VIDEO: Van Scoyoc Makes History, Wins State Championship For Lakes

Lakes wrestler made Lakewood history last weekend, winning a state championship at the Mat Classic XXIV state tournament at the Tacoma Dome.

She pinned her way through the 155-pound division and dominated each of the four matches. Ahead 14-5 in the finals, the 5-foot-7-inch sophomore pinned Haylee Rabenstein of Sedro Wolley in the third round with 52 seconds remaining.

It's the first girls state title at Lakes and the rest of the Clover Park School District.

"I'll be the first one listed in the record book," Van Scoyoc said. "I hope that inspires other girls to compete."

It didn't take long for Van Scoyoc to climb to the top. She placed third as a freshman in the 160-division and has only been wrestling since the eighth grade. But the die-hard competitor has been performing on the mat since the age of 7.

A leaner and meaner Van Scoyoc is a nationally ranked judo champion and she was not going to be denied a state title in wrestling this year.

"Everything seemed so much smaller," she said about the Mat Classic spotlight. "I knew what to expect. I knew how to prepare myself."

Her coach, Trisha Pak, said she mixed judo and wrestling evenly this year.

"This year she came in and everything she learned sunk in," Pak said. "She didn't just throw a head and arm. She had leg rides, tilts, takedowns and her throws. She's not just judo deciding to wrestle."

Pak added that her aggressiveness was the ultimate key to winning state.

Van Scoyoc was the stealth missile nobody saw coming. She suffered a shoulder injury early in the season and Lakes wrestling head coach James Poncho—who is also her judo sensei— considered canceling the season so she can be ready her junior year.

After losing two matches after her injury, Van Scoyoc returned with a vengeance. She was ahead by more than 10 points before each of her pins.

"She made one heck of a statement pinning her way through state," Poncho said.

Her coaches believe that Van Scoyoc has the potential to win another state title her junior and senior year, but it won't be easy.

"I'm sure she's got a giant size target on her," Pak said. "If she continues to grow in wrestling, I don't see (winning state) will be an issue."