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Edmonds-Woodway senior Carmelo LaRocca won the 3A 190 lbs. boys state championship during Friday competition at the Mat Classic XXIV in the Tacoma Dome. Nine other Edmonds School District wrestlers also had podium finishes by placing in the top eight in their weight classifications.
LaRocca defeated Lukas Probizanski of Shorewood in a 10-6 decision to win the championship match. LaRocca was down 0-5 in the second round but battled back taking a 6-5 lead in the third period.
The championship match between LaRocca and Probizanski was a rematch of the District 1 Championship final, which LaRocca won.
“We’re so thrilled for Melo,” said Warrior head coach Brian Alfi. “He’s such an incredible worker in practice every day. He’s not the vocal leader, but he’s the guy who sets the pace for everyone else by his work ethic and it impacts everyone around him.
“We liked the way he was wrestling going into the finals and thought he had a great chance to win,” Alfi added. “He really wrestled free and lose and didn’t get overwhelmed in the moment.”
The championship match between LaRocca and Probizanski was a rematch of the District 1 Championship final, which LaRocca won.
It was LaRocca’s second appearance at Mat Classic. Last year, as a junior, he finished in seventh place. He becomes the first Edmonds-Woodway state champion wrestler since Alex Rapelje won titles in 2022 and 2020.
LaRocca was one of four Edmonds-Woodway wrestlers to place at this year’s Mat Classic. Senior Edson Belizaire finished in fifth place in the 285 lbs. classifcation and the Edmonds-Woodway boys finished in eighth place as a team. It was the seventh time in the last 15 years in which the Warriors have finished in the top 10 as a team at the state tournament.
Edmonds-Woodway girls senior wrestlers Liliana Frank (125 lbs.) and Caitlyn Gallagher (145 lbs.) both finished in eighth place in their weight classifications.
Meadowdale junior Jamier Perry placed fifth in the 215 lbs. boys classification while his teammate, senior Christopher Ramirez, placed sixth at 144 lbs.
Mountlake Terrace boys junior Owen Boswell (190 lbs.) and senior Ryan Pineda (285 lbs.) both finished in eighth place.
Lynnwood boys sophomore Eduardo Gonzalez took seventh at 113 lbs. Lynnwood junior Brianna Williams was the only girls’ wrestler outside of Edmonds-Woodway to place, finishing in sixth place at 135 lbs.
Edmonds School District podium finishers:
Boys
State Champion 190 lbs: Carmelo LaRocca, sr., Edmonds-Woodway
5th Place- 285 lbs: Edson Belizaire, sr., Edmomds-Woodway
5th Place- 215 lbs: Jamier Perry, jr., Meadowdale
6th Place- 144 lbs: Christopher Ramirez, sr., Meadowdale
7th Place- 113 lbs: Eduardo Gonzalez, so., Lynnwood
8th Place- 285 lbs: Ryan Pineda, sr., Mountlake Terrace
8th Place- 190 lbs: Owen Boswell, jr., Mountlake Terrace
Girls
6th Place- 125 lbs: Lily Frank, sr., Edmonds-Woodway
8th Place- 145 lbs: Caitlyn Gallagher, sr., Edmonds-Woodway
8th Place- 135 lbs: Brianna Williams, jr., Lynnwood
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