In wrestling, girls are queens of the mat.
That’s especially true one weekend each year at Kelso High School.
What started in 2007 with 90 athletes on three mats has grown into the largest girls high school wrestling tournament in the nation.
This year’s Braided 64 saw nearly 900 girls from 106 schools compete on 16 mats in the Kelso gym and cafeteria.
After each weight class saw its 64-girl bracket whiddled down to two, Saturday’s finals were stacked with Washington and Oregon state champions.
None had a record more illustrious that Faith Tarrant. The Prairie senior, who is chasing her fourth state title, is ranked No. 8 in the nation by USA Wrestling at 235-pounds.
Tarrant earned her third Braided 64 title with a third-period pin of Kennedy Catholic junior Kanora Diederichs.
Leading 1-0, Tarrant took advantage of top position in the third period. Before long, the match ended in the same way all of her high school matches have in the past two seasons — with a pin.
Instead of a quick victory, as so many of her wins are, Tarrant said the talent she faces in championship matches requires her to be more careful and patient.
Two weeks ago, she was also pushed into the third period at the Pac Coast Championships by Skyview’s Madisyn Cardens, who placed third on Saturday.
“I could go out there and be fast but be sloppy,” Tarrant said. “These girls are amazing wrestlers. They’ve been growing the same amount as I have over the last three years. I can’t go out there and wrestle crazy. I have to be smart in what I’m doing.”
Kelso earned first place in the team competition behind two individual champions and one runner-up.
At 115 pounds, Kamiah Gaerlan pinned Sumner’s Bailee Wagner in a frantic exchange that left the Kelso junior wondering if she had really won.
“I thought I got pinned,” said Gaerlan, who placed third in last year’s tournament. “I was a little confused and out of it. But once I realized I won, I was like woah I just won this tourament with all these people. I did that.”
Olivia Engel made it back-to-back Kelso titles in the 120-pound final, pinning Lexi Gideon of Southridge in the third period.
“Once I got my hand raised, I didn’t believe it,” Engel said. “I had to look back at the bracket and make sure it was real.”
Kelso’s Leah Wallway also reached the finals, losing 1-0 in the 105-pound title match.
Fresh off a Pac Coast title, Union’s Janessa O’Connell reached the 135-pound final. But the senior couldn’t overcome Walla Walla’s Kylie Whitaker, who earned a first-period pin.
More than highlighting its individual winners, Braided 64 stands as more of a celebration for the entire sport of girls wrestling.
“It’s awesome to watch the sport grow,” Tarrant said. “Bringing more girls in and having them realize how amazing the women’s wrestling community is is awesome.”
Tarrant admitted to feeling somewhat sad as her senior season enters its final six weeks. There’s just so much she enjoys about the vibe and camaraderie among the athletes at events like Braided 64.
“You go to a boys tournament and its just not the same,” Tarrant said. “Girls are so fun. I really love that about this tournament. The energy is so positive.”
When asked about her school’s gym being the epicenter of girls wrestling for a weekend, Gaerlan put it simply.
“Awesome sauce,” she said.