Rochester's Lucas Eastman celebrates with his father, Les, after winning the State 1A 152-pound title at Mat Classic XXVI on Saturday night at the Tacoma Dome.
Rochester's Lucas Eastman battles Omak's Alex Aguilar during their State 1A 152-pound title match at Mat Classic XXVI at the Tacoma Dome on Saturday.
Rochester's Lucas Eastman battles Omak's Alex Aguilar during their State 1A 152-pound title match at Mat Classic XXVI at the Tacoma Dome on Saturday.
Rochester's Lucas Eastman celebrates after beating Omak's Alex Aguilar in the State 1A 152-pound title match at Mat Classic XXVI on Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.
Rochester's Lucas Eastman celebrates after beating Omak's Alex Aguilar in the State 1A 152-pound title match at Mat Classic XXVI on Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.
For Rochester’s Lucas Eastman, this year’s 152-pound 1A state championship began with a defeat. Eastman took last season’s second-place finish at the Mat Classic and turned it into motivation for a triumphant 10-4 title bout victory over Omak’s Alex Aguilar on Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.
In last year’s Mat Classic, Eastman had gone into the 145-pound title bout with an undefeated record and looked, essentially, unstoppable. But a lanky Roberto Orozco from Connell kept Eastman off-balance enough for a 9-4 overtime victory.
“It felt like it wasn't supposed to be over,” the Rochester wrestler said of the match. “I didn’t wrestle as hard as I felt I could out there and it was the second round and I was like ‘Wow, I need to pick it up’.”
A second-place finish wasn’t good enough for the Warrior whose father and brother, Les and Justin, respectively, had coached wrestling for Rochester. The youngest Eastman refocused, regrouped and came out better than ever.
“I feel like a lot better wrestler,” Eastman said. “I am a lot smarter, stronger and quicker.”
The Warrior become the No. 1-ranked guy at 152-pounds in the 1A ranks, defeated the top-ranked 2A and 4A wrestlers during the regular season and sported yet another undefeated record. Eastman also set the school record for pins in a season with 28, the final three of those coming in the Tacoma Dome. The previous record-holder was none other than his coach and older brother, Justin.
“Ever since I was little I’d go into his room and he’d have all these wrestling trophies,” Eastman said. “Justin would then make up a bracket and I would act like I’m all these different wrestlers and we’d act it out. I’ve been wrestling since I was three years old. It’s my life. Words just can’t describe how much I love my brother.”
That bond showed when Eastman’s arm was lifted for the final time of the season, and the only thing glowing brighter than the Tacoma Dome lights was his brother Justin on the sidelines.
Eastman began the tournament on Friday with a pin of Highland’s Jesus Desantos in less than two minutes. He then pinned Freeman’s Konner Forshag in less than a minute in the quarterfinals. That fall set the school record for pins and he added another to his legacy with a semifinal pin of Zillah’s Devyn Daniels on Saturday morning.
Now, having followed in his brother’s footsteps as a state champion, Lucas has just one thing on his mind.
“Next year,” Eastman said. “Win that state title and hopefully be able to get a scholarship to wrestle in college. That’s what I’m working towards.”
