Facing the best competitors in Washington, Sequim’s wrestling team recorded 13 wins at the Mat Classic 2A state wrestling tournament over the weekend.

Before departing on Feb. 20, families and school staff and students cheered for and high-fived the wrestlers with Sequim Police Department and Clallam County Fire District 3 leading an escort through the city. Fire trucks lined up along the South Seventh Avenue bypass.

Full bracket details and full matches are available online at: wiaa.com/tournament-xwr.

With a contingency of 12 wrestlers and 10 competitors, Sequim senior Jayms Vilona finished with the most wins going 3-2 in the 144 pound bracket. He opened with a 20-4 technical fall win in 5:43 before losing 13-2 to fourth place finisher Porter Neklason. In the consolation he won two-in-a-row with a 18-3 technical fall win in 2:54 followed by a 20-7 major decision. He lost his fourth match 16-11 to eventual sixth place finisher Race Scalici of Centralia.

His brother Johnny Vilona, a junior at 132 pounds went 2-2 with a forfeit win and a pin in 4:55 in the consolation before losing in a 9-3 decision to third place finisher Mason Russell of Othello.

Sequim’s James Mason also picked up two wins in the 157 pound bracket winning his first match 17-1 and a major decision in the consolation bracket 14-5.

As Sequim’s lone girls’ bracket competitor, Bailey Stein (120 pounds) recorded two wins with a pin in 2:25 to open the tournament. She was pinned in the next round by second place finisher Lillian Hulegaard of Ridgefield, but picked up her second win 7-6 in the consolation over Anneliese Dale of Tumwater.

Four more Wolves picked up a win each at the tournament, including Brandon Bair (106 pounds), Ryan Spelker (126) Aiden Glenn (165), and Dylan Bowen (215).

Bair won a match in the consolation 12-9, while Spelker opened with a pin in 5:58. Glenn won his second match 11-10, and Bowen opened the tournament with a 7-6 win.

Finn Jones (120) and Max Sivilli (285) also competed and went 0-2, and Riley Downs (138) and Story Snow (115 girls) served as alternates.

The boys tied for 33rd at 27.5 points with Quincy, and the girls team was 52nd with five points.

Port Angeles’ boys were 53rd with eight points, and the girls were 42nd (13.5 points).

To earn berths to state, Sequim won five weight classes at the Olympic District 3 2A wrestling tournament, including Bair, Spelker, Jayms Vilona, and Mason. Johnny Vilona, Glenn, Bowen and Sivilli also earned a spot at state placing third, while Jones placed fifth.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Sequim’s state bound wrestlers walk with a banner and speaker on Feb. 20 before embarking to the 2A state tournament.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Sequim’s state bound wrestlers walk alongside supporters on Feb. 20 before embarking to the 2A state tournament.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Students, staff and families celebrate Sequim’s wrestlers on Feb. 20 going to the 2A state tournament in the Tacoma Dome.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Students, staff and families celebrate Sequim’s wrestlers on Feb. 20 going to the 2A state tournament in the Tacoma Dome.