When Nadia Medvinsky’s father came over following the final match, the Redmond High wrestler grasped him and the two embraced. The Mustang senior wiped away tears and buried her head in his shoulder.

About 15 minutes earlier, the senior gutted it out, but lost to junior powerhouse Emma Bruntil of Mount Baker on a fall at 3:12 in the girls 135-pound state final last Saturday at Mat Classic XXIX at the Tacoma Dome. Medvinsky’s second-place finish was one spot ahead of where she ended up last year at state.

It was a heartbreaking loss, but Medvinsky put a positive spin on her state experience and advancing to the final.

“Oh, it meant so much to me. I’ve worked the entire year. After state last year, I was determined to get to the finals match and have a shot at the state championship,” she said. “Even though I didn’t get it this time around, I’m still really proud of all the work that I’ve put in. I’m just really thankful for my coaches and my teammates. They pushed me the whole year. I just did everything I possibly could, and I couldn’t be happier with how I did this year.”

Gennady Medvinsky, Nadia’s father, said he gets butterflies before watching his daughter wrestle. Once the match starts, he gets jumpy and wants to get on the mat and move around, he said with a laugh.

“I’m so proud of her,” he said. “She started making tremendous improvements last year. And all the work she’s been putting in, just conditioning and strength training in the offseason — she’s incredibly committed.”

Medvinsky began her state journey with two wins on Friday and then defeated senior Brianna Galvan of Steilacoom on a fall at 5:40 on Saturday to make the final.

She wrestled for four years at Redmond, made state twice and learned that when she got overwhelmed during competitions to take things one step at a time on the road to success.

“Wrestling has just made me tougher and a harder worker, and I know that I’m capable of taking on anything that comes my way,” she said. “The work ethic and the determination it takes to wrestle — and get your face smashed into the mat every single day and just getting back up every single time — that’s the biggest thing.”

Medvinsky plans on tackling club wrestling in college.

In other Redmond action, sophomore Jeremy Hernandez took fourth at 145 pounds, and won four consecutive matches to get to the third/fourth-place match on Saturday after losing in the opening round.

He lost his first match on Friday and then rolled from there.

“I feel like I accomplished a lot. To be able to place in state is really unbelievable for me. It’s still hard for me to really grasp,” he said. “I feel like I belong here and I’m one of the best. I’m just gonna keep on improving as it goes.”

Hernandez said he focused on developing mental toughness this season. Any anger that existed after losing to someone he thought he should have beaten was used as fuel to do better the next time out.

The Mustang was motivated by watching some of the top wrestlers at state, including 145-pound champion Mason Phillips of Stanwood.

“I just know that I’ve got to keep practicing, practicing. That’s all I gotta think about, what moves am I gonna hit? Just putting all my time into that,” he said.

At 195 pounds, senior Nick Kaneko notched seventh and finished the meet with a 3-1 victory over junior Xavier Whitson of Lincoln.

Kaneko won his first match on Friday, lost one and then won another to advance to the second day. He lost his first match on Saturday and then powered through with a win to cap off his Redmond career.

“It’s a huge victory and I’m so glad I’ve had this excellent team to work with. They’ve been very helpful, very motivational,” he said.

He was hoping for a higher spot on the podium, but said that placing at his first state tournament is something to be proud of. He’s reminisced about the past four years, from being an awkward freshman to a solid senior.

“I’m glad that I got this my senior year because I worry if I achieved something higher my junior year, I’d be trying to live up to that,” said Kaneko as Whitson came over and congratulated him on a nice match.

Kaneko said he was thrilled to be joined by six other Mustang wrestlers and one alternate at state.

“I just think it goes to show how Redmond has been gradually improving over the years,” he said.

Freshman Molly Williams also took seventh at 105 and finished off on a winning note by toughing out a 1-0 victory over junior Anabella Garcia of Federal Way.

Williams won her first match on Friday, but then lost to drop into the consolation bracket. She won her last match on Friday to advance to Saturday’s action. She lost to open the second day, but rebounded to take seventh, scoring one point early and holding on to win.

Although she was disappointed to lose early on Saturday, the Mustang was proud of never giving up.

“When I first showed up, it was crazy, it was huge,” Williams said of the first day. “And then all the people started coming in. I was one of the first few matches — I was really freaking out.”

Williams credits her coaches for motivating her to thrive at state.

“(They told) me, it’s just a regular wrestling match. It’s nothing different: you wear the same clothes, you wear the same shoes, it’s the same mat. Just go out there and wrestle like you usually do,” she said.

Redmond’s Judah Dorsey (138), Luke Kennedy (182) and Leah Hiatt (105) also qualified for state, while Kim Alaniz (110) was an alternate.

Photos below from top to bottom: Hernandez, Kaneko and Williams. Andy Nystrom, Redmond Reporter