The Auburn Trojan wrestling squad continued its dominance of the South Puget Sound League 3A with a first-place finish at the sub-regional tourney Feb. 7 at Auburn High School.
The Trojans captured the tourney title with 289 team points, outdistancing second-place Enumclaw’s 229.5, and moving on 10 wrestlers to this Saturday’s West Central District III SPSL 3A and Narrows 3A Regional tourney at Bonney Lake.
“These Auburn wrestlers continue to accumulate accolades utilizing their self-described Brojan philosophy,” Coach Dennis Herren said. “They put the greater team before individuals. They don’t rip each other down – they build one another up.”
Individually, the Trojans earned four first-place finishes, with seniors Mario Luevano and Jacob Apodaca, junior Drew Aplin and freshman Cole Washburn snagging titles.
Luevano, who missed out on state last year with an injury, beat Bonney Lake sophmore Caleb Davis 7-2 in the 220-pound title match.
Luevano faces Shelton sophomore Riley Lambert in the opening round of the regional tourney.
Apodaca, who finished fifth at 285 in the state tourney last season, earned a 5-2 decision against Bonney Lake senior David Smith in the 285-pound division.
Apodaca gets started at regionals with an opening match against Wilson freshman Josiah Vaiolo.
Aplin earned his win at 120 with a 6-4 decision over Enumclaw freshman Quinton Southcott, and will open at regionals against Central Kitsap freshman Zach Wheeler.
Washburn defeated district rival David Boone, an Auburn Mountainview senior, 13-6 in the 160-pound title match.
Washburn faces Wilson senior Dario Martinez in the first round at regionals.
The Trojans also move on: senior Balteer Rana, fourth at 126; junior Jamisin Glenn, fourth at 132; junior Jarett Bishop, third at 152; senior Bailey Minnar, third at 170; senior Sam Lindsey, third at 182; and junior Kyle Guthrie, second at 195.
“This league championship is in part a testament to our senior team captains (Sam, Bailey, Balteer, Jacob, and Mario), who made the effort to welcome and develop the wrestling underclassmen,” Herren said. “It’s these second-line wrestlers who locked in the title for Auburn by getting pins on the backside of the bracket.”
Enumclaw finished second in the team competition with 229.5 points, and Bonney Lake scored second with 221.
Auburn Mountainview was fourth in the team competition with 198 points and is moving on seven wrestlers: freshman Noah Koester, fourth at 113; sophomore Yayha Mirazai, fourth at 120; sophomore Braham Trujillo, second at 126; junior Dylan Foley, second at 132; junior Joey Santos, second at 138; senior Zach Jones, fourth at 170; and junior Anotonio Correa, third at 220.
For Auburn Riverside, which finished seventh with 126 team points, two wrestlers move on to the regional tourney, with junior Jose Juarez finishing fourth at 152 pounds and junior Diego Cabanas grabbing third at 195 pounds.
The regional meet gets underway at 10 a.m. Saturday at Bonney Lake High School.
The top four wrestlers in each weight class at regionals move on to Mat Classic XXVII, Feb. 20-21 at the Tacoma Dome.
ALSO: The Auburn Trojan girls wrestling squad earned a fifth-place team finish, including two titles, at the WCD III sub-regional tournament this past Saturday at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma.
Auburn finished with 80 team points, with Yelm coming out tops in the team competition with 269 points.
Auburn sophomore, 125-pounder Anevay Avila, was first in her weight class with a pin over Yelm junior Bailey Fullerton.
Trojan teammate Patricia DeLeon snagged first at 130 pounds with a 7-6 decision over Yelm junior Kaylin Wilson.
Both wrestlers move on to the regional tournament this Saturday at Kelso High School.
Also moving on to regionals are Auburn senior Jazmin Sanchezllanes, who was third at 135 pounds, and junior Mikayla Barnett who was fourth at 235.
Auburn Riverside finished 14th in the team competition with 24 points, moving on senior Jessica Parker, who snagged first at 145 pounds with a pin against Yelm sophomore Madison Holmes in the title match.
Auburn Mountainview finished 17th overall with 17 team points. Senior Jazmin Aguilar earning an alternative spot to regionals at 155 pounds.
The top-five placers at regional move on to Mat Classic XXVII Feb. 20-21 at the Tacoma Dome.
