Enumclaw places fourth at judo championships

Tatiana Molinero-Ceras and Esperanza Aparicio-Gamez took first place medals.

Enumclaw High’s small-but-mighty judo team returned with fourth-place honors from the recent Pacific Northwest High School/Middle School Championships.

The tournament – taking place May 19 at Kentridge High School – was an open format that attracted athletes from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia.

A pair of Enumclaw seniors, Tatiana Molinero-Ceras and Esperanza Aparicio-Gamez, came away with No. 1 honors.

Placing second were team captain and senior Logan Thomas, a four-year letterman, and senior Julia Zimmerman; taking fourth place was junior Christopher Morgan; and three Hornets – senior Zak Hellesto, sophomore Malae McGee and freshman April Kling – came in fifth.

Aside from her championship honors, Molinero-Ceras received the George Wilson Endowment Scholarship, a $1,000 prize. Two awards were given this year based on academics, commitment to the sport of judo and to the recipient’s community.

Kentwood High took top honors, followed by Kentridge and Kent-Meridian. With a roster of just eight, Enumclaw finished just one point out of the third-place spot and comfortably ahead of fourth-place Kentlake.