Skyview won four individual state titles, Union won two, and Prairie one at Mat Classic; plus a roundup of swimming and basketball

Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com

Saturday night in the Tacoma Dome belonged to Skyview.

Union, as well.

And Prairie, too.

In all, seven wrestlers from Clark County high schools won state championships Saturday at Mat Classic, with the Storm going 4 for 4 in the finals.

Four Storm stepped into the ring for the final match in their classifications. And four had their arms raised.

It was an incredible night for Southwest Washington in wrestling, plus a couple big highlights from state swimming, and in hoops, the Camas Papermakers won their second consecutive Class 4A bi-district girls basketball tournament. And we also found out who is going to the state regionals in boys and girls basketball.

Mat Classic:

As noted, Skyview was undefeated in finals on Saturday. But for all but a few seconds, it looked like Skyview was going to lose its first battle of the finals.

Nope.

Jonus DesRochers got a takedown and a near-fall, scoring four points in the final 10 seconds of the match for a 6-5 victory to claim the Class 4A 113-pound championship.

The next match, Mason DesRochers got an escape for the only point of the match for a 1-0 victory to claim the 120-pound title.

At 126 pounds, it was Owen Pritchard’s time to shine. He got a takedown with just seconds left in the second period to take the lead for good in what became a 5-2 victory. Pritchard finished second at state last year. This year, he is a state champion.

And at 175 pounds, JJ Schoenlein picked up a major decision, winning 10-2 to claim his second consecutive state title for the Storm.

With four champions, the Skyview team finished third in points.

Union wrestlers earned two championships Saturday night.

Noah Koyama and Niah Cassidy each finished second last year at Mat Classic. This year, they both picked up one more victory.

Koyama won the 4A boys 138-pound title with a thrilling finish. His opponent tied the match with 10 seconds left, but Koyama got the immediate takedown for a 4-2 victory.

Cassidy won the 4A/3A girls 130-pound class with a major decision. This was all Cassidy, who only lost one match all season. She cruised to a 14-0 win in the finals.

Speaking of spectacular, dominating performances … Prairie’s Faith Tarrant did it again. And again.

Tarrant, a junior, won the 4A/3A girls 215-pound class, completing another undefeated season for her third consecutive state championship. She pinned her opponent in the second period. Tarrant pinned every opponent in the tournament. 

Five others from Clark County reached the finals and ended up in second place: Connor Crum of Seton Catholic (1A boys 120); Armando Nicacio of Union (4A boys 165); Mason Frei of Prairie (3A boys 175); Jackson Lougen of Camas (4A boys 190); and Ayden Denbo of Mountain View (3A boys, 215).

Clark County Today hopes to speak with all champions later in the week, to discuss what life has been like since winning Saturday night. Look for that story soon.

State swimming:

Tarik Kurta of Fort Vancouver finished second in the 50-yard freestyle at the Class 2A/1A state championship meet, and he finished third in the 100 freestyle.

Owen Robertson of Union took second in the 200 freestyle and fifth in the 500 freestyle of the 4A meet.

Ridgefield also placed in the 2A/1A meet. Lincoln Swift took fourth in the 500 freestyle. And the school’s 200 medley relay team took sixth place. 

Girls basketball:

The Camas Papermakers remain undefeated against Washington schools this season.

They claimed their second consecutive Class 4A bi-district tournament championship, cruising past Bellarmine 63-45. 

The Papermakers expect one of the top seeds for the upcoming state tournament. Seeds will be announced Sunday afternoon. State regionals for all classifications are Friday and Saturday.

The Skyview Storm, the third-place team from the 4A Greater St. Helens League, will be joining Camas at state regionals. The Storm won three consecutive road games in the consolation bracket at bi-district to claim a berth to state. 

And in a bit of a shocker, the Union Titans, the second-place team from the 4A GSHL, did not qualify. Kentwood outlasted the Titans in the game to determine the bi-district’s final berth to state.

Evergreen is the lone team from the 3A GSHL going to state regionals. The Plainsmen had already clinched a berth to state, then lost in the bi-district semifinals. The Plainsmen did not have to play another game in the tourney.

In 2A, Columbia River finished second in the District 4 tournament. The Rapids fell to W.F. West on Friday in the district title game. Ridgefield finished third. Both are going to state regionals.

In the 1A district championship game, Montesano topped Seton Catholic 41-36 on Saturday. Seton is still going to state, though.

Boys basketball:

The Seton Catholic Cougars cut down the nets Saturday night after claiming the Class 1A district championship. Seton beat Tenino 67-63.

In 4A basketball, Camas got it done when it truly mattered. The Papermakers had some tough moments in the bi-district tournament, but they held off a late rally Saturday in the game to determine the final berth to state, beating Curtis 63-60. 

The Papermakers will join Skyview in the state regionals. Skyview beat Camas on Friday night to clinch a trip to state.

No teams from Clark County made it to state in Class 3A. Kelso of the 3A GSHL is going to state.

In Class 2A, Columbia River is the lone Clark County team to be going to state. Mark Morris defeated River in the district championship game Friday night, but River had already clinched a trip to state by then.