Xavier Smith of Ilwaco High School, right, won two matches Friday but encountered the highs and lows of competition at the 2023 WIAA 2B Mat Classic state on the final day Saturday, losing, winning and losing to place fourth. He is pictured with Forks rival Jesus Garcia-Domingue, who pinned him to earn the third-place medal.

TACOMA — Xavier Smith of Ilwaco High School, earned his state wrestling medal Saturday, undeterred by a unusual loss earlier in the day.

The junior placed fourth in the 113-pound division at the Tacoma Dome in the WIAA’s annual Mat Classic competition.

He lost his final bout by a pin in the second period to Forks rival Jesus Garcia-Domingue, also a junior.

As the referee raised Garcia-Domingue’s hand in victory, the two wrestlers hugged — they are friends and had already wrestled each other three times this season, trading victories.

Earlier, Smith had begun the final day of the tournament with a loss to Adna junior Cameron Thomas on a referee’s decision that he had performed an illegal move that brought his opponent to the mat head-first. A concussion protocol was followed and the injured Thomas was awarded the win.

But in the next contest, Smith bounced back to easily defeat Darrington’s Aiden Cumming with a pin in the second period.

Larry Kemmer, Ilwaco coach, said Smith has had a really good season, placing in the top three of all his meets.

“He is really dedicated and puts in a lot of extra time and a great kid on top of it,” he said.

“We are so excited to have him back next year, because next year is a clean slate and we start fresh again. And he can be at the top of the podium next year.”

• Smith’s first day of competition at the 2023 WIAA state championships included a pin on Forks sophomore Bryan Lucas and a 14-2 point win over Carter Katz of Columbia Burbank.

Read the full report on all the drama in Tacoma in Wednesday’s Chinook Observer.