Perfect season, career for Washougal Panther

Four years. Four finals. Two state titles.

In a nutshell, that’s Abby Lees’ legacy.

Runner-up as a freshman, champion as a sophomore, upset in the finals as a junior, back on top her senior year.

Lees said it’s a pattern, but there’s more to the story.

After a 30-0 season, more than 100 wins in her career and another state title Saturday, she has become one of the greatest Washougal High School wrestlers. And since her coaches are storytellers, her legacy will live on in Panther tales of success, failure and redemption.

Lees pinned all four of her state tournament opponents in the first round, at the Tacoma Dome.

She finished off Federal Way’s Mariah Stewart in the 235-pound championship match with a time of 1 minute, 30 seconds. Lees’ state title helped the Washougal girls move into 10th place in the team standings.

Tanner Lees, Abby’s brother, took fourth place in the 2A state 145-pound bracket. He defeated Renton’s Michael Stewart 19-3 in the first round and pinned Blaine’s Matt MaCauley in the quarterfinals. Tanner Lees bounced back from a loss in the semifinals by beating Orting’s Austin Spader 11-5.

Nick Wolfe notched seventh place for the Panthers at 145 pounds. After losing in the opening round, Wolfe won his first state tournament match in overtime. And then, he won again by one point. Wolfe pinned Cheney’s Francisco Martinez for seventh place.

Morgan Ratcliff pinned Hanford’s Libby Graham for seventh place in the girls state 145-pound bracket.

Read the full story in Thursday’s print edition of the Post-Record.