HERMISTON, Ore.-The last week of January was a dominant one for the Hermiston Men’s Wrestling team.
The Bulldogs hosted Chiawana on Senior Night on January 29, before claiming the 3A Dual State Championship in Washington on January 31.
“It’s exciting to have 15 seniors participating this late in the season, that’s not typical,” said Hermiston Head Coach Kyle Larson. “They’ve put in the work, though, they’re in great shape and hopefully Hermiston wrestling has met our main goals of impacting our wrestlers’ lives, instilling a strong work ethic, and helping make them better people, with winning a close second.”
Hermiston, the 2026 MCC Conference Champions, capped an undefeated regular season with a 51-18 win against the Riverhawks in an emotional sendoff in front of the Hermiston wrestling community.
A meaningful final match
“For me, this final home match was an opportunity to prove how much we’ve grown as a team,” said Francisco Carrillo, who wrestles at 144 pounds. “We’ve been competing the last couple years, and winning shows how far we’ve come as a group.”
“Wrestling has been a long journey with lots of ups and downs,” said Jose Mendez, who has wrestled the past three seasons. “This last match means a lot because this team and the wrestling community have been there to support me physically and mentally.”
“This final home match means a lot,” said Hayden Larson, who wrestles at 175 pounds and plans to continue his education at Oregon State University next year. “I’ve been coming to duals here since I was a kid, it’s a great community to be a part of.”
Memorable moments
“My overtime win against Southridge is probably my most memorable moment,” said Aaron Cobarrubia, who wrestles at 138 pounds and plans to serve in the Oregon National Guard and work as an HVAC Technician after graduating. “That was fun and it was nice to win at home and see the crowd.”
“Making the Regional Tournament my freshman year is my best wrestling memory,” said Seth Reeve, who wrestles at 285 pounds and competed all four years. “It’s sad that we’re not going to be doing this anymore, but it will be fun to go out with a win and have a good time.”
“My last home match seems unreal,” said Esteban Mendoza, who wrestles at 157-165 pounds, competed all four years and remembers watching his brother’s last match and realizing that one day he’d be wrestling for the final time in Hermiston’s gym. “My best memory of wrestling is placing third at Rumble on the River at Riverside last year.”
For Leo Vetuli, who wrestles at 175 pounds in his first year on the team, his most memorable moment is relatively fresh.
“Last week against Richland I did a fireman carry and pinned the guy, I enjoyed that moment,” said Vetuli.
For Watsana Som, who has wrestled all four years of high school, his most memorable moment remains a match from early in his career.
“My most memorable wrestling moment was my first varsity match against Kamiakin my sophomore year, it was the first time I wrestled varsity and I won,” said Som, who plans to enlist in the Navy after graduation in the spring.
Lessons on and off the mat
For many Hermiston wrestlers, the dedication, discipline and commitment needed for success on the mat are applicable in other areas of their lives.
“This was my first year wrestling, and the experience gave me another sense of discipline,” said Yosef Cooley, who wrestles at 165 pounds and plans to attend college next year and eventually pursue a law degree. “Wrestling is hard, but it’s about being consistent and pushing yourself on the mat and in school.”
For Malaqie Covarrubias, who wrestled all four years, perseverance is the most valuable lesson he will take from wrestling at Hermiston.
“It’s hard now, but it will get easier,” said Covarrubias. “At some point, every high school wrestler had never wrestled, maybe they aren’t used to the conditioning and it hurts now, but keep going and after it hurts, it will feel great.”
“Just being on the team shaped me,” said Jedidiah Golightly, who wrestles at 150-157 and plans on going on a two-year mission with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints after graduating in the spring. “Wrestling is a structured part of life that feels good, something that I have to do and strive for.”
Luca Mazzoni, an exchange student from Brazil wrestling for the first time this season, will remember being embraced by the wrestling community in Hermiston.
“It’s so cool how serious they take wrestling, and I really like the discipline of it,” said Mazzoni. “I did jiu-jitsu in Brazil and wrestling will give me a base for going into mixed martial arts.”
Lifelong friends
“I will miss working hard, staying fit, and competing with my friends the most when wrestling’s over,” said Quincy Muniz, who wrestles at 132 pounds, has been on the team for three years and plans to attend a Trade School and pursue a career as an electrician next year.
“I’m going to miss the friends I’ve made the most, said Jacoby Rodriguez, who wrestles at 144 pounds. “I will carry on the importance of working hard and giving everything 100 percent, though.”
For first-year wrestler Mateo Hill, who competes at 157 pounds and plans to continue his education and possibly go into nursing, the camaraderie of wrestling will be missed.
“There’s a companionship with wrestlers,” said Hill. “It’s a hard sport and you become friends going through hellish conditions.”
Hermiston followed up its win on senior night by claiming the inaugural Washington 3A Boys Dual State Championship in Edmonds, Washington on January 31.
The Bulldogs now turn their attention to Mat Classic XXXVII, the WIAA State Tournament set for February 19-20, in the Tacoma Dome.
