Two Juanita Wrestlers and One From LW Undefeated After Mat Classic Quarterfinals

Lake Washington is 17th after the first day Friday of the Mat Classic state wrestling championships at the Tacoma Dome, following some productive performances from several wrestlers.

The Kangaroos brought just three wrestlers to the state tournament, but all three are still alive, one in the semifinals.

Jack Michels is in the semifinals of the 215-pound division after winning on points and a pin in his first two matches. He beat Cole MacKay of Kennedy Catholic 5-1, then pinned Jason Cline of Hudson’s Bay in the quarterfinals.

Joel Navas (125) and Yaroslav Petrechko (171) are both still alive, having lost one match, and have a chance to finish as high as third.

Juanita is 23rd in the team rankings after the first day. The Rebels are anchored by the only two wrestlers who qualified for state: Logan McCallum (171) and Jeremiah Laufasa (285). The two are both undefeated with a pair of points victories apiece and are both in the semifinals.

McCallum beat Hector Jimenez of Pasco 9-1, then Cody Geary of Prairie 6-2. Laufasa beat Albert Torres of Pasco 63 and then Eddie Releford of Lakes 11-6.

Enumclaw, on the other hand, took care of business on the first day of the Mat Classic and looks primed to make a run at its third state title in four years.

The hornets emerged as the big winners of the day, advancing seven wrestlers past the first round and three into the semifinals, to give Enumclaw a 66-57.5 lead in the team rankings over second-place University.

Enumclaw’s only real set-back came when defending state champion Hunter File was shocked in the 130-pound quarterfinals by Josh St. Marie of Glacier Peak, dropping File into the losers bracket and ensuring that he will finish no higher than third the year after winning it all.

Still, Enumclaw was confident of their chances to win the overall title.

“We almost feel like we got it in the sack,” Kario Wallin, who qualified for the semifinals at 160 pounds, said of the team title. “It’s meant to be, everything’s going together so well.”