Conder loses, eyes third place

TACOMA — Whitney Conder's goal is still within reach, but she will not become the first Washington girl to win a state wrestling title.

Conder, a Puyallup senior, lost 13-6 to Enumclaw freshman Jason Gray in the 103-pound quarterfinals of the Class 4A state meet Friday. Gray jumped to a 12-0 lead and nearly pinned Conder twice.

"I got caught, and there wasn't anything I could do about it," she said.

Gray was all smiles after the match.

"I just tried to go after her and treat her like a man," he said.

Conder placed sixth in last year's tournament, the highest finish by a girl in state history, and she said her goal this weekend was improving on that. She kept that goal alive by coming back to pin Olympic's Camie Yeik, the only other girl in the tournament.

It was the first time that two girls wrestled each other at state.

Conder is now assured of a top-eight medal.

"I've got my eye on third," she said.