Mat Classic

After battling though an injury this season, Gerardo Suarez hopes to be back to top shape in time for the state wrestling championships this weekend.

The Kent-Meridian High School senior has his eye on the Class 4A state title in the 132-pound weight class. This is his third consecutive trip to the Mat Classic, which is Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17-18, at the Tacoma Dome.

Last season, Suarez took fifth place at 126. He did not place in his first state appearance as a sophomore.

Suarez hopes to finish his high school wrestling career with a state title.

“It would be a big achievement,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to be on top of that podium since my freshman year.”

It won’t be easy to get to the championship match.

“He has got to go through a couple of good kids to get there,” K-M coach Todd Owens said. “This isn’t a foregone conclusion. He has got to earn his way into the finals. … I still think he can do it, put together a good performance. It is going to have to be a high performance. If he is willing to go a full six minutes each time, I think he can do it.”

In his road to the title, Suarez may have to face Tahoma’s Nick Whitehead, who has handed Suarez his only two losses this season – in sub-regionals and regionals.

Those losses came after Suarez missed a couple of weeks of wrestling because of cauliflower ear (cartilage damage), which set him back physically.

“Right now I am just trying to get back into shape, trying to get into that form I was during the season,” Suarez said. “I feel like I’m not in the shape I was during the season.”

Suarez is working to overcome his challenges.

“The only thing that is stopping me is me,” he said. “Me being tired is what is stopping me. I can’t be tired. I have to push through everything like all these injuries.”

Suarez began wrestling in seventh grade, following the footsteps of his older brother Jose, who wrestled at Kent-Meridian in the mid-2000s, and sister Xochithl, who graduated last year.

Xochithl Suarez took third in state at 125 last year and sixth place as a junior.

“She pushed me a lot at practice, at home too,” Gerardo Suarez said. “She would be like ‘Stop eating that junk food. Stop eating that bad food,’ or ‘Go on a run because you’re not at weight.’ I’d be sleeping and she’d be like, ‘Wake up. You got to be on weight.’ She’d really motivate me, her and my bother. My whole family.”

With his sister at the University of Washington this year, Suarez has relied on his practice partner, sophomore Sokhan Son, for motivation. Son also qualified for the state tournament.

“He has been working out with me in the gym,” Suarez said. “We have been pushing each other. I think he is going to do good this year and next year as well. Hopefully, he places (at state).”

Senior Jaleen Roberts and junior Sophia Leer will join Suarez and Son at the Mat Classic to represent Kent-Meridian.

“Hopefully, they all put together a good weekend,” Owens said. “Hopefully, we come out with four placers.”

Regional results

The 4A Region II boys wrestling tournament last Saturday at Skyline High School in Sammamish featured eight teams from the KingCo league and the eight teams from the North Puget Sound League Cascade Division, which includes the four Kent high schools. Tahoma won the meet. Kentwood took second, Kentlake finished third, while Kent-Meridian took 12th and Kentridge finished 15th.

The Region II girls tournament was last Friday and Saturday at Decatur High School in Federal Way.

Placers from the four Kent schools included:

BOYS

106

• Jabril Muhammad, sophomore, Kentwood, second

• Roberto Alvarez, freshman, Kentlake, third

113

• Steven Bounyavong, senior, KW, third

• Robert Ashabraner, fresh., KL, fifth

120

• Andy Sandhu, sr., KW, first

• Sokhan Son, soph. Kent-Meridian, fourth

• Layton Smail, fresh., KW, fifth

132

• Gerardo Suarez, sr., K-M, second

138

• Alex Lopez, soph. KL, first

145

•John Shores, jr., Kentridge, fourth

152

• Zack Allen, jr., KW, second

• John Thompson, soph. KW, fifth

160

• Stephen Watson, jr., KW, first

• Jalen Ureta, sr., KW, third

170

• Blake Capperauld, sr., KW, first

• Jasmeet Khera, sr., KW, fourth

182

• Leo Tizoc, sr., KW, third

• 10-Cole Thompson, soph., K-M, sixth

195

• Michael Orozco, jr., KW, fifth

220

• Ilyas Anjaz, jr. KL, fifth

285

• Brandon Kelley, sr., KL, second

• Derek Kersey, KW, sixth

GIRLS

125

• Jaleen Roberts, sr., K-M, fifth

130

• Sophia Leer, jr., K-M, third

135

• Joella Vi, sr., KR, second