Sweet Home (4A), Harrisburg (3A), Toledo (2A/1A), La Grande (4A/3A/2A/1A Girls) claim team titles on Day 2 of Oregon wrestling championships
Three wrestling programs Friday night celebrated the first state championships in their schools’ histories.
Then, there was Sweet Home, back where it figured it belongs — atop the Class 4A wrestling world.
The Huskies had three wrestlers get their hands raised as state champions and 13 make the podium Friday night at Portland’s Veterans Memorial Coliseum, leading them to a 54.5-point victory over Crook County and the program’s first state title since the COVID-19 summer season in 2021 and 10th all-time.
Longtime coach Steve Thorpe channeled one of his fellow icons when he quoted Newberg coach Neil Russo about the key to his team’s success during the two-day meet.
“Neil says it, and I believe that one of the things that separates his team from a lot of others is that the kids wrestle for each other, and that’s what these guys did,” Thorpe said. “They care about each other. When one of them gets cut, the others, they all bleed. I’m very proud of them and what they accomplished.”
Harrisburg (3A), Toledo (2A/1A) and the La Grande girls (4A/3A/2A/1A) were the first-time winners of blue trophies, with the Eagles’ 285 points just two shy of the 3A state record.
Sweet Home senior Kyle Sieminski and Illinois Valley senior Mike Miller became the latest two Oregon wrestlers to win four state titles, growing the list to 51 in the 77-year history of the state championships.
Class 4A
The Huskies got the final session off on the right note when freshman Jesse Landtroop knocked off top seed Bragen Anderson of La Grande 6-2 in the 106-pound final, and Sieminski (120) and junior Ashton Swanson (175) later joined him atop the medals podium.
Sieminski closed out becoming the school’s first four-time state champion with a bang, getting the pin of Tillamook’s Jak Hopkes just before the clock struck zero on his high school career.
“It’s incredible how Kyle did it,” Thorpe said. “He did it once in June when it was 110 degrees inside. The next year, he did it in a high school because you couldn’t go anywhere, and then a postponement with the weather last year. And now, it’s back to normal.
“He’s just a great wrestler. He works hard, and he’s from a lineage of great wrestlers in his family.”
Crook County posted its fourth runner-up finish in the past six years, led by champions Landon Lavey (138), Gavin Sandoval (190) and Norman Reynolds (215).
La Grande finished third as it had its two-year title reign halted, and Cascade took fourth — its first podium finish since 2020.
Class 3A
Harrisburg romped to the first title in program history, putting 15 wrestlers on the podium — led by three-time champion Luke Cheek, who will go for a fourth title next year, and fellow titlists Andrew Donayri (106) and Brody Buzzard (165).
“It feels great, especially with this group of seniors,” Cheek said. “We have like 10 seniors (six of whom made the podium), and that’s crazy with them. This was all we had in the back of our heads all the time. It’s a great year to be state champs.”
Cheek is one of five juniors to win Friday night to keep alive their dreams of becoming four-time champions next year. Burns’ Kale Cornell (126) and Easton Kemper (175) and La Pine’s duo of Landyn Philpott (138) and Devon Kerr (144) all return next season.
Kemper’s younger brother, freshman Cannon, won the 150 title to help the Hilanders to a third consecutive runner-up finish, 130 points behind Harrisburg and 11.5 ahead of Banks, which had two champions (Owen Turner at 132 and Mishael Mauck at 190) in posting its best finish since 2003.
Defending champion La Pine took home the fourth-place trophy.
Class 2A/1A
Like Harrisburg, Toledo brought a senior-heavy lineup to Memorial Coliseum and exited with the program’s first state championship.
The Boomers had never trophied until taking fourth two years ago, then moved up to third last season. Senior Ash Blomstrom, who won his third state title and capped an undefeated season with a first-round pin in the 190 final, said the goal from the moment he won his first championship was to make a team title a reality.
“And I’m just glad we made it happen,” Blomstrom said. “We’ve had the same group of guys since we were 4 and 5 years old wrestling peewee, and this is the year we figured it would all come together for us. ”
Blomstrom was one of four Boomers to win individual titles, including classmate Christian Retherford, who also finished the season unbeaten with a second-round fall in the 144 final. Joining them atop the medals stand were seniors Logan Gerding (132) and Cody Vance (215).
Miller, who two years ago broke a femur in a car accident, completed his run to four state titles by rallying from an early deficit to pin Pine Eagle junior Hunter Buck 27 seconds into the third round. He helped the Cougars, who won their first team title last year, finish fourth behind Willamina and Camas Valley.
Class 4A/3A/2A/1A Girls
La Grande won the first trophy in program history last year, placing fourth, and built off that showing by taking home its first title, beating Harrisburg by 22 points.
The Tigers won despite having only one individual champion — junior Lyndie Isaacson, who pinned Crook County’s Taylor Echeverria with 29 seconds left in the first round of the 115 final.
La Grande coach Krystal Fabricante saw the victory as a testament to the depth and resilience of her team.
“You know, it’s awesome, because now they’ll get the recognition and the exposure that they deserve,” Fabricante said. “It’s pretty awesome now that we’re showing that we’re able to adjust and progress compared to last year’s results.”
Harrisburg was one of three programs to earn its first team trophy, with champions Paxton Steele (110) and Hannah Henderson (155) leading the Eagles past Crook County by five points.
The Cowgirls and co-fourth-place finisher Oakridge also debuted on the podium, and Grant Union — led by junior three-time champion Mallory Lusco (235) — matched its tie for fourth place from the inaugural OSAA girls tournament in 2019.
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