Pateros wrestler, Julio Espino wins fourth at Mat Classic

By Mike Maltais

Staff writer

TACOMA -- Pateros High School senior, Julio Espino, rebounded from a second match defeat in the 126-pound division to bring home the fourth-place medal from the WIAA Mat Classic XXIX State Wrestling Championships in Tacoma last Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17-18.

Espino got off to a good start by defeating Darrington's Cameron Kinton, 6-2, in his first match but ran into a strong contender in his next one.

Randy Dixon of Mary Walker handed Espino his first defeat with a fall in five minutes, 20 seconds of the third round that dropped the Billygoat into the consolation bracket while Dixon went on to take second place.

Espino began going through rivals on his way to his own medal, beginning with Wyatt Zielinski of Almira-Coulee-Hartline. Espino defeated Zielinski 4-0, and next scored a narrow 7-6 decision over Raymond's Tristan Hamlin.

Espino, a state veteran, got by Lucas Ashley of Adna, 6-3, before encountering another state veteran, Duwayne Magruder of Kittitas. Magruder stopped Espino's run, 3-0, to leave the Billygoat in fourth place.

Freshman, Erick Espino, wrestling at 106 pounds finished in sixth place following two wins and two losses.

After a first-round bye, Espino lost an 8-4 decision to eventual fourth-place winner, Avery Kitt of Mary Walker. The loss sent Espino into the consolation bracket where he defeated Tonasket's Derek Hollister by a fall in less than a minute. Espino's next opponent, Nolan Burrill of Colfax, came out on the short end of a 7-4 decision.

Espino was one match away from a third or fourth place medal when he lost to Wilbur-Creston's Kaleb Dunlap, by a 10-0 decision. While Dunlap battled Kitt for third and fourth place, Espino met Rainier's Tyler Barlass for fifth and sixth. Barlass took the match by a 13-5 decision and Espino placed sixth.

Freshman Slade Ginter competed at 160 pounds and lost his first match to Joe Peasley of Wilbur-Creston by a fall in 1:04. In the consolation bracket Slade lost again to Ocosta senior, Kalvyn Scott by a fall in 1:50.