Grit, perseverance and tireless dedication led two local high school wrestlers to capture the state championship title at Mat Classic XXXVI on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at the Tacoma Dome. Both young champs, Elma High School Eagles junior Xavier Espinoza and Hoquiam High School Grizzly senior Oliver Bryson, faced opponents who pushed them to their limits. For each champion, the victory is a dream come true and the result of unwavering hard work.
Elma Eagles Junior Xavier Espinoza –1a Class 113-Pound State Championship Title
Pure happiness and adrenaline are how Xavier Espinoza describes his win. “In the moment all I wanted to do was get the match over with because I knew that I had won,” he shares. “My first thought was, I finally did it, after two years of coming so close, it was the happiest I’ve ever felt in my life.”
Always a competitor, Espinoza’s career record to date is 96-6 with only one more year to go. “Xavier was second place in state as a freshman, second place in state as a sophomore and now state champ as a junior,” says Elma head coach Jeff Catterlin (selected as 1A Wrestling Coach of the Year). “Being a finalist in his first two years and coming up short motivated him more than anything this season. He wrestled this entire season at 120 before we sat down and looked at his options. Then we decided that 113 was his absolute best shot at conquering his goal to be the champ. This involved a bit of a weight cut but ultimately proved to be the best move when the smoke cleared.”
With a new strategy in place, Espinoza took the skills he always had and sharpened them. “The biggest improvement in Xavier was that he grew tougher mentally and physically,” shares Catterlin. “And he and our coaching staff would all tell you that came from his practice partners with Aidyn Johnson, Luis Torres, Jordan Meadows, and Colin Chandler. These guys did everything they could do to help push Xavier on a daily basis and Xavier pushed them as well. Our whole room benefited immensely from the competition we have right in our own practice room.”
“In the back of my mind, I always knew I could do it, but I just had to believe in myself,” says Espinoza. “When I got the first takedown in the match, I noticed that he (opponent) just got a lot slower, and in my mind, I thought to myself, ‘He lost the will to fight.’ As most people know, wrestling is 50% mental, and I already knew that I could beat him in the physical part of it, but as soon as I mentally beat him, I knew it was over.”
“His style of wrestling is very hard to scout, and he relies heavily on his scrambling and flexibility,” says Catterlin. “Mentally, he is about as tough as it comes. He is very confident, and I feel like he has made up his mind that he has won every match before he even puts his foot on the line.”
Hoquiam Grizzly Senior Oliver Bryson – 1a Class 190-Pound State Championship Title
Hoquiam High School senior Oliver Bryson is another inspirational athlete who reminds all of us that hard work, determination, a growth mindset and boldly persevering your goals get results. And like Espinoza, he also overcame challenges to secure his state title.
“It felt surreal,” describes Bryson of the moment he knew he won. “I felt like I just accomplished my goal that took me three years to achieve so I felt really happy about myself.”
Bryson’s journey is a testament to personal growth. He used every moment possible within three years to reach a goal this big. “Oliver is always trying to learn and improve,” says Hoquiam head coach Terry Helland. “He is always searching for opportunity to become more than what he is in the moment. He is never unwilling to work and looks for critique as a way to grow rather than some negative statement on his skill set. He also does a great job with the mental aspect of the sport, and he doesn’t allow himself to get too high or low maintaining the same approach to each match and every opponent.”
This means Bryson will tackle objectives head on. “My most challenging moment was getting super sick a week and a half before state,” shares Bryson. “So, I just worked on getting better and getting my weight back to where I needed it to be and staying hydrated. I try to block out distractions and tell myself that every match is just as important and to wrestle the same as always.”
Both state champs are determined to continue a journey of personal growth and continued mastery of their sport. Their advice to young wrestlers? Surround yourself with like-minded people with similar goals and persevere! “Always work hard,” says Bryson. “Go to every practice opportunity you can get and always listen to your coaches.”
