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 in Portland

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.