Roseburg’s Gage Singleton fights off freshman challenger for 3rd state title: Oregon wrestling 113/105 big-school roundup
Saturday night’s Class 6A 113-pound final at the OSAA wrestling state championships pitted a savvy veteran against a fresh-faced freshman.
It served as the end of the road for Roseburg senior Gage Singleton and a chance at redemption after seeing his dream of becoming a four-time state champion die a year earlier.
And he wasn’t about to let that chance slip through his hands.
“It was tough, but I had my brother (Nash) there to help me,” Singleton said after defeating top seed Jorge De La Rosa of Forest Grove 8-2 at Portland’s Veterans Memorial Coliseum to win his third title.
“I’d go out and practice with him, and it got me a lot better for this year. I was training really hard after the season, throughout the summer, to get ready for this. It felt pretty good.”
Singleton bullied his freshman opponent throughout the match, showing the difference that four years in the room makes in terms of strength, endurance and technique — all areas he felt he had an advantage in Saturday’s final.
Singleton also drew from his experience in last year’s final, when Clackamas’ Jeremiah Wachsmuth ended his chance at becoming Roseburg’s third four-time champion in the storied program’s history.
“Just to go out there like it’s just a match at practice and just stay calm,” Singleton said. “I was pretty nervous for that match, and so I didn’t really wrestle how I should. So, just go out there, not be nervous, and wrestle like I should, like it’s just a practice match.”
5A: Crater’s Jeremiah Oliva capped a season that included a victory at the Reser’s Tournament of Champions by defeating Thurston’s Mason Hakki 10-1.
6A/5A Girls: South Medford sophomore Skyler Hall moved halfway to becoming her school’s first four-time champion by edging Newberg’s Paisley Conway 4-3 in the 105-pound final.
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Meet the champions: Class 6A | Class 5A | Class 4A | Class 3A | Class 2A/1A | Class 6A/5A Girls | Class 4A/3A/2A/1A Girls
Vote for best wrestler: Class 6A | Class 5A | Class 4A | Class 3A | Class 2A/1A | Class 6A/5A Girls | Class 4A/3A/2A/1A Girls
Previewing the state meets: Class 6A | Class 5A | Class 4A | Class 3A | Class 2A/1A | Class 6A/5A Girls | Class 4A/3A/2A/1A Girls
Recapping the district meets: Class 6A | Class 5A | Class 4A | Class 3A | Class 2A/1A | Class 6A/5A Girls | Class 4A/3A/2A/1A Girls
COMPLETE COVERAGE OF 2024 OSAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Photos by Taylor Balkom
