Community Sports

Peninsula’s Bailey Parker wins third consecutive state wrestling championship

A three-time state wrestling champion roams the halls of Peninsula High School.

Bailey Parker won the 155-pound weight division at Mat Classic at the Tacoma Dome on Feb. 21 to cap a 40-0 season against wrestlers from Washington state. She became Peninsula’s only three-time Class 3A individual state champion.

The Seahawks finished third in the Class 3A team standings. Read our upcoming Sports Beat column for coverage of several other outstanding performances by wrestlers from Peninsula and Gig Harbor high schools.

But Parker’s three individual championships puts her in rare air and deserves a spotlight.

Bailey Parker of Peninsula raises her hand after winning her third consecutive state wrestling championship at the Tacoma Dome on Feb. 21. Photo courtesy of Gary Griffin

First to three

Peninsula High School was built in 1947. That’s nearly 80 years of athletes competing in a multitude of sports, and Peninsula has turned out a bundle of exceptional athletes. But Parker now stands at the top.

Past two-time individual wrestling champions include Rick Anderele (1977 and ’78), Jake Friedman (’04, ’05), Mira Sonnen (’24, ’25) and Lindsey Shipp (’25, ’26). But only one Seahawk owns three individual state championships in one sport.

“This has been a good few years and I’m really excited,” the understated Parker said. “It’s been a really fun experience with a great team and coaches. … It’s just been really great for me.”

Parker is humble, soft-spoken and reserved. Casey and Heidi Parker, who Bailey describes as no-nonsense people who value hard work and showing respect to others, raised her the old-school way on a Key Peninsula farm.

Casey got Bailey interested in the wrestling at age 5, competing against boys. Thirteen years of the struggle that is a wrestling season molded a quiet killer on the mat who is light and breezy off of it.

Bailey Parker of Peninsula begins the 155-pound Class 3A championship match. Photo courtesy of Gary Griffin

Farmer strong

If you want to find the roughest and toughest in a high school, they are usually found in the wrestling room in a fury of sweat and passion. But officials have raised Parker’s hand in victory so many times that she’s past the intense need for validation. She brings a controlled, workmanlike attitude of “I have a job to do and that’s to win.” She’s been doing it all her life.

Riding horses, tossing hay bales and the everyday chores of farm life give Parker the core strength to dominate opponents. She has thick, toned thighs and hips from controlling horses all her life plus strikingly broad shoulders and strong arms.

Her hands are like vice grips. If she gets them on a wrist or an ankle, you’re done. Her feet are nimble and her balance is exceptional (she wasn’t taken down one time at state last weekend). If that’s not enough, you’ll never see her out of breath or tired.

Her mental toughness comes from years of working in the Northwest rain and mud, taking care of animals at 5:30 a.m. before school while her friends are hitting the snooze button for the third time.

As a two-time champion this season, Parker always had a target on her back.

“I definitely think my record and what I’ve done can get in other people’s heads. But I don’t look at anyone as an easy win because there’s plenty of times you can get caught with stuff that can beat you,” Parker said. “I just go in thinking it’s gonna be an even match every time and then hope for the end result.”

Four matches, four pins

Parker got the preferred results against the field of hopefuls at the Class 3A state tournament. She won all four matches by pin and didn’t allow a single point along the way.

Parker got her first pin of the tournament in just 26 seconds. Her next victim was teammate Olivia Howell, pinned in 1:06. Howell then swept through the consolation bracket to finish third.

A Highline wrestler lasted 1:49 in the semifinal round before Parker faced Caitriona Wieber of Everett for the championship.

Parker scored a takedown and a near fall to claim a 7-0 lead after one period. Wieber, the No. 2 seed in the weight class, was the only opponent to force Parker to wrestle into the second period.

Parker extended the lead to 10-0 with a brutal takedown at 1:35 of the second period. Instants later, Wieber was on her back and the referee slapped the mat.

Parker rose with her signature pony tails swinging and a satisfied look on her face. The referee, who suddenly looked small next to Parker’s impressive frame, raised her hand in victory.

Bailey Parker celebrates after winning her third straight state wrestling championship. Photo courtesy of PHS wrestling

Joy mixed with relief

Some state winners go crazy, screaming and jumping and back flipping all over the place. Parker is too refined for all of that. She was definitely happy, but looked more like she just got back from a successful business trip.

“I think a lot of that comes from my parents, whatever we do if it’s wrestling or rodeoing, we just keep a level head during wins or loses,” she said. “That has really helped me not be nervous over the years as well, especially when I’m doing the bigger stuff.”

She had mixed emotions of joy and relief when her hand was raised.

“There was definitely relief that I got the goal done but at the same time it was really exciting to be in that type of environment and be able to do the things I was able to do,” Parker said.

Peninsula coach Gary Griffin has been more than impressed with Parker on and off the mat, describing her as even-keeled, selfless, resilient and polite.

“Bailey’s dominance on the mat is undeniable, but her legacy is defined by more than just the three state titles and numerous tournament championships,” Griffin said. “From her first day in the room, she was our hardest worker that never missed a practice or an offseason workout. She led by example, pairing an unmatched work ethic with a consistently timed ‘thank you’ and a smile after practice. Bailey will be missed for her success in the Dome, but even more for the character she brought to our program.”

When asked about what makes her so successful Parker said, “I’ve been doing this a long, long time, so probably mostly my experience. I’ve had some amazing workout partners with Mira (Sonnen), Lindsey (Shipp) and Olivia (Howell) over the years as well.”

Calf-roping season

Parker also cited her coaches — from her dad and youth coach Bill Phipps to her middle school coaches Jim Andrews and Johnny Walker — as key to her success. “I’ve learned so many different perspectives from all of them and they all share in my success.”

Griffin “has always been an amazing coach,” Parker said. “He’s always pushing people to be their best and gives them opportunities to work as hard as they’re willing to. He gets you to places you need to be because he’s a really good on mat coach. He’s got the right answers, he’s a really solid coach.”

You may think that Parker is ready to jump into a college wrestling program. That still may be the case, but she’s already shifted gears into her calf-roping season. She is one of the top 20 female calf ropers for her age group in the country and has competed in the national finals in Las Vegas.

Parker hopes to become a local firefighter and EMT one day as she has a deep desire to help people in her community. Helping the Seahawk wrestling community may also be in the plans — as she expressed an interest in possibly helping some future young female wrestlers at Peninsula High School win four state championships.

Bailey Parker is also a nationally ranked cattle roper. Photo courtesy of Parker