The 32nd iteration of the Mat Classic state championship meet kicked off on Friday with multiple Twin Harbors wrestlers finding success in the first day of competition.

PREP WRESTLING

Montesano in second place after Day 1

Four Montesano boys wrestlers advanced to the semifinal rounds of their respective weight classes as the Bulldogs sit in second place of the 1A class team standings after the first day of the Mat Classic XXXII state championship meet on Friday at the Tacoma Dome.

Jacob Salstrom (106 pounds), Cole Ekerson (120), Cooper Johansson (126), Ty Ekerson (145), Brent Hollatz (182) and Kenny Koonrad (285) each won their three matches on Friday to advance to Saturday’s semifinal rounds, leading Montesano to 55.5 points.

The Bulldogs also got three wins on the day from Konnor Odekirk (113), Isaac Pierce (152) and Mateo Sanchez (182), each of whom also suffered one loss on Friday.

Monte sits 17 points behind first-place Zillah (72.5) for the 1A state championship. Lakeside sits in third place with 46 points.

Day two of the Mat Classic is scheduled to begin at 9:45 a.m. today.

Aberdeen’s Heikkla advances to semis

Aberdeen sophomore Liam Heikkla won both his matches on Friday to advance to the semifinal round of the 2A 195-pound weight class.

Heikkla defensed Olympia’s Alva Fauna via pinfall in the opening round followed by a 3-2 win in the ultimate tie-breaker overtime period over Othello’s Josue Solorio.

Heikkla will face Ephrata’s Mac Laird, who pinned both his opponents on Friday, in the semifinals today.

Aberdeen’s Drew Lock (113 pounds) went 1-2 on Friday, losing to Toppenish Josiah Johnson 12-3 on points in the consolation bracket to end his tournament run.

The same pattern followed for Aberdeen heavyweight Eric Hayter, who lost his opening-round match, won his following consolation bracket match, but was then ousted in his second consolation match to end his tournament.

In other Aberdeen wrestling news at the state meet, the Bobcats girls team saw an early exit to the tournament as Lily Herr (130 pounds), Katie Gaskin (170) and Justice Valenzuela (235) were each bounced from the tournament after two straight losses on Friday.

South Bend’s Flynn advances to semis

South Bend’s Chase Flynn won two matches to advance to the semifinals of the 1B/2B 195-pound class at the Mat Classic XXXII on Friday.

Flynn, who entered the No. 2 ranked wrestler in the class, defeated Lind-Ritzville’s Douglas Morris by a 6-5 decision in the opening round followed by a pinfall win over Lake Roosevelt’s Myka Boyd in the quarterfinals.

Flynn faces Wilbur-Creston’s Jon Avery-Atkins in the semifinals on Saturday.

BOYS PREP SWIMMING

Aberdeen relay team advances to final day

FEDERAL WAY — Aberdeen’s 200-yard freestyle relay punched its ticket into the state 2A championship races after the first day of competition on Friday afternoon.

seeded 15th, the Bobcats dropped 2 1/2 seconds to finish at 1:38.13, a 12th place finish in the preliminaries to qualify for the finals at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.

“Our goal over the last two years with this group has been to qualify and swim on Saturday — they accomplished that,” Aberdeen head coach Rob Burns said. “After the dramatic district race, these guys were feeling confident and they performed at their best today. It is going to be a lot of fun to swim for a placing on Saturday.”

Sophomore Colton Burns led off the relay, followed by senior Brice Kola and freshman Isaac Brandt. Sophomore Russell Bates finished off the relay race with a fourth-place heat finish, which was more than enough to get into the top-16 placings.

Aberdeen will be joined by District IV competitors Mark Morris and Hockinson in the 200 freestyle relay consolation finals. Aberdeen took second in the district meet last weekend in Longview in comeback fashion.

The top-eight team will compete for the state title, while the ninth through 16th place teams will compete in the consolation finals.

The quartet started the meet on Friday in the 200 medley relay and took 18th overall, good for a second alternate team spot.

Bates was the lone individual qualifier, competing in the 50 freestyle. In a very fast event, Bates finished 21st.

The state 2A meet will start back up at 2:10 p.m. today at KCAC.

— For the Grays Harbor News Group

Other scores

Prep Basketball

Boys, Onalaska 69, Willapa Valley 54 (Willapa Valley plays in elimination game today)

Girls, Montesano 52, La Center 35 (Montesano advances to regionals)