Moses Lake and Puyallup Battle for Hardware at 2026 WIAA State Wrestling Mat Classic

Elite Heavyweights Clash in 4A Division

The 2026 WIAA State Wrestling Mat Classic delivered three days of intense competition February 19-21, showcasing Washington's best prep wrestlers across all classifications. Moses Lake's Ryder Janke found himself in a critical consolation round matchup against Puyallup's Cooper Austin in the 4A heavyweight (285 lbs) division, a bout that exemplified the fierce wrestling culture flourishing across Washington high schools.

The Mat Classic serves as one of the most prestigious regular-season tournaments in the WIAA wrestling calendar, drawing elite programs from 1A through 4A competition. This year's event featured some of the state's most dominant wrestlers and programs, with Moses Lake and Puyallup both bringing fully loaded squads to compete for individual and program accolades.

Standout Champions Crown the Mat Classic

The championship rounds produced memorable performances across weight classes. In the boys 2A heavyweight final, Kade West of Anacortes claimed the title against Landon Hamblin of Aberdeen, cementing the Seahawks' position among the state's elite 2A programs. The girls 2A 235 lbs championship saw Hailey Rains from Anacortes defeat Charlene Underwood of Toppenish in a hard-fought battle that showcased the growing strength of girls wrestling in Washington.

Boys 1A heavyweight honors went to Jake Turner of Zillah, who topped Ulysses Betancourt of Cashmere in an impressive display of technical wrestling. Meanwhile, Eli Policarpio of Chief Sealth secured the boys 2A 215 lbs title against Theo Stearns of North Kitsap, extending Chief Sealth's reputation as one of Seattle's most competitive wrestling programs.

In the girls 1B/2B/1A heavyweight final, Aubrey Newberry of Kiona Benton battled Nina Siribun of Raymond/South Bend for the title, representing the expanding opportunities for female wrestlers throughout Washington's smaller classifications. The boys 1B/2B heavyweight crown went to Kenneth Daman of Forks, who defeated Carter Pease of River View in a clash between two traditional wrestling powerhouses.

Looking Ahead to Regional and State Tournaments

The Mat Classic served as a crucial measuring stick for teams heading into the final stretch of the regular season. With regional tournaments looming and the state championships on the horizon, programs like Anacortes, Chief Sealth, and Moses Lake demonstrated they have the depth and talent to make deep postseason runs. The tournament's comprehensive coverage on FloWrestling provided fans across the state the opportunity to watch their favorite wrestlers and programs compete at the highest level, further elevating the profile of Washington prep wrestling as teams continue their push toward March championships.

This article was created with AI assistance. Stats and results sourced from public records.