By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Great job by girl wrestlers Cecilia Vu and Lisa Nguyen, young ladies on the Evergreen Wolverines wrestling team who made it all the way to state.

Vu took fifth at the Washington State Mat Classic for 2A held inside the Tacoma Dome on Friday and Saturday.

Nguyen didn't make it to the second day of competition, so, she didn't get chance to compete for being a state placer, like teammate Vu.

But this is state and Nguyen made it this far, and that's a great accomplishment in itself. That is the one that Wolverines coach Hip Nguyen wanted achieved for Lisa Nguyen and Vu.

"I know our coach wanted to see me and Lisa get to state this year," said Vu, smiling, after her final match at state, a win, 6-2, over a wrestler from Davis, in Yakima.

So, goal made, mission accomplished for Vu and Nguyen.

Coach Nguyen echoed that goal reached.

"Love it," said Nguyen. "We are at state. Best 16."

Also a boy wrestler on the team, Daniel Huynh, made alternate. 'Alternate' for state means this: if anyone had got sick, or, couldn't wrestler for injury, or, another reason, in his weight class, Huynh would fill that vacancy.

Vu is a senior. She made state last year, too, but, it wasn't the same as this year.

"I went two and out last year," said Vu, who started off the state championships in her 105-pound weight class with a win by a pin 5:16 into the match over Robin Hernandez of Arlington.

Nice start for Vu, a pin win.

"I know that when I first go in, I have to get the first takedown," said Vu. "If I have bottom (position) to start a round, I have to get out."

And Vu got more than just take-down points -- she flattened her opponent to the mat.

Next match, the quarterfinal, Vu lost, in a very tough way to wrestle with--by one point. Vu lost, 5-4, to a wrestler from Forks.

But Vu came back strong, and, in her first consolation match, she pinned Nicole Whittern from Nooksack Valley, a fall at 3:18. Then, Vu went against a really tough wrestler, Jeniya Guillen from Sunnyside, losing, 8-1.

"She was really strong," said Vu, adding, "She was just a better wrestler."

But, there were times Vu had her chances to beat Guillen, who ended up third place at state.

"At some point, she was almost on her back. I didn't finish the move correctly."

Could have been a pin?

"Yeah," said Vu.

Then, Vu wiped that loss right off her brow by going in and getting a win in the fifth-sixth place consolation match, beating the aforementioned Davis wrestler, 6-2.

That was a good comparative win, as coach Nguyen explained.

"Her first loss of the tournament, Cecilia lost to a girl who had lost to a girl that Cecilia just beat," said Nguyen.

"It's state. On any given day, anyone can lose. Comes down to who wants it more."

So, 6-2 win for Vu a good finish to state?

"Good way to end her career," said Nguyen.

Vu enjoyed this experience and her game plan got her a nice state-placer reward at the T-Dome.

"My goal was to place at state," said Vu. "Senior year. So I have to go all out."

And, of Nguyen, her teamate, who wrestled at state, too?

"She's my wrestling partner," said Vu. "We've been at practice every day. We worked really hard."

Both are senior captains on the Tyee/Evergreen co-op team, too. So, that kind of respect to be named captain by peers is quite special.

And coach Nguyen and, assistant John Schey?

"They've been doing a great job, making sure I'm wrestling at my highest potential. Pretty cool knowing I was top eight in the state," she said.