TACOMA — It was one of the first things heard over the intercom on Friday morning once Mat Classic XXXVI commenced.
Onalaska’s Benito Escalera was called over to his mat for the third and final time. Yet there was a little bit of confusion.
“It was only the first call, then they (announced) the third call, which was kind of confusing,” Escalera admitted. “At least I made it.”
It was the beginning of a wild rollercoaster ride for the Onalaska High School 120-pounder. It ended on a high note.
Escalera, as the four seed, was out-worked in a second round upset, but turned his entire tournament on Saturday with six consecutive victories to garner third place in the 1B/2B bracket inside the Tacoma Dome.
A year after being an alternate for state, Escalera recorded a 43-7 campaign and only once in a tournament did he place lower than third. The sophomore now sits at 62 career wins and may hit the century mark in late 2026.
“I got a little sick before state, but overall, still proud of it,” Escalera said. “At first, it was all on my mind. You have to have a short term memory.”
Bonus points have been the driving force in Escalera’s season and it was no different when his back was against the wall. He picked up two pins and two technical falls in order to guarantee himself at least top-six.
Against Lake Roosevelt’s Kaden Christman, he executed the match-sealing takedown with 47 seconds left in the third period and rode him out for a 6-3 triumph. In the third place bout, Escalera was up 10-3 before pinning White Swan’s Arturo Espindola.
“It was a fun match; he’s a tough opponent,” Escalera said of the match against Christman.
He wasn’t the only local wrestler that experienced hardship and wrestled back for third.
Napavine’s Peyton Hernandez and Rainier’s Zander Peck – two of the favorites to reach the state finals – both lost in the semifinals at 126 and 157-pounds, respectively. Hernandez dropped a 4-2 decision to Liberty Bell’s Ricardo Lara while Peck fell to Chewelah’s Dakota Katzer 5-4.
For Hernandez, it was a stunner after he had just lost once entering the semis.
“I could have done more in that match,” he said of the semis. “It just didn’t work out in my way.”
The junior took the anger and went out to his first match on the backside and recorded an 18-second pin. He beat Goldendale’s Rydell Myers 10-3 in the third place match behind three takedowns.
Hernandez will enter his senior year, once again, as a favorite at Mat Classic.
“There’s nothing I can do other than work to get better and take it next year,” he said.
Peck got to leave the mat for the final time while wrestling one of his oldest rivals and friends in Willapa Valley’s Spud Swogger. Peck won by 15-2 major decision in the third place match, but that wasn’t the memory he’ll leave with.
The two shared an embrace at the center of the mat and Peck raised Swogger’s arm as they walked off.
“I wouldn’t trade that moment for first or second,” Peck said. “Wanting to end things on that bitter note, it is just not the way to go. I ended it with a win. I don’t want to hold any resentment towards this sport.”
Wrestling won’t be in Peck’s future. A stout javelin thrower for the Mountaineers, he will be taking his talents to St. Martin’s University in Lacey on a track and field scholarship.
“Being 157 all the time when you weigh 190 all the time is not ideal,” Peck said. “Just don’t give up. We persevere through that struggle and always make it happen.”
Toledo’s Bomani Birdwell (190) also suffered a semifinal setback, but responded to finish in third. In the same weight class, Mossyrock’s Kyle Brockway placed eighth. The Riverhawks also saw Chris Eberle (215) garner a sixth place finish.
At 175-pounds, Rainier’s Dorien Cano got fourth and Pe Ell’s Ethen Noble recorded an eighth place performance. Napavine sophomore Tommy Deebach (165) secured an eighth place medal.
