Faith Tarrant achieved her perfect season.
Niah Cassidy earned her perfect moment.
Both captured state titles at Mat Classic XXXV on Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.
Tarrant has made pinning down perfection such a habit that she’s now in rare company. She’s the 15th girl to have at least three state titles since girls wrestling debuted at Mat Classic in 2004.
Not only that, the Prairie junior pinned every opponent she faced for the second consecutive year. After finishing Tahoma’s Katherine Peterson in the second period, she held three fingers aloft to cap a 38-0 season.
At that moment, it wasn’t too early for Tarrant to think about a four-peat. Only four girls have achieved that, the last being Cameron Guerin of Davis in 2018.
“I’m happy, but this is just a little step in my overall goal to be a four-timer,” Tarrant said.
Despite her seemingly invincible track record, Tarrant said she takes no match for granted.
“There’s no such thing as the best, I truly believe that,” she said. “Anybody can go out there and get beat. It’s a want. You have to want it and my teammates push me every day to want it and to be the best.”
After a scoreless first period. Tarrant drew top position to start the second period. In her mind, working her way to a pin was only a matter of time.
“I’m confident in my ability working top,” Tarrant said.
Now on the precipice of legendary status in Washington high school wrestling, Tarrant strives not just for herself but her sport. That includes her celebrating all eight wrestlers on the awards podium and taking cell phone pictures with that group.
“Being a four-timer is a goal of mine but I also would like to grow the wrestling community,” Tarrant said. “It’s something that means a lot to me.”
Cassidy also left no doubt who was the best in her weight class. The Union senior beat Graham-Kapowsin’s Shelby Rae Enos-Cressy 14-0, twice nearly ending the 130-pound title match by pin.
After the final whistle, Cassidy leapt into the arms of her father, who is also a Union coach, for a long embrace.
“It meant everything to me,” Cassidy said. “My dad is my number one supporter. He’s the greatest coach I ever had. He has been there for me literally forever.”
It was a triumph made sweeter by coming agonizingly close to a state title the previous year, when she was pinned in the championship match.
“I worked my butt off from last season after taking that loss up until now,” Cassidy said. “It felt like everything paid off and everything was worth it.”
Cassidy lost just two matches this season and none since the Braided 64 tournament Jan. 6 in Kelso. She rolled through Mat Classic with two pins and two 14-0 decisions.
That dominance came from the confidence in knowing she had done the work needed to be a champion.
“For me it was definitely getting my mindset right,” Cassidy said. “Keeping in the back of my head that you’ve worked for this. Nobody has outworked you. Nobody has put in the time and effort and has the heart for the sport like you do.”
