TACOMA — The first day of Mat Classic XXIII took its toll on the North Olympic Peninsula wrestling contingent Friday.
On the day when each state bracket is cut in half from 16 to eight, just three of 11 area wrestlers advanced to Saturday’s final matches at the Tacoma Dome.
Port Angeles 189-pounder Nathan Cristion was the lone area wrestler to come out of Friday unscathed, going 2-0 with a pin and points victory to stay in contention for a Class 2A state title.
“It feels good. I have one more step to the finals, and then one more after that to accomplish my goal,” the Roughrider senior said.
“It feels good now, but I’ve got a long way to go.”
Forks had two of its wrestlers advance to today’s medal rounds, with 119-pounder Cutter Grahn and 125-pounder Tyler Cortani both going 2-1 in 1A action. Neither can place higher than third.
That means the Peninsula will end up with three placers at this year’s tournament, the area’s lowest number in seven years.
Sequim, which qualified the most wrestlers of any school on the Peninsula, ended up getting shut out of state placers after all five were eliminated Friday.
The Wolves ended up going 3-10 combined in their Friday matches, while Port Angeles was 2-4 and Forks 4-4.
Look for more on the Mat Classic in Sunday’s edition of the PDN.
