A total of 30 Twin Harbors prep wrestlers are in the hunt for a state championship after the first day of the Mat Classic XXXVI on Friday at the Tacoma Dome.

Twenty boys and 10 local girls grapplers won their matches on Friday to advance to the state quarterfinals on Saturday and are three wins away from being crowned state champion.

Leading the way on the boys side are the district-champion Elma Eagles, which had six wrestlers advance are are currently sitting third in the 1A/2B/1B team standings with 63.5 points.

PHOTO BY SUE MICHALAK BUDSBERG Elma’s Xavier Espinoza (left) wrestles Montesano’s Cruz Vargas in a 113-pound match during the Mat Classic XXXVI on Friday at the Tacoma Dome.

Elma’s Jordan Meadow (106 pounds), Xavier Espinoza (113), Aidyn Johnson (126), Ben Totten (132), Troy Rupe (138) and Blaize Salazar (144) each advanced to the state-quarterfinal round.

Montesano also had six wrestlers advance to the state quarters and sit in seventh place in the team standings.

Bulldogs Finley Ekerson (106), Cole Kjesbu (144), Gage Stutesman (165), Gabe Pyhala (175), Felix Romero (215) and Logan Roberts (285) are all in the hunt for a state title.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano’s Felix Romero (right) takes down Wapato’s Francisco Hernandez during a 215-pound match at the Mat Classic XXXVI on Friday at the Tacoma Dome.

Aberdeen has two wrestlers still in state-title contention as Ryder Lessard (113) and Erick Silveira (175) advanced to the 2A state quarterfinals.

Three Hoquiam Grizzlies advanced to the 1A/2B/1B state quarterfinals as Junior Soto (120), Kingston Case (150) and Oliver Bryson – the No. 1 seed at 190 pounds – are still in contention for a state championship.

JIM THRALL | MATFOCUS.COM Hoquiam’s Oliver Bryson (top) earned a pinfall win over Cascade’s Daniel Guerrero during a 190-pound match during the Mat Classic XXXVI on Friday at the Tacoma Dome.

Also winning on Friday to advance was North Beach’s Obadiah Richards (144), Ocosta’s Ronin Rutzer (150) and Willapa Valley’s Lucas Swogger (157).

In the girls Mat Classic, Aberdeen led a strong contingent of local talent with four wrestlers advancing to the 2A state quarterfinals.

Bobcats all-time win leader Felicia Bell (125) was joined by teammates Asha Martin (155), Mycah Good (170) and Abby Warmoth (190) in their respective weight-class quarterfinal round.

Aberdeen currently sits third in the 2A team standings with 57 points.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Hoquiam’s Emily Brodhead (top) defeated Okanogan’s Miah McKeever via pinfall during a girls’ 1A/2B/1B 115-pound match at the Mat Classic XXXVI on Friday at the Tacoma Dome.

Hoquiam’s Emily Brodhead (115) and Meribel Mazariegos (145) won to advance to the state quarters as did Montesano’s Emma Peterson (155).

District champions in North Beach’s Mayra Strandberg (115) and Raymond-South Bend’s Nina Siribun also advanced to the quarterfinal round.

For more information on the Mat Classic XXXVI, visit trackwrestling.com.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano’s Kole Kjesbu (right) controls Kalama’s Brayden Storedahl during a 144-pound match at the Mat Classic XXXVI on Friday at the Tacoma Dome.