Boys Prep Wrestling Roundup: Montesano’s Ekerson, Elma’s Espinoza win state titles at Mat Classic
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, February 24, 2026
TACOMA–Two local wrestlers cemented their legacies with state championships at the Mat Classic XXXVII boys state wrestling meet on Friday and Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.
Elma senior Xavier Espinoza and Montesano sophomore Finley Ekerson each went perfect at the state meet to secure a 1A state title in their respective weight class.
Elma phenom earns second state title
Eagles phenom Xavier Espinoza, the reigning state champion, repeated the feat by by dominating his first three matches of the tournament.
Leading 11-0 in the first round, Espinoza advanced in the 132-pound weight class by pinning Vashon Island’s Taevin Gilbert.
He then walloped Royal’s Thomas Antonio 14-0 followed by an 18-0 technical-fall victory in the semifinals over Aengus Gillikin of Cascade (Leavenworth).
In the final, Espinoza faced a familiar opponent in Cashmere’s Marshall Pell, whom he lost to at the state duals a few weeks ago while dealing with an injury.
In the final, Espinoza took a 2-0 lead with a reversal in the second period.
He then played a smart, tactical match the rest of the way, avoiding any danger and did not give up a single point for a 2-0 victory and his second straight state championship.
Espinoza, along with fellow Elma state-placers Aidyn Johnson (4th, 126 pounds) and Troy Rupe (4th, 144), led Elma to a fourth-place finish with 195 points and a team state trophy.
Ekerson exercises some family demons
Montesano sophomore Finley Ekerson was born into a wrestling family that knows all too well of how cruel the state tournament can be.
Ekerson, the fourth generation of his namesake to reach and place at the state tournament when he lost in the final a season ago, was one in a long line of Ekersons to stand on the podium of a state meet, but just never on the top stoop.
That changed on Saturday as Ekerson became the first in his family to win a state championship.
Ekerson won his first two matches via pinfall over Riverside’s Lane Black and La Center’s Brody Johnson to advance to the semifinals, where he faced Hoquiam senior Junior Balagot.
In what turned out to be a hotly-contested matchup, Ekerson took a 3-1 lead with a takedown in the second period a few moments before a Balagot reversal tied the match.
Ekerson regained the lead with a 2-point reversal just before the end of the period.
In the third period, Ekerson took a 6-3 lead with an escape at 1:20 and kept Balagot off the scoreboard the rest of the way to advance to his second-consecutive state-title match.
In the championship match, Ekerson took a 4-0 lead with an escape and 3-point takedown in the second period.
He would not surrender another point, winning his first state championship and the first in a family that had state-placers dating back to 1937.
Handful of Twin Harbors wrestlers reach state final
In addition to the state-titles won by Ekerson and Espinoza, a total of four Twin Harbors wrestlers reached their respective state final.
Aberdeen’s Ryder Lessard (113 pounds) and Landon Hamblin (285) reached their respective state-championship match in 2A-class competition.
Lessard lost to Orting’s Nery Rivas via 17-1 technical fall while Hamblin dropped his title match via pinfall to Anacortes’ Kade West at 1:19 of the third period to finish second in the state.
Aberdeen placed 12th out of 62 teams with 70.5 points.
In the 1A-class, Montesano’s Gage Stutesman advanced to the 165-pound final, where he lost to Cashmere’s Jance Novack via 20-2 technical fall.
Hoquiam senior Kingston Case reached the 157-pound championship match, where he lost to Life Christian Academy’s William Moran via fall at 3:39.
Monte placed 10th in the team standings with 97.5 points while Hoquiam placed 21st with 60.5 points.
Local placements and competitors are listed below.
Full results available at flowrestling.org.
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Local state placements
2A Boys: 2, Ryder Lessard, Aberdeen, 113 pounds. 2, Landon Hamblin, Aberdeen, 285. 8, Jimmie Gertson, Aberdeen, 215.
1A Boys: 1, Finley Ekerson, Montesano, 120. 1, Xavier Espinoza, Elma, 132. 2, Kingston Case, Hoquiam, 157. 2, Gage Stutesman, Montesano, 165. 4, Troy Rupe, Elma, 144. 4, Aidyn Johnson, Elma, 126. 4, Junior Balagot, Hoquiam, 120.
Boys 1B/2B: 6, Ronin Rutzer, Ocosta, 157; 8, Logan Rutzer, Ocosta, 144.
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Non-placements (state won-loss record, weight class)
Aberdeen: Adonis Hammonds (2-2, 144 pounds); Adrian Nunez (0-2, 106); Bryan Sanchez (1-2, 190); Glenny Black (3-2, 150); Jaidon Williams (1-2, 126).
Elma: Alex Dryden (2-2, 215); Ben Totten (3-2, 138); Brody Schlesser (3-2, 285); Bryston Crawford (1-2, 150); Caiden Rademacher (2-2, 150); Connor Olson (2-2, 106); Donavyn Kalakosky (4-2, 190); Jackson Bucy (0-2, 144); Levi Russell (2-2, 175); Liam Boling (1-2, 165); Liam McManus (3-2, 157); Lucky Douvier (2-2, 175); Luis Torres (2-2, 113); Mario Ramirez Diaz (3-2, 285); Trey Sample (4-2, 132).
Hoquiam: Bryce Curley (0-2, 113); Cody Sauer (0-2, 190); Justice Larsson (1-2, 132); Memphis Orama (1-2, 215); Zeke James (1-2, 126).
Montesano: Adam Schmitz (3-2, 120); Alex Salstrom (0-2, 138); Cole Tolbert (0-2, 150); Hank Erickson (3-2, 126); Hunter Schmitz (2-2, 106); Kole Kjesbu (1-2, 157); Lucas Delgado (1-2, 285); Titus Eaton (2-2, 113).
North Beach: Alex Orellana Morales (1-2, 113); Ayden Ramirez (1-2, 165); Brycen Parent (1-2, 126); Henry Van Wert (0-2, 132); Isaiah White-Frisbee (2-2, 285); Micaiah Richards (0-2, 144); Obadiah Richards (1-2, 150); Parker George Harmon (3-2, 215); Timothy Carr (1-2, 157).
Ocosta: Alexander Martinez (0-2, 165); Ben Tackett (3-2, 175); Kale Donovick (1-2, 165); Quinn Leonard (1-2, 150); Torence Bonina (0-2, 132).
Raymond-South Bend: Brody Young (1-2, 120); Enrique Holmes (0-2, 165); Jose Morales (0-2, 138); William Anderson (0-2, 150).
Taholah: Nyguel Pena (0-2, 215).
Willapa Valley: Isaiah Rogers (2-2, 285); Jake Barnum (1-2, 126); John Schultz (0-2, 144); Kasen Clements (2-2, 165); Kashton Ruddell (1-2, 106); Lucas Swogger (1-2, 157); Thomas Ritchey (2-2, 106).
