Battle of hard-luck state champions goes to West Linn’s Oscar Doces in taut final (Reser’s TOC 138 pounds)

“I’m pretty happy. But the job’s not finished.”

Two state champions who’d never had much luck at the Reser’s Tournament of Champions squared off in a 138-pound final we might see a month from now at Memorial Coliseum in Portland. 

Newberg senior Zachary Keinonen will vie to become the school’s third four-time champion at the 6A state meet, while West Linn junior Oscar Doces hopes to win a second title. 

Neither, though, had won a gold eagle heading into Saturday’s final — Keinonen finished fourth as a sophomore, then lost to Doces in an ultimate tiebreaker in last year’s consolation bracket one round before Doces was eliminated, neither taking home hardware.

The title match at Hillsboro’s Liberty High School was as taut as one would expect from a couple of state champions, requiring tiebreaking rounds before Doces scored a takedown in the final 10 seconds of the third overtime period for a 6-4 victory.

Oscar Doces of West Linn (photo by Taylor Balkom) 

“I’m pretty happy,” Doces said. “But the job’s not finished.”

And what is the job? 

“Just keep winning. Keep wrestling, become a better wrestler.”

Doces didn’t wrestle at Reser’s as a freshman, when he attended Wells and came within one win of medaling at state. He transferred to West Linn to challenge himself and better prepare for moments such as last year’s state final, when he knocked off top seed Moises Lopez of Aloha at 126, and Saturday’s title bout.

“These big crowds, it’s really cool, but what’s worked for me is just getting out and away from all that,” Doces said. “It doesn’t really get me nervous, but it just gives me a headache. So, it’s just really good to get out and get your mind free and just not worry about it. Just go out there and worry about wrestling the best you can.”

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