Out of the hundreds of 170-pound wrestlers who competed this year at the 2A/3A high school level only 16 qualified for the Mat Classic state wrestling tournament in the Tacoma Dome last weekend. Juanita junior Mason McDaniel finished second in state on Saturday.
McDaniel scored two victories on Friday to qualify for the state semifinal match, where he defeated Stephan Babcock of Shadle Park, 10-7, securing his place on the medal podium.
“Babcock is a solid wrestler with good lungs,” said Juanita High School wrestling coach Brent Christine. “He kept the match close and made Mason wrestle for six minutes.”
McDaniel faced Killian Page of Marysville-Pilchuck for the state title. During the final, neither wrestler was able to gain the upper hand but Page held out for a 7-4 victory. McDaniel said he had wrestled Page once before in ninth grade with the same result.
“I knew it would be a battle,” McDaniel said. “It’s not what I was hoping for, next year, next year.”
McDaniel began the tournament with a first-round pin of Noah Traynor of Bishop Blanchet with seven seconds remaining in the match. The Rebel then earned his second pin of the morning at the 1:20 mark of the third round of his next match against Griffin Thomas of Glacier Peak.
McDaniel’s second-place finish is one of the best in school history.
“I don’t think it has fully set in for Mason,” Christine said. “As his coach, we talk about success is knowing you did everything you could to be the best you can be. Mason had a fantastic year and developed both as an athlete and a man. You don’t tend to recognize those steps right away.”
McDaniel is no stranger to the floor of the Tacoma Dome, placing eighth in 2014 and 2013.
“He took a larger jump this year than previous years,” Christine said. “He focused more on developing confidence in his leg attacks and that gave him the ability to utilize those shots… Previous years his goal was not a state title. He said he wanted to win a greco national title and he spent most of his time working towards that goal.”
Christine said that McDaniel became a more complete wrestler during the past 365 days.
“As a freshman he was not allowed to wrestle in the semifinal round, defaulting to eighth place,” Christine said. “Last year he was sick during state and gave it his best.”
Next year McDaniel will be a senior and have a shot at winning it all.
“I think the biggest thing Mason learned this season was the intensity and focus it takes to catch your dream,” Christine said. “As hard as he worked this year, I think next year will be even better.”
