TACOMA – Faith Tarrant now stands alone.
But it’s not lonely at the top for the first wrestler, boy or girl, from Clark County to become a four-time state champion.
The Prairie senior accomplished that rarest of high school wrestling feats Friday at Mat Classic. She won the Class 3A 235-pound title match by pin, needing just 1 minute, 24 seconds to stick Oak Harbor’s Olivia Hudson.
Tarrant’s 114th career pin came in typical fast fashion. None of her four matches at Mat Classic lasted more than one period as she capped a third consecutive unbeaten season.
After becoming just the 24th wrestler in state history to win a fourth title, Tarrant looked around the Tacoma Dome.
But she didn’t see a horde of vanquished rivals. She saw an extended family.
By herself at the top, but not alone.
“The Tacoma Dome feels like home,” Tarrant said. “All the wrestlers, I turn and everywhere I have a friend and people that I call family, whether that’s people from Seattle or people who live 15 minutes from my house. Being a Washington wrestler, I have this small community we call family.”
Tarrant paused a post-victory interview to look across the arena, where Skyview’s Madisyn Cardens became the only other Clark County girl to win a state title Friday night.
Cardens’ victory in the Class 4A 235-pound title match gave Tarrant another reason to celebrate. Cardens is in rare company, not only now as a state champion but one of just two wrestlers to take Tarrant into the third period this season.
For Cardens, the admiration is mutual.
“I’m very proud of her,” she said. “A four-time state champ, that’s beautiful.”
Cardens won all four Mat Classic matches by pin. She needed 4:40 to eventually vanquish Kennedy Catholic’s Kanora Diederichs, who was the other wrestler to push Tarrant into the final period this season.
For Cardens, Friday’s win was also about family.
“I lost my grandparents at the beginning of the season,” she said, holding back tears. “They have really been my motivation to keep on going.”
That Tarrant and Cardens both won state titles at 235 pounds is a testament to the rapid growth of girls wrestling in Washington. This year marks the first time Mat Classic had separate tournaments for both 4A and 3A girls.
Just three years ago, girls from all classifications 1B to 4A wrestled in the same tournament.
That extended family Tarrant mentioned? It has grown bigger each year.
And though Tarrant ends her prep career as USA Wrestling’s No. 7-ranked wrestler in her weight class, she’ll take away just as much gratitude as pride.
“Hard work pays off,” Tarrant said. “I never thought I would be here. It’s unimaginable. I’ve never felt anything like this in my life. I’m just happy.”
