Oregon 3A wrestling: Champions, takeaways from district meets
The 3A 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 four district meets. The top three finishers from each district meet advance to state.
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Special District 1 (at Dayton)
Team champion: Banks (440.5 points)
Most qualifiers: Banks (15), Yamhill-Carlton (9), Warrenton (8)
Individual champions
106 Alex Shipman, Sr., Yamhill-Carlton
113 David Wheeler, Jr., Yamhill-Carlton
120 Cayden Hill, Sr., Yamhill-Carlton
126 Benjamin Dinan, Jr., Banks
132 Owen Turner, So., Banks
138 Jeremiah Miller, Sr., Neah-Kah-Nie
144 Brayden Greenwald, Jr., Warrenton
150 Philemon Mauck, Jr., Banks
157 Ryder Sturgell, Jr., Warrenton
165 Derek Katon, Sr., Rainier
175 August Brunner, So., Yamhill-Carlton
190 Mishael Mauck, Sr., Banks
215 Kaison Smith, Jr., Warrenton
285 Carl Orchard, So., Corbett
Summary
After posting runner-up district finishes the past two seasons, Banks finally won its first title in the past two decades, overwhelming defending champion Yamhill-Carlton by 182 points and advancing 15 wrestlers in its bid to improve upon its fourth-place finish from a year ago (it took third in 2004 and second in 2003). Four Banks wrestlers won titles, with Dinan, Turner and the Mauck brothers repeating as champions — Turner defeated teammate Jack Vandehey 2-1 in a matchup of returning titlists. Vandehey also was the state runner-up at 132 last year, and Mishael Mauck won the 220 state title. Yamhill-Carlton also won four titles and will send nine wrestlers to Memorial Coliseum in two weeks. Greenwald, Katon and Orchard (the state runner-up at 285 last year) were repeat champions.
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Special District 2 (at Sheridan)
Team champion: Harrisburg (454 points)
Most automatic qualifiers: Harrisburg (17), Santiam Christian (6), Elmira (5)
Individual champions
106 Andres Mendoza, So., Jefferson
113 Conway Montgomery, So., Santiam Christian
120 Luke Cheek, Jr., Harrisburg
126 Jackson Peterman, Fr., Harrisburg
132 Trayson Truesdell, Fr., Harrisburg
138 Justin Hoyt, Jr., Harrisburg
144 Nephi Heakin, Sr., Harrisburg
150 Landen Hecht, Sr., Harrisburg
157 Devin Martin, Sr., Harrisburg
165 Brody Buzzard, So., Harrisburg
175 Jacob Mann, So., Siuslaw
190 Dayne Muller, Sr., Siuslaw
215 Cooper Clark, Sr., Harrisburg
285 Brett Highburger, Sr., Elmira
Summary
As dominant as Harrisburg was in winning the district title last season, the Eagles were even stronger this weekend, more than doubling Santiam Christian’s point total, winning every title from 120 to 165 pounds and advancing 17 wrestlers to state as they look to post a first top-two finish. Two-time state champion Cheek and returning state champion Buzzard were among their nine district titlists. Unfortunately, injuries denied two 2023 champions — Siuslaw junior Joel Sissel and Elmira's Colton Barklow — a chance to defend their titles. Highburger — who won the 285 state title last season — Muller and Mendoza also repeated as district champions.
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Special District 3 (at North Valley)
Team champion: North Valley (315.5 points)
Most automatic qualifiers: North Valley (6), Pleasant Hill (6), Sutherlin (6)
Individual champions
106 Joshua Filipi, Fr., Sutherlin
113 Elijah Hatfield, So., Glide
120 Gavin Haratyk, Sr., Pleasant Hill
126 Caden Cox, Jr., Glide
132 Zach Sahr, So., Glide
138 Jayden Whipp, Sr., Rogue River
144 Vedder Anderson, Jr., Pleasant Hill
150 Mason Core, Sr., North Valley
157 Cameron Houston, Jr., Coquille
165 Ryder Sawyer, So., Douglas
175 Riley Jones, Sr., Coquille
190 Jacob Logan, Sr., South Umpqua
215 Brock Barron-Perreira, Sr., Glide
285 Wyatt Smith, Fr., Rogue River
Summary
North Valley hadn’t won a district championship until last year, and the Knights have now won back-to-back titles, beating South Umpqua by 125.5 points despite having just one district champion. They have six qualifiers, tied for the most of any team. Glide finished well down the team standings in fifth place despite having a district-high four champions, including repeat winner Hatfield and Barron-Perreira, who defeated two-time district champion Tommy Vigue of Coquille 6-0 in the 215 final. Vigue was one of six returning champions who didn’t repeat — Tyler Waldron of Douglas (lost to Whipp in the 138 final), North Valley’s Ryan Gaskin (lost to Logan in the 190 final), Lakeview’s Adrian Stubbs (third at 190), Seth Gallego of North Valley (third at 215) and South Umpqua’s Sylis Williams (fourth at 144 behind repeat champion Anderson) also came up short.
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Special District 4 (at Burns)
Team champion: Nyssa (297 points)
Most automatic qualifiers: Burns (9), La Pine (9), Nyssa (8)
Individual champions
106 Kempton Richardson, Sr., Burns
113 Riley Flack, Jr., La Pine
120 Henry Barnes, So., Burns
126 Kale Cornell, Jr., Burns
132 Dallen Duncan, Fr., McLoughlin
138 Landyn Philpott, Jr., La Pine
144 Devon Kerr, Jr., La Pine
150 Cannon Kemper, Fr., Burns
157 Ashton Wilson, Sr., Nyssa
165 Cache Montgomery, Sr., La Pine
175 Easton Kemper, Jr., Burns
190 Tag Deluca, Jr., La Pine
215 Joe Weil, So., Burns
285 Jorge Candelas, Sr., Nyssa
Summary
Special District 4 is home to the defending state champion (La Pine) and runner-up (Burns), but it was Nyssa — 10th at state a year ago — that took home its first district title since 2019. The Bulldogs had just two champions and eight qualifiers, but their superior depth (21 placers) made the difference in the team race. Burns’ chances of repeating as district champion took a hit when brothers Thomas and Canon Winn didn’t take part, but the Hilanders saw two-time state champions Cornell and Easton Kemper advance, and the Hawks got defending state champions Philpott, Kerr and Deluca to Memorial Coliseum.
