Setting the gold standard for the Royals | Sports

Nate Wilder ends his career at Lynnwood High School with a 5th place finish at this year’s WIAA 3A “Mat Classic XXXIII” 

TACOMA, Wash. – After having just pinned his opponent, Nate Wilder (Colville tribal member) of the Lynnwood High School varsity wrestling team let out a big roar in what would be his final match in a Royals singlet.

Wilder pinned Garrett Casey of Mead in the second round on Saturday (Feb. 19) evening, giving him 5th place at this year’s WIAA 3A Mat Classic XXXIII.

“This just feels unreal,” said Wilder, who is one of the few Colville tribal wrestlers to make it to the state tournament, but doing so in the 3A classification is nonetheless very impressive.

Wilder has come a long way and when he first got to high school, his first passion was basketball, not wrestling.

“When I first met him he told me he had no desire to wrestle and that I was crazy for even asking him,” said Tedashi Myers, head coach for the Lynnwood High School wrestling program.

Safe to say, Wilder loved wrestling, he just didn’t know it yet.

“Someone talked him into coming out for the team and he fell in love with it. One of the biggest things he told me is that he regrets not doing it earlier,” Myers said laughing.

Just to give an example of how far he’s come, up until this past state tournament, it had been years since Wilder had experienced what it felt like being pinned.

“It was my first time getting pinned since my sophomore year,” said Wilder as he fell to Q`Veli Quintanilla of University who was only 34-0 on the year.

“It was bazaar, it was strange,” said Wilder. “It’s been like 3 years.”

Having been a captain for the Royals the past three years, Myers expressed that Wilder was not your ordinary grappler.

“He’s probably one of the most dedicated kids I’ve ever actually coached and I’ve been doing this for 12 years now and he’s one of the only ones that’s taken it this seriously,” said Myers. “It’s been great to see him grow. Overall the wrestling program is looking really good and Nate has been a big part of that.”

Wilder finished the season with a 28-5 overall record, earning 18.0 team points for the Royals, and placed fifth at this year’s Mat Classic XXXIII in the 3A (145-lbs) bracket. His results from this year’s state tournament are listed below: 

• Champ. Round 1 – Received a bye (Bye).
• Champ. Round 2 – Won by fall over Joseph Davis of Marysville Pilchuck (Fall 2:00).
• Quarterfinal – Lost to Q`Veli Quintanilla of University by fall (Fall 2:00).
• Cons. Round 4 – Won by major decision over Daniel Snyder of Yelm (MD 11-0).
• Cons. Round 5 – Won by decision over Andrew Finsrud of Ferndale (Dec 8-6).
• Cons. Semi – Lost to Mateo Caso of Walla Walla by decision (Dec 4-2).
• 5th Place Match – Won by fall over Garrett Casey of Mead (Fall 2:15).