Warden's Martin Dominguez captures 220-pound championship
CONNOR VANDERWEYST | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 6 years, 8 months AGO
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin HeraldWarden's Martin Dominguez (right) wrestles Freeman's Garrett Trevino during the 220-pound semifinals at Mat Classic XXX.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin HeraldRoyal's Eduardo Rodriguez (black) is lifted into the air by Medical Lake's Ethan Davis during the 132-pound semifinals at Mat Classic XXX
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin HeraldQuincy's Victor Tafoya (green) tries to free himself from the grasp of Toppenish's Carson Northwind during the 170-pound semifinals at Mat Classic XXX.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin HeraldWarden's Aaliyah Escamilla wrestles Moses Lake's Melanie Flores in a consolation match at Matt Classic XXX.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin HeraldOthello's Chris Melo (white) tries to keep Wapato's Uriel Garcia down during the 106-pound championship.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin HeraldDavis' Cameron Guerin (center) defeated Ephrata's Mya Spencer 14-0 for the 125-pound state championship, her fourth. Guerin finished her high school career undefeated.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin HeraldWarden's Martin Dominguez (right) grapples Deer Park's Amir Nuriddeen during the 220-pound championship at Mat Classic XXX.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin HeraldWarden's Martin Dominguez celebrates winning the 220-pound championship at Mat Classic XXX.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin HeraldOthello's Isaiah Perez (right) gets tied up with Tumwater's Cy Hicks during the 285-pound championship at Mat Classic XXX.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin HeraldWarden's Aaliyah Escamilla (blue) wrestles Hanford's Taylor Wilson during the 100-pound semifinals at Mat Classic XXX.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin HeraldRoyal's Dominic Martinez exults after beating Jon Figueredo in the 113-pound semifinals at Mat Classic XXX.
TACOMA — Warden’s Martin Dominguez was eliminated early in last year’s state tournament.
This year, he made it all the way to the end of Saturday night.
Dominguez dominated Amir Nuriddeen of Deer Park 10-1 in the 220-pound finals and captured something he had been working toward since days after his tournament run ended in 2017 — a state championship.
“It’s the hard work I’ve been putting in ever since last year,” Dominguez said. “I lost, went home, cried about it... Monday I was up there hitting up the weight room. I was lifting. I was getting really prepared for this season... All the hard work that I put in it all paid off.
“I was already here once. I got to go take what was mine that they took away from me last year.”
Dominguez took it indeed.
As much as he tried, Nuriddeen could not get Dominguez into a headlock for a toss. Dominguez was content to avoid the initial shot, circle around and rack up points.
Dominguez was one of four Columbia Basin wrestlers to win championships. Dominguez was joined by Hunter Cruz of Moses Lake, Chris Melo of Othello and Isaiah Perez of Othello on top of the podium.
The Basin also had three state runners-up.
Royal’s Dominic Martinez was edged by Jeff Friedman of Lakeside in the 113-pound finals 3-2. Tied 1-1 in the third round, Friedman scored a go-ahead take-down with 22 seconds left.
Ephrata’s Mya Spencer reached the 125-pound finals after placing third a year ago. Unfortunately, Spencer ran into undefeated three-time state champion Cameron Guerin of Davis in the finals. Guerin made it four state championships and polished off an undefeated prep career with a 14-0 victory.
Wahluke freshman Laly Gonzalez-Nunez’s unprecedented run to the 145-pound championship ended in the first round as she was pinned by Glacier Peak’s Kiley Hubby. Gonzalez-Nunez was matched up with three-time state champion Flor Parker-Borrero of Lakes in the first round. However, Parker-Borrero injury defaulted that match and Gonzalez-Nunez reached the championship round with two pins.
Cruz made it consecutive state championships with a win 1-0 over South Kitsap’s Nathan Marin in the 160-pound finals.
Othello’s champions bookended the evening.
Melo defeated Wapato’s Uriel Garcia for the third time in three weeks 6-3 for the 106-pound championship.
“I knew when he was going to shoot,” Melo said. “I just knew what he was going to do and that helped a lot.”
In the final match of the night, heavyweight Perez upset undefeated defending state champion Cy Hicks of Tumwater 1-0. Hicks was not only ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, but he was viewed as the top heavyweight in all classes.
No matter.
Perez scored the match’s lone point with an escape in the second round and rode Hicks out the entirety of the third.
“I put in a lot more work than I did last year and it pays off,” he said.
Class 4A team scores
1. South Kitsap 160
2. Mead 106.5
7. Moses Lake 74
Moses Lake placers
106: Jonathan Tanguma, seventh; 160: Hunter Cruz, first; 182: Beau Mauseth, sixth; 195: Payton Castro, fifth; Bailey Sanchez, fourth
Class 3A team scores
1. Mt. Spokane 179
2. Bonney Lake 165.5
Class 2A team scores
1. White River 221
2. Orting 160
5. Othello 67
12. Ephrata 39
42. Quincy 9
Othello placers
106: Chris Melo, first; 195: DJ Guzman, fifth; 285: Isaiah Perez, first
Ephrata placers
106: Sammy Flores, fifth; 113: Clay Johns, third; 195: Mac Laird, sixth
Quincy placers
170: Victor Tafoya, fifth
Class 1A team scores
1. Deer Park 159
2. Colville 136
9. Warden 76
12. Royal 63.5
Warden placers
132: Anthony Martinez, third; 138: Rodrigo Ozuna, third; 182: Tyrone Mendez, seventh; 220: Martin Dominguez, first
Royal placers
113: Dominic Martinez, second; 132: Eduardo Rodriguez, sixth; 138: Kevin Pastor, sixth; 145: Daniel Bonilla, seventh; 152: Lorenzo Myrick, seventh; 285: Ryder Eilers, eighth
Class 1B/2B team scores
1. Tonasket 286.5
2. Reardan 167.5
Girls team scores
1. Yelm 108
2. Union 77
6. Warden 47
34. Ephrata 24
35. Othello 24
37. Wahluke 24
57. Moses Lake 13
65. Quincy 9
Ephrata placers
125: Mya Spencer, second
Moses Lake placers
100: Melanie Flores, fifth
Othello placers
105: Emily Mendez, fourth; 190: Victoria Mendoza, eighth
Quincy placers
135: Jaselyn Jones, sixth
Wahluke placers
145: Laly Gonzalez-Nunez, second
Warden placers
100: Aaliyah Escamilla, fourth; 190: DaNeil Jolley, fifth; 235: Karely Garcia, eighth