MOSES LAKE – Maverick Junior Dayton Regan entered the 2022-23 boys wrestling season with a specific goal in mind – make it to the state finals. Now he’s one step closer after winning a Columbia Basin Big 9 championship in the 152-pound class at last weekend’s district meet.

“It was definitely exciting,” Regan said. “I always have confidence going into matches, but it boosted my confidence a lot more. It made me think that I really can do this.”

Regan started the Big 9 tournament with back-to-back pins in the first and second rounds against West Valley’s Hayden Bendall and Moses Lake’s Manuel Britt Rivera, respectively. In the semifinals against Sunnyside senior Samuel Gonzalez, Regan won by a 7-4 decision to advance to the 152-pound finals.

“He showed no mercy out there,” Moses Lake Head Coach Jose Tanguma said. “Guys that were ranked above him, he showed that ‘Nope, I’m the better guy than you guys.’”

Ahead of the district finals matchup, Regan said he used the time to prepare on his own.

“I stepped away from everybody else and was in my own zone, listening to music and doing my own thing,” Regan said. “Visualizing what I was going to do.”

Regan said he thinks this season has gone “pretty good” for him, which shows in his 34-8 record heading into regionals.

Competing in the postseason takes a “completely different mentality,’ according to Regan, which has shown its effects in the practice room.

“I definitely started trying a lot harder, pushing through a lot more stuff,” Regan said. “We do two-mile runs every day, so pushing through on those runs. Stuff like that.”

The title of district champion has only pushed Regan to want to compete even more, raising his effort during practices.

“It makes me want to try a lot harder too, seeing that I can do this,” Regan said. “I don’t want to regret later on (that I didn’t try hard enough). Working with my coaches and carrying that into regionals, and hopefully winning that as well.”

One of the things that stands out to Tanguma about Regan is his ability to put together move after move against a wrestler on the mat.

“It’s his type of style – he’s a tall kid,” Tanguma said. “Doesn’t look like he’s that strong, but he is. What I like about him is he’s a good chain wrestler.”

As the wins pile up, Regan’s confidence continues to grow according to Tanguma.

“His confidence level keeps growing, and every time his confidence level grows he’s getting sharper,” Tanguma said. “He’s starting to embrace the grind now. Now he actually believes in himself where he can compete with these top-ranked kids.”

Regan will open the WIAA Region 4 tournament with a first-round matchup against the winner of a wrestle-in match between Eastmont’s Nelson Nygard and Pasco’s Antonio Perez.

“He’s been pushing himself more, knowing that he has a chance to win a state title,” Tanguma said. “He knows that putting in the work is going to get him there.”

A potential 152-pound finals match would see Regan facing off against Hanford’s Jake Hubby, a 2022 Mat Classic champion in the 138-pound class.

“The way (Regan’s) been wrestling and working, he’s up there to win,” Tanguma said. “It’s going to be a great match, but like I told Dayton, you’ve got to focus on the first guy first. We’ll worry about Hubby when we get there.”

The 4A regional will be hosted at Hanford High School in Richland Saturday. Regan is one of 10 Maverick wrestlers traveling to Tri-Cities this weekend.

“I always get more excited when there’s something on the line,” Regan said.

Ian Bivona may be reached at ian.bivona@columbiabasinherald.com.