Mat Classic XXXIV: University’s Libby Roberts dominates field for second win; Rogers pair claim titles

TACOMA – “Untouchable” might be the best word to describe what University standout Libby Roberts has been in her first two trips to Mat Classic.

So much so that as just a sophomore she was named an “Untouchable” by the Tacoma News Tribune ahead of Mat Classic XXXIV in the Tacoma Dome.

After Roberts added a second state title to her growing trophy collection on Saturday, it might be fair to also add “dominant” to the growing list of adjectives.

“Two under my belt already, and we are halfway to the ultimate goal,” Roberts said after pinning Pasco’s Elisa Sanchez in 59 seconds to win the 3A/4A girls title. “It’s nice to see the hard work I’ve put in show up in my matches, but I know I have to keep grinding every year.”

With the win, Roberts also gets to jump a spot in the family pecking order. Her father and U-Hi assistant coach Kevin Roberts won one title with the Titans in 1990. But she’ll need to add a third to catch her older brother Drew, who won his titles in Idaho and Oregon.

“I always just wanted my kids to find passion and something that they aspire to do and shoot for,” Kevin said. “I think it’s more special with her because I’ve had a front-row seat to the work since she started in third grade and I couldn’t be more proud.”

Even with two titles in her pocket and a near-flawless Mat Classic résumé, Libby believes she still has a much higher ceiling.

“Hard work pays off, you can see it on the bracket and in the results,” Libby said. “There’s always something I know I can do better.”

“I think she has more growth,” Kevin said. “I think she has a ceiling that’s higher and we’ll just have to see how high she makes it.”

Rogers’ Dovhoruka, Taylor make school history: In the short history of the Rogers wrestling program there have been regional champs and state placers, but the Pirates had never had a Mat Classic champion.

In the span of less than an hour Saturday, they added two.

Seniors Ellabelle Taylor and Viktoriya Dovhoruka each earned titles in the 115- and 170-pound brackets, respectively, in the newly formed 1B/2B/1A/2A girls tournament. As she was embracing Taylor, Dovhoruka told her teammate, “We worked so hard for this.”

“I worked so hard every day in the wrestling room, staying after when I could, and I just never gave up on this dream,” Dovhoruka said. “It would have been so easy to stop trying, but it was all about moving forward even when the odds seemed against us.”

Taylor claimed the Pirates’ first title with a 9-4 victory over Orting’s Brooklyn Jones. Dovhoruka’s win was more of a nail-biter as she clinched the title with a 2-0 win over Toppenish’s Jocelyn Velasco thanks to a late stalling penalty and an escape.

“Without them, we wouldn’t have the program that we do and I told the girls that before we came here,” Rogers coach Whitney Bowerman said. “Our freshman and sophomores look up to these girls for what they have done, because that gives them an opening to have future opportunities.”

Dovhoruka and Taylor’s names will now live on the walls of the Rogers wrestling room as the first champions, something Dovhoruka said she is thrilled to share with her friend and teammate.

“Rogers now has not one, but two state champions and watching each other win was so special,” Dovhoruka said. “Girls that are new to wrestling at Rogers can look up at that board in the room and say, ‘I can do that,’ which we haven’t had before.”

Newport’s Madisen Pillers also added a 1B/2B/1A/2A title at 235 pounds with a third-period pin of Omak’s Kiana Michel.

1B/2B boys

Reardan’s Preston Neufeld and Liberty’s Ashton Strobel earned their first state titles while five other area wrestlers took home second.

Neufeld pinned Kalama’s Harrison Suzara in the first period to avenge his second-place finish from last year. Strobel also won by fall with a second-round pin of Willapa Valley’s Tyson Portmann.

Chewelah was third with 123 points in the team race, followed by Davenport in sixth and Liberty in seventh.

1A boys

Deer Park senior Ivan Bogle fought hard against Toppenish’s Jermiah Zuniga but dropped a 14-7 decision to take home second place as one of two finalists from the Northeast 1A league.

At 113 pounds, Medical Lake’s Hudson Raulston was on the wrong end of a second-round pin by Toppenish’s Adan Estrada.

Lakeside finished with six medalists to earn a fifth-place finish in the team standings with 71 points, three points clear of sixth-place Deer Park, which finished with four medalists.