Late dramatics preserve Easton Kemper’s dreams of becoming a 4-timer for Burns: Oregon wrestling 175/155 small-school roundup

“At this point, wrestling is my life. It’s all I do.”

Easton Kemper’s dream of becoming a four-time state champion was 15 seconds from evaporating Friday night at Portland’s Veterans Memorial Coliseum. 

The Burns junior trailed Vale’s Kase Schaffeld by one point in the final round of their Class 3A 175-pound title match at the OSAA wrestling state championships, and Schaffeld looked to be in complete control.

Kemper never panicked. 

“I mean, I was pretty certain I was going to escape,” he said. “I just didn’t know when.”

Finally, Kemper wriggled free with 15 seconds left to force overtime, and once there, he took Schaffeld down and recorded a fall to preserve his shot at adding his name to the list of four-timers to come through the Hilanders program.

“After I did (escape), there was no stopping me. I was going to get the win,” said Kemper, sporting a purple mohawk as he and his teammates revived a tradition that died out a few years ago. 

“This means everything to me. At this point, wrestling is my life. It’s all I do.” 

4A: Sweet Home junior Ashton Swanson reversed the bad luck that had befallen him during his previous two trips to the state tournament, pinning top seed Henry Davis of Astoria with 24 seconds left in the first round. Swanson went out early in the consolation bracket as a freshman, then missed the podium last year by one round.

2A/1A: Elgin senior Ty McLaughlin, who placed fourth a year ago, pinned Clatskanie’s Taylor Crawford with 17 seconds remaining, wrapping up a match that he led 10-2 at that point. 

4A/3A/2A/1A Girls: Harrisburg senior Hannah Henderson joined teammate Paxton Steele as the first girls in program history to win state titles by pinning Siuslaw’s Jane Lacouture (third at 155 last year) with 27 seconds left in the 155-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