Oregon 2A/1A wrestling: Champions, takeaways from district meets
The 2A/1A wrestling district meets took place over the weekend, with the OSAA state championships scheduled for Feb. 22-23 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland.
Here’s a look at the champions and takeaways from each of the three district meets. The top three finishers from each district meet and one fourth-place finisher determined by criteria advance to state.
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Special District 1 (at Toledo)
Team champion: Willamina (345.5 points)
Most automatic qualifiers: Willamina (12), Toledo (7)
Individual champions
106 Grayson Hubbard, Fr., Willamina
113 Dean Smith, Jr., Siletz Valley
120 Kisor Savage, So., Willamina
126 Corbin Roe, Sr., Knappa
132 Zak Chatelain, Jr., Nestucca
138 Trevor Wolf, Sr., Vernonia
144 Christian Retherford, Sr., Toledo
150 Sterling Buckley, Sr., Toledo
157 Quinn Hill, Sr., Nestucca
165 Finnian Clemans, Jr., Willamina
175 Bodhi Baller, So., Willamina
190 Ash Blomstrom, Sr., Toledo
215 Cody Vance, Sr., Toledo
285 Kolby Coxen, Jr., Toledo
Summary
Willamina cleaned up in its second year at the 2A/1A level, winning a second district title by 142 points with nine finalists and four champions, although both of the Bulldogs’ returning titlists (sophomore Adoniyah Stanton and senior Rhyne Nelson) lost in the finals in matchups of defending champions — Stanton to Roe by an 11-8 decision and Nelson to Coxen by a 5-3 score. Two returning state champions — Toledo’s Logan Gerding (132) and Regis’ Thomas Bischoff (215) — fell in the district finals, and Toledo’s Nic Kaufman (a district champion last year at 138) lost in the semifinals and placed third behind Wolf, also a returning champion. Blomstrom, who won the state title last year at 195, won four matches to improve to 33-0, and Retherford heads to state with a 36-0 record after a first-round pin of Nestucca’s Draven Marsh.
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Special District 2 (at Lowell)
Team champion: Illinois Valley (218 points)
Most automatic qualifiers: Illinois Valley (9), Camas Valley (7)
Individual champions
106 James Conn, So., Illinois Valley
113 Mike Miller, Sr., Illinois Valley
120 Harley Hardison, Jr., Lowell
126 Trevin Truesdell, Jr., Monroe
132 Joel Rodriguez, Jr., Bonanza/Lost River
138 Ethan Green, Illinois Valley, Jr.
144 Jaycen Marois, So., North Douglas/Yoncalla
150 Ryan Griffin, Sr., Illinois Valley
157 Kayden Tiller, Jr., Oakridge
165 Owen Koegler, Sr., Camas Valley
175 Paul Clark, Jr., Lowell
190 Kaden Thompson, Sr., Camas Valley
215 Kaiden Green, Sr., Illinois Valley
285 Logan Clayburn, Sr., Myrtle Point
Summary
Make it three consecutive district titles for defending state champion Illinois Valley, which defeated Camas Valley by 59.5 points. Miller and junior Micah Martinho earned their chance at winning a third state title, with Miller winning a third district title while Martinho forfeited the 120 district final to Hardison, the defending state champion at the weight class. Griffin will go for a second state title in two weeks on the heels of an 8-5 decision against Camas Valley’s Seth Lamell in the district final, and Clayburn moved up from 220 (where he won a state title) and pinned returning district champion David Finch of Lowell in 11 seconds in the final.
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Special District 3 (at Echo)
Team champion: Culver (257.5 points)
Most automatic qualifiers: Irrigon (8), Culver (6), Enterprise/Wallowa (6)
Individual champions
106 Landyn Fincher, Fr., Elgin
113 Hunter Buck, Jr., Pine Eagle
120 Preston Slawson, So., Irrigon
126 Taylor Parsons, So., Grant Union/Prairie City
132 Cole Rahi, Jr., Culver
138 Carlos Fernandez, Jr., Culver
144 Brady Otley, Jr., Crane
150 Tegan Evans, Sr., Enterprise/Wallowa
157 Zachary Brown, Jr., Heppner
165 Sam Platz, So., Union/Cove
175 Ty McLaughlin, Sr., Elgin
190 Landon McMahon, So., Heppner
215 Jaime Cavan, Jr., Heppner
285 Cade Cunningham, Sr., Enterprise/Wallowa
Summary
Culver last year narrowly missed winning a 15th state championship in the 17 seasons since the OSAA went to five divisions in 2007, but the Bulldogs will need some luck to add their 15th title in two weeks. While they won yet another district championship, they advanced only six wrestlers directly to the state field and must hope their four fourth-place finishers earn wild cards to bolster their chances. Rahi and Fernandez repeated as district champions for Culver, and Buck pinned James Royes of Enterprise/Wallowa with 15 seconds left in the second period to win his third title. Unlike last year, when 10 of 14 champions were seniors, youth was served this season, with only three seniors winning titles and six — Slawson, Parsons, Evans, McLaughlin, Brown and Cavan — moving up from second place a year ago.
