In wrestling, women are queens of the mat.
That’s very true one weekend annually at Kelso Excessive College.
What began in 2007 with 90 athletes on three mats has grown into the most important women highschool wrestling match within the nation.
This 12 months’s Braided 64 noticed almost 900 women from 106 faculties compete on 16 mats within the Kelso fitness center and cafeteria.
After every weight class noticed its 64-girl bracket whiddled down to 2, Saturday’s finals had been stacked with Washington and Oregon state champions.
None had a report extra illustrious that Religion Tarrant. The Prairie senior, who’s chasing her fourth state title, is ranked No. 8 within the nation by USA Wrestling at 235-pounds.
Tarrant earned her third Braided 64 title with a third-period pin of Kennedy Catholic junior Kanora Diederichs.
Main 1-0, Tarrant took benefit of prime place within the third interval. Earlier than lengthy, the match resulted in the identical approach all of her highschool matches have up to now two seasons — with a pin.
As an alternative of a fast victory, as so lots of her wins are, Tarrant mentioned the expertise she faces in championship matches requires her to be extra cautious and affected person.
Two weeks in the past, she was additionally pushed into the third interval on the Pac Coast Championships by Skyview’s Madisyn Cardens, who positioned third on Saturday.
“I could go out there and be fast but be sloppy,” Tarrant mentioned. “These girls are amazing wrestlers. They’ve been growing the same amount as I have over the last three years. I can’t go out there and wrestle crazy. I have to be smart in what I’m doing.”
Kelso earned first place within the group competitors behind two particular person champions and one runner-up.
At 115 kilos, Kamiah Gaerlan pinned Sumner’s Bailee Wagner in a frantic trade that left the Kelso junior questioning if she had actually received.
“I thought I got pinned,” mentioned Gaerlan, who positioned third in final 12 months’s match. “I was a little confused and out of it. But once I realized I won, I was like woah I just won this tourament with all these people. I did that.”
Olivia Engel made it back-to-back Kelso titles within the 120-pound last, pinning Lexi Gideon of Southridge within the third interval.
“Once I got my hand raised, I didn’t believe it,” Engel mentioned. “I had to look back at the bracket and make sure it was real.”
Kelso’s Leah Wallway additionally reached the finals, shedding 1-0 within the 105-pound title match.
Contemporary off a Pac Coast title, Union’s Janessa O’Connell reached the 135-pound last. However the senior couldn’t overcome Walla Walla’s Kylie Whitaker, who earned a first-period pin.
Greater than highlighting its particular person winners, Braided 64 stands as extra of a celebration for all the sport of ladies wrestling.
“It’s awesome to watch the sport grow,” Tarrant mentioned. “Bringing more girls in and having them realize how amazing the women’s wrestling community is is awesome.”
Tarrant admitted to feeling considerably unhappy as her senior season enters its last six weeks. There’s simply a lot she enjoys in regards to the vibe and camaraderie among the many athletes at occasions like Braided 64.
“You go to a boys tournament and its just not the same,” Tarrant mentioned. “Girls are so fun. I really love that about this tournament. The energy is so positive.”
When requested about her faculty’s fitness center being the epicenter of ladies wrestling for a weekend, Gaerlan put it merely.
“Awesome sauce,” she mentioned.