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 in Portland

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.