Story and photo by Doug Petrowski

Mountlake Terrace wrestlers Marqueta Johnson and Kami Roberts prepared for this weekend’s Girls Sub-Regional Wrestling Tournament by competing at the Lady Wolfpack Invitational last Saturday at Henry M. Jackson High School in Mill Creek. Roberts found the going tough in the 155-lb. weight class, dropping two matches, while Johnson won three bouts in the 124-lb. weight class, all by pinfall, on her way to a fifth-place finish.

Girl wrestlers from 37 western Washington high schools met at the invitational, the last tune-up before qualifying for the state tournament begins on Friday. Mount Baker High School won the Lady Wolfpack Invitational team title with 204 points, easily outdistancing their closest competitors Sedro Woolley, with 121.5 points, and Federal Way, with 114 points.

This weekend’s Girls Region 1, Sub-Regional 2 Wrestling Tournament is the first step for Johnson, Roberts and other area 3A girl wrestlers hoping to qualify for the state tournament. The sub-regional is slated to begin Friday, 8:30 a.m., at Nathan Hale High School in Seattle. The two-day event continues Saturday starting at 8 a.m.

The MTHS boys also begin their quest for the state tournament this Friday with the 3A South District Tournament at Glacier Peak High School in Snohomish. Friday’s matches begin at 5 p.m., with action continuing on Saturday beginning at 9:30 a.m.
The state tournament, Mat Classic XXV, takes place Feb. 15-16 at the Tacoma Dome.