Deep Aberdeen team claims girls wrestling county championship

Also: Montesano places third in team’s first appearance at Grays Harbor Championships

The Aberdeen Bobcats had three wrestlers win their weight class en route to a team title at the Grays Harbor Championships on Saturday at Sam Benn Gymnasium in Aberdeen.

Fielding a large, deep team, the Bobcats were led by Felicia Bell (125 pounds), Peityn Munoz (140) and Asha Martin (155), each of whom earned pinfall wins in their title matches to win their respective weight class.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD 
Aberdeen’s Felicia Bell, top, is all smiles as she works for a pin against Napavine’s Anna Guenther during the 120-pound final of the Grays Harbor Championship meet on Saturday in Aberdeen.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen’s Felicia Bell, top, is all smiles as she works for a pin against Napavine’s Anna Guenther during the 120-pound final of the Grays Harbor Championship meet on Saturday in Aberdeen.

Aberdeen’s Alondra Santibanez (100), Claire Mottinger (120), Nataly Barragan-Salazar (130), Kadence Braaten (145), Selena Martinez (155) and Natalie Wharton (190) each placed second as the Bobcats girls team had nine competitors reach the title match, more than any other team – boys or girls – at the county-championship meet.

Another local team making a splash on Saturday was newly-formed Montesano, led by standout Kya Roundtree and freshman Julianna Smith.

Smith defeated Aberdeen’s Alondra Santibanez via pinfall to win the 100-pound weight class while Roundtree easily dispatched Napavine’s Maya Kunkel via pinfall to win the 170-pound final.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD 
Montesano’s Kay Roundtree, top, works for a pin against Napavine’s Maya Kunkel in the 170-pound final of the Grays Harbor Championship meet on Saturday at Aberdeen High School.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano’s Kay Roundtree, top, works for a pin against Napavine’s Maya Kunkel in the 170-pound final of the Grays Harbor Championship meet on Saturday at Aberdeen High School.

Making its first appearance at the county championships in its inaugural season, Montesano scored 99 points to finish third as a team behind Aberdeen and second-place Lincoln (134).

Roundtree, who wrestled for Aberdeen the past two seasons as Montesano did not field a girls wrestling team, said it was special wearing Bulldog maroon for her senior trip to the county-championship meet.

“It’s really cool because I’m able to lead a team and I’m able to lead them on how to win matches,” she said. “I show them how whether you win or lose, you are learning something. I love being a leader and helping out. I just love it all.”

Roundtree, who has future head coach written all over her, said winning the county title “truly means a lot” considering how the event has grown to include top-level competitors from a dozen schools that includes 3A-class competition.

“I had a really tough match with (Kunkel) last year during regionals. I really was in my head and it took me a second to get out of it,” she said. “I just had to be patient. … I saw her shooting and I sprawled. I saw her eyes looking at my legs the whole time, so I was just baiting her, waiting for her to (shoot). You just have to be patient and find the right moment to choose your move.”

In addition to her win in the title match, Roundtree was voted as the recipient of the meet’s Citlaly Chavarria Sportsmanship Award.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano’s Kya Roundtree, middle, is flanked by Aberdeen coaches Craig Yakovich, right, and Tamar Yakovich after being awarded with the Citlaly Chavarria Sportsmanship Award at the Grays Harbor Championships on Saturday in Aberdeen.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano’s Kya Roundtree, middle, is flanked by Aberdeen coaches Craig Yakovich, right, and Tamar Yakovich after being awarded with the Citlaly Chavarria Sportsmanship Award at the Grays Harbor Championships on Saturday in Aberdeen.

Other Twin Harbors wrestlers to stand atop the podium were North Beach standout Mayra Strandberg, who had a well-earned pinfall win over Mottinger late in the third round of the 120-pound final, and Hoquiam’s Meribel Mazariegos, who defeated Braaten via pinfall in just under a minute to win the 145-pound county title.

Full meet results are available at trackwrestling.com.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD 
North Beach’s Mayra Strandberg, background, grapples with Aberdeen’s Claire Mottinger during the 120-pound title match at the Grays Harbor Championships on Saturday in Aberdeen.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD North Beach’s Mayra Strandberg, background, grapples with Aberdeen’s Claire Mottinger during the 120-pound title match at the Grays Harbor Championships on Saturday in Aberdeen.

Results

Team standings

1, Aberdeen 178. 2, Lincoln (Tacoma) 134. 3, Montesano 99. 4, North Thurston 72. 5, Hoquiam 48. 6, Castle Rock 44. 7, Napavine 41. 8, Raymond 36. 9, Ilwaco 27. 10, North Beach 24. 11, Elma 21. 12, Friday Harbor 0.

Weight-class results (top three)

100 pounds: 1, Julianna Smith, Montesano. 2, Alondra Santibanez, Aberdeen. 3, Jenny Vu, Lincoln (Tacoma).

110: 1, Heather Johnson, Lincoln (Tacoma). 2, Mikayla Angelovich, Raymond. 3, Abigail Doan, Ilwaco.

115: 1, Zeta Lee, Lincoln (Tacoma). 2, Kadence Neumeyer, Castle Rock. 3, Christina Baltazar, Aberdeen.

120: 1, Mayra Strandberg, North Beach. 2, Claire Mottinger, Aberdeen. 3, Ailyn Haggard, Aberdeen.

125: 1, Felicia Bell, Aberdeen. 2, Anna Guenther, Napavine. 3, Lily Williams, Lincoln (Tacoma).

130: 1, Calin Bailey, North Thurston. 2, Nataly Barragan-Salazar, Aberdeen. 3, Maya Pyhala, Montesano.

135: 1, Phaedra Mathis, Castle Rock. 2, Dani-Lynn Ray, Lincoln (Tacoma). 3, Skylar Conway, Montesano.

140: 1, Peityn Munoz, Aberdeen. 2, Emma Peterson, Montesano. 3, Samantha Yeoman, Montesano.

145: 1, Meribel Mazariegos, Hoquiam. 2, Kadence Braaten, Aberdeen. 3, Taylor Nesmith, Elma.

155: 1, Asha Martin, Aberdeen. 2, Selena Martinez, Aberdeen. 3, Aiyanna MacLean, Elma.

170: 1, Kya Roundtree, Montesano. 2, Maya Kunkel, Napavine. 3, Emma Wall, North Thurston.

190: 1, Ariana Cavero-Santiago, North Thurston. 2, Natalie Wharton, Aberdeen. 3, Abigail Warmoth, Aberdeen.

235: 1, Tiare Black, Lincoln (Tacoma). 2, Nina Siribun, Raymond. 3, Jenisty Ongosia-Weggen, Lincoln (Tacoma).