Mat Classic XXXIV: University’s Q’veli Quintanilla soaking up final state tournament as his brother begins his quest to become a four-time champ
TACOMA – Q’veli Quintanilla has been in the spotlight enough times to know that winning a wrestling tournament is a marathon, not a sprint.
But that doesn’t mean he can’t speed through each victory on the way to a title.
The University senior and two-time state champion began his quest for a third crown by spending just over 4 minutes on the mat Friday en route to the State 3A semifinals at Mat Classic XXXIV in the Tacoma Dome.
Quintanilla began the day with a first-round bye in the 20-man, 145-pound bracket, followed by a 19-second pin on Peninsula’s Marcus Reum and a 15-0 technical fall over Ferndale’s Jacob Gandy in the quarterfinals.
With no Mat Classic taking place in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Quintanilla is unable to add his name alongside his oldest brother Clai’s as a four-time champion, but Quintanilla wants his legacy will extend far past the WIAA record books.
“Just knowing that I wanted to be a four-timer with my oldest brother and that was something we talked about and my brothers trained me for, and when it didn’t happen it was tough,” Quintanilla said. “But I have bigger goals now. I want to be a NCAA D1 All-American, I want to be at the NCAA Tournament.
“I want to go out knowing that I won it every time I came here.”
Although he never doubted that he would be in position for another title, an injury to his right knee suffered in the Tri-State championship match in December made his road to state a bit more bumpy than he wanted.
“There was definitely a lot of lows going into the postseason knowing that I was a little banged up,” Quintanilla said. “But what got me through it was just believing in myself and my coaches. Everyone keeps asking what the injury is and I just tell them they can find out after the state finals tomorrow, hopefully.”
Quintanilla is also taking time in his final Mat Classic showing to help guide another one of the Titans’ title contenders, his freshman brother Czar Quintanilla.
“I think the biggest takeaway being a senior now is that I have a little brother out here with me and this is something we’ve dreamed about and talked to each other since we were five years old,” Q’veli said. “For it to finally happen, it’s bigger than the Tacoma Dome, it’s bigger than wrestling itself. It’s a bond I’m going to share with my brother forever.”
Czar, like Q’veli earned a first-round bye before notching a 17-0 technical fall in the second round and a 26-second pin in the quarterfinals.
The Quintanilla brothers will be joined in the semifinals by U-Hi teammate Samuel Thomas, keeping the Titans within striking distance of the podium at fifth place and 86 points in a loaded 3A team championship race.
Mead, the defending 3A champion, will head into Saturday in first place thanks to a slew of consolation-round victories. The Panthers are sitting at 129 points but have just three semifinalists. In close pursuit is Hermiston, the only Oregon high school that competes in WIAA events, at 118.5 points and five semifinalists. Mead’s fellow Greater Spokane League power Mt. Spokane is fourth with 93 points and five semifinalists.
“This first day is just a grinder, especially when you have a few guys drop matches that you didn’t want to drop,” Mead coach Phil McLean said. “But our guys did a fantastic job on the back end to come and score us some good points in the consolation rounds.
“We can only control what’s in front of us tomorrow, but we have enough guys to score some points. It’s gonna be a big day and a close finish.”
Other 3A semifinalists include Cheney’s Joe Showalter and Trenton Moore; Ferris’ Jeison Ingram and Ridgeline’s Tyson Ramsey.
2A
Shadle Park’s Lucas Horner knows that his Highlanders didn’t bring the biggest contingent of wrestlers to Mat Classic, but that just makes advancing to the 106-pound semifinals that much more important to the sophomore.
Horner, who is making his first state appearance, advanced to the semis with a first-round pin followed by a 7-5 decision in the quarterfinals.
“Getting here just shows how hard I worked for it,” Horner said. “I do it for my school, but I also have to do it for myself. It really does mean a lot to represent Shadle at this level.”
In the team race, Pullman leads the GSL contingent in fifth place with 52 points. Brothers Israel and Ivan Acosta each reached the semifinals for the Greyhounds, alongside teammates Aydin Peltier and Cotton Sears.
Also earning a semifinal berth are Devin Pierce and Alonzo Vargas from East Valley, along with West Valley’s Logan Utecht.
4A
Central Valley’s Blaine Beard is the GSL’s lone semifinalist, advancing with a first-round pin followed by an overtime tiebreaker victory in the quarterfinals.
Beard’s run to the semis helped boost the Bears into 11th place in the team standings with 31 points.