By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Represent!
That's what any teams want to do at state. The Highline Pirates wrestling team did that, with boys getting there and mostly placing -- and a girl, too.

The Pirates sent five total to state, with junior Brian Womac making it along with seniors' Zach Edson, Jimmy Matta, Justin Herbruger and Sophia Munoz, with the latter four mentioned all with medal-worthy finishes of top eight after competing in action at the 2A Washington State Mat Classic Championships at the Tacoma Dome Friday and Saturday.

The Mat Classic culminated for four of those five getting medals after having did the "walk of fame" from placement chairs to the podium for hundreds of people to file into an area of the T-Dome floor to snap pictures, as the "Superman" theme music blasted over speakers.

"They did great," said Casey Rice, the Pirates' head coach.

Munoz, already featured in her own story, but she's one of the boys, too, wrestling right beside them/with them, in practices. She did great, at 235 weight class, took second, best on the team overall.

Munoz made a great run, beating a three-time defending champ, Centralia's Ryan Gibbons, in a semifinal, then losing to Enumclaw's KC Moulden in the state final. Munoz can be proud of fact she beat Moulden three weeks earlier in a tournament. And then last week, at regionals, Munoz, lost to Moulden. So this was 1-1, going into the final, the rubber match. Moulden just had the better day, won it by pin at 1:38 of the first round to claim the state title over Munoz.

So, what a way to go for Munoz, getting all the way to the championship, something no other wrestler from this area did, boys or girls, including Mount Rainier, Kennedy, Evergreen, Foster, West Seattle and Chief Sealth high schools.

Munoz's coach, mostly, is Tim Perales, who helps out Rice. But Rice spoke here of Munoz, putting things in perspective quite succinctly.

"She's a beast," said Rice.

Munoz's teammate, Mykayla Birdseye, a sophomore, commented on a nickname, too, as she was congratulating Munoz.

"The bull," said Birdseye.

Bull. Beast. Both work.

Munoz worked really hard and gained the respect of her coaches, fellow wrestlers, as Birdseye called Munoz a role model for her.

Besides Munoz's beastly great job, the next best great effort came from Herbruger at 160. He took fifth place.

"Only took me three years to do it," said Herbruger, a senior, remaining humble as could be, finding fourth time a charm to not only make state, but to be a state placer. "It's humbling to be among so many great wrestlers, who beat me with class and efficiency. They don't waste any time. If they are going to beat me, they are going to beat me."

Nice finish here for Herbruger, a twin with brother Kelvin, who didn't make it to state, but, had a good season, too, with both winning, at least one wrestling tournament, in their respective weight classes each this past season.

Justin Herbruger started off state, in his opening match, losing, 7-2, to Gator Newell from Selah in the Yakima area.

"Lost to Gator, he was good," said Herbruger.

Second match, getting pushed into the consolation, loser-out, bracket, Herbruger faced Blair Bennett from Bellingham and beat him, 8-5.

"I won, it almost went to OT (overtime)," said Herbruger. "I kind of felt bad, beating him. He was really good. But this is state, do or die."

Then, in his third match, Herbruger fought for many reasons. One, to win, so he could get at least eight place. He faced Hunter Ferguson of West Valley in Spokane. Herbruger won, 8-2.

"He was up by two points, and, I got a near fall and came back," said Herbruger. "All he had to have done was stay even at the end to get to OT, but he tried a move and I was able to win."

So Herbruger won and was then wrestling for seventh and eighth place, minimum. And, he won, over Abraham Gonzalez of Othello, 9-2. Then, with the right to wrestle for third or fourth place medals, Herbruger lost to Eric Braun of W.F. West in Chehalis by a 9-2 score. That put Herbruger back against Newell for the fifth-sixth place finish. Herbruger beat Newell this time, 7-3, redeeming himself from that opening round loss to Newell.

"That's the third time I've faced him in a match this season. He had beat me twice, once, in a Hanford tournament, and, yesterday," said Herbruger. "He was tired."

Yeah, but victory. No excuses.

"At state, fifth place," said Herbruger, smiling.

Herbruger was greeted by teammates afterward, getting hugs from fellow senior Zach Edson, who took sixth this year at state at 120 and eighth, last year, and also Jimmy Matta, who took seventh at 152.

Talking to Matta, who said, "Great job," Herbruger said, 'Thank you so much, you helped me learn so much."

Talking about his win that gave Herbruger fifth place, Matta said, "Attaway, boy, Justin, a leg cradle, too."
Matta was referring to the way Herbruger finished off the match against Newell, securing himself fifth place. It was a vicious clutching of Newell's body and head area by Herbruger. He rode Newell on top, and, simultaneously clamped his leg's, squeezing his foe.

"I had to do it. I didn't want to go to OT," said Herbruger, answering Matta. "It's a high risk, high reward, move."

It was a winner.

Herbruger, then, kept praising his teammate.

"You did so much for me, got me where I am," said Herbruger, hugging Matta, in a long hold.

And, Matta, then, gripping his teammate, Herbruger, listening, said back, "No, man, that's all you. You did it, not me. All you."

Herbruger had spoken, just earlier, seconds before those two guys, Edson and Matta, came over to hug him, about them.

"I had great teammates," said Herbruger. "And, Jimmy Matta and Zach Edson have always been there to whoop on me, make sure I stay humble, improve. Because of those two guys, I made it. Without them, not the skill, willpower, to be here."

Edson, Matta, taught what, specifically?

"Taught me what," said Herbruger, pausing, "They taught me, it's not just skills, it's mentality, not giving up. They want to be the best. I tried to work with them when I could. They had a lot to teach. I'm not their equal. I am almost there. They taught me everything."

A lot of improvement has transpired for Herbruger, who, as a junior last season, did not even make it to state.

"I was an alternate," said Herbruger, which means he would have participated at state if another wrestler who qualified couldn't compete for injury, health, or, another reason.

"It's not how you start, it's how your finish," said Herbruger, who being an alternate as a junior, and since top six at regionals go on to state, took seventh place. So, big improvement from seventh at regionals last season to fifth best in the state this time around.

And, of his coaches, like head coach, Rice, and assistant as well as girls coach Perales, and Vin Tranh and Luke Hagler, Herbruger said a lot,too.

"Coaches always there to answer my questions," said Herbruger. "I would ask a lot things, like, 'How do I not get pinned?' They would say things, like, 'Don't let them get a leg-ride,' and, 'Don't let them get a move in, got to fight it 100 percent of the way.'"

Coach Rice taught him a lot, in his own way.

"Casey is always quiet, he doesn't approach you," said Herbruger. "He is the kind of coach you have to approach. When that happens, a coach sees that you are a wrestler who wants to be successful."

Edson was sixth at 120 pounds, and, as aforementioned, compared to his junior season at state, he improved by two spots, from eighth, last year.

Edson won regionals the week before, at 120, so he started off, he said, with a higher seeding, so Edson got a first wrestle at state against a weaker seeded wrestler.

"I won," said Edson, who won, 5-2, against Riley Takemura of Bellingham. "I set myself up good for state by taking first at regionals."

The second match was tough on Edson, however, as he faced the eventual runner-up in opponent, Zach Oster from Washougal. Edson lost, 6-0.

"Tough guy," said Edson. "That's what I expected from him."

Anything to do different if he could do it all over again?

"Patience," said Edson. "That's one of the biggest things. Once in a frenzy, you're tactical plans go out the window."

So that pushed Edson down into the consolation bracket, and there he faced Gavin Crain, from Port Angeles. Edson handled him, 12-3.

"Pretty difficult," said Edson. "A lot closer than the final score. I realized I needed to focus, or I'd be done, out."

Next for Edson was Randy McDonald, from East Valley in Spokane.

"That was tough, I won, in OT," said Edson, who won, 6-4, in overtime that one.

Then, a 6-0 loss to Orion Yates of R.A. Long, that would have given Edson a right to the third-fourth medal, consequently, AND set up a match with Foster's Cale Woyvodich. Cale was someone Edson saw many times this season, leading into that match. Three times seen, to be exact.

"I have to give it up to Cale here," said Edson. "At regionals, he was second place to me. We went OT there. Back and forth."

Woyvodich beat Edson in the fifth-sixth place match, by a 2-0 score, getting a shoot for a takedown in the first round that held the rest of the way of the three rounds of two-minutes each competition.

"He's a good kid," said Edson. "He's stingy, and that's what a wrestler needs to be, careful what they give and take, points-wise."

Woyvodich won this won. that tied things up for the season, 2-2.

"Always tough versus Cale," said Edson. "I mean, it's interesting. We take what we learn from each other. All four matches were within two points."

Matta, as noted earlier, took seventh at state, at 152, having a nice ending to his senior season.

"Not as high as I wanted, but, I am proud of my teammates," he said. "All the hard work put in this season.

Great way to end it."

Womac, wrestled at state, too, doing a great job. he didn't win any of his matches, losing the first two, but he got there and he's a junior, so, unlike all the others, Womac has one year left still.

Womac just said the experience was too much, almost, explaining getting pinned in both his wrestles at state.

"I guess, I got stage fright," said Womac. "Surprised by the lights."

With 10, 000 people watching in the stands of the Tacoma Dome, another 200, or so on the floor, watching.

"Yeah, insane," said Womac, adding, "It's great I got this far. I have next year. I'm proud of my teammates for placing here."

And, coaches?

"Great coaches that helped me out," said Womac. "Next year, I need to come prepared, mentally."

Just wasn't ready?

"Lost first and second, wasn't wrestling like I should have," said Womac.

Felt ready before the matches?

"Didn't feel anything," said Womac. "My mind went blank. I went in prepared, but forgot everything."

Of Womac, coach Rice said, "Didn't bring his 'A' game. Luckily, for him, he knows what it's about now. He'll come back stronger next year."

Of Edson?

"Good wrestler, good year, got better as the year went along, finished strong, sixth," said Rice, adding, regarding Edson's loss to Oster in his state quarterfinal that took away his chance of winning a state championship, "Get behind on a good wrestler and its pretty tough to catch up."

Of Matta?

"Wrestled real tough," said Rice. "Yesterday, close losses. He came to get a medal, got a medal."

Of Herbruger, "Most surprising finish," said Rice. "After the first match, he turned it up, went lights out. Real proud of him."