Yelm’s Logan Platt wins state title at Mat Classic XXXIII

Logan Platt continued a family tradition and both his Yelm High School boys wrestling teammates and the Tornado girls finished in the top five at Mat Classic XXXIII on Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.

The boys finished fifth behind champion Mead, two other Spokane schools, University and Mt. Spokane as well as the WIAA’s one Oregon-based school, Hermiston. The girls, led by sisters Madisyn and Camryn Erickson, finished fourth, behind a dominant Toppenish team, White River and Curtis.

Yelm boys coach Gaylord Strand had no complaints about his team’s finish.

“I’m very proud of them,” he said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get to bring home a trophy but hanging in and getting fifth place in this tournament this year with all those 4A schools dropping down was an accomplishment.”

Platt was one of three Tornados to make the boys 3A semifinals but the other two, his sophomore brother Brayden at 285 and Jefferey Myers at 120, were stopped a step short of the championship round.

Brayden Platt, who finished third, has two more tries at equaling Derrick and Logan’s state titles.

Logan Platt clashed with Hunter Thibodeau of Stanwood for the title and when both began the match on their feet, they appeared to be equals in strength. At the end of one round, Platt led just 2-0, but as the match went on, his better technique wore Thibodeau down for a 14-4 final score.

“Words can’t explain how good I feel” the soft-spoken Platt said.

Platt’s older brother Derrick, now a football player at Whitworth University, won two state wrestling championships for Yelm. Though he couldn’t get away from school to attend his brothers’ tries to equal his accomplishments, Logan still cited his contributions.

“It makes me feel great to do what he did. He pushed me in the gym all the time.”

Strand saw Platt’s desire to excel this season building from the first days of practice after he skipped the abbreviated spring 2021 wrestling season.

“He’s been on a mission,” Strand said. “He really wanted it. This just doesn’t happen in the last week or two. It took the whole year.”

Two other Olympia-area wrestlers reached finals but had to settle for the second highest step on the awards podium.

Black Hills’ 113-pounder Mikey Johnston lost to freshman Quentin Harding of 2A team champion Orting. Elma 285-pounder Donovan Bishop was pinned by Toppenish senior heavyweight Rocco Clark III a minute and a half into the third round.