Submitted by the Orcas Island Wrestling Club.

Feb. 23 was a big day for the youth wrestlers in Washington state. Seventeen-hundred wrestlers from all over the state registered to compete in the Washington State Wrestling Association Folkstyle State wrestling tournament held in the Tacoma Dome. Eight of the wrestlers that showed up to test their trained skills, as well as their mental and physical toughness that they have been developing and honing since practice started in October, are members of the Orcas Island Wrestling Club. The tournament was set up so that if an athlete lost two matches in their bracket, they were eliminated from the tournament, and medals were given to only the top three in the bracket.

Brooks Hawley competed in the 6U 41-45-pound class. He lost his first match to a 21-6 tech fall and lost his second match to a 24-15 major decision.

Elliot Wooding competed in the 8U 49-pound class. He won his first match with a pin, lost his second match to an 11-5 decision and lost his third match to an 11-7 decision.

Caden King competed in the 8U 62-pound class. He lost his first match to a 9-3 decision, won his second match with an 8-5 decision and lost his third match by getting pinned.

David Nunez placed third in the 8U 85-pound class. He won his first match with a pin, lost his second match to a 7-3 decision, won his third match with a 16-11 decision, won his fourth match with a 15-2 decision and lost his fifth match by getting pinned.

Cru Hawley competed in the 10U 67-pound class. He had a bye for his first round, won his second-round match with a pin but lost his next two matches by getting pinned.

Geo Averna competed in the 12U 74-pound class. He won his first match with a 16-0 tech fall, lost his second match by getting pinned and lost his third match by getting pinned.

Anston Fegans competed in the 12U 98-pound class. He lost his first match to a 15-0 tech fall, had a bye for his second-round match and lost his third-round match by getting pinned.

Aria Griffin competed in the third- to fifth-grade girls 70-pound bracket. She lost her first match by getting pinned and lost her second match to a 5-0 decision.

Competing in the WSWA State Tournament in the Tacoma Dome was an experience that none of these young wrestlers will likely forget – an experience that should justify all the hard work and training these athletes have been putting in for the past five months and one that will hopefully create a desire to come back next season with a purpose and a drive to become the best wrestler and, more importantly, the best person they can be. The sportsmanship and camaraderie these young athletes exhibited as they participated in this large tournament was something of which they, their coaches, parents and community can be proud.