forks) by injury default; def. Ramiro Jimenez (Granger) 10-8; p. Matthew Jorgensen (Deer Park) 1:55; lost to Luke Weaver (Sultan) 15-0, FOURTH PLACE.

132 – Hunter Mallicoat def. Rafael Gomez (Connell) 11-6; def. Keaton Covington (Kiona-Benton) 14-13; lost to Takota Morrison (Colville) 14-4; lost to Jace Seely (Cascade-Leavenworth) 8-3, EIGHTH PLACE.

182 – Clay Roberts lost to Angel Mendoza (Chelan) 3-2, eliminated.

220 – Max Muffett lost by pin to Hunter Tharaldson (Colville) 2:38; def. James Smith (Okanogan) 7-0; Lost to Eden Cisneros (Forks) 11-2; Lost by pin to Cody Saulsbury (Mount Baker) 1:00, EIGHTH PLACE.

SETON CATHOLIC

106 – Paulo Vidales lost by pin to Ty Friedman (Lakeside-Nine Mile Falls) 3:49, eliminated.

132 – Elijah Volk lost to Mark Martinez (Royal) 7-0, eliminated.

138 – Ian Campbell lost by pin to Joel Coronel (Zillah) 3:02; lost by pin to Joey Moen (Cle Elum) 0:55, eliminated.

145 – CJ Hamblin def. Nolan Deloughan (Freeman) 21-9; def. Keith Thompson (Forks) 22-9; def. Brent Hodgeson (Deer Park) 2-1, CHAMPION.

160 – Alex Macca lost by pin to Jacob Roibal (Freeman) 0:30, eliminated.

STEVENSON

106 – Brenden Dudley lost by pin to Nico Johnson (Mount Baker) 3:29, eliminated.

120 – Abiy LaCombe lost to Jake Anderson (Mount Baker) 22-4, eliminated.

132 – Andrew Garcia lost to Jace Seely (Cascade-Leavenworth) 8-6, eliminated.

145 – Isaac Ledesma def. Mason McBride (Granite Falls) by forfeit; lost by pin to Anton Garcia (Hoquiam) 1:32, eliminated.

195 – Brandon Connell def. Noel Perez (Castle Rock) 8-5; lost by pin to Kai Olsen (Montesano) 4:32, eliminated.