Gus Amerson wins first state title, but team crown means even more to Newberg junior: Oregon wrestling 150/135 big-school roundup

“It was a very special team to be a part of”

The third time was the charm for Newberg junior Gus Amerson. 

In his third trip to the OSAA wrestling state championships, Amerson took home his first gold medal, winning the Class 6A 150-pound title Saturday night at Portland’s Veterans Memorial Coliseum by pinning Jefferson’s Titus Rodela in 49 seconds. 

“The win felt great as an individual and more so as a teammate,” said Amerson, whose victory helped the Tigers win their 15th state title — 14th at an OSAA state meet, tying the all-classification record with Lowell. “And it was a very special team to be a part of.” 

Rodela entered the final with a 20-0 record after missing a month of the season, including a win over No. 2 seed Nicholas Roth of Barlow in the semifinals, as he looked to become the North Portland school’s first champion in the past eight years.

Amerson — a two-time Reser’s Tournament of Champions winner who placed fourth and second in his first two state meets — made quick work of their championship match, taking down Rodela 30 seconds in, then turning him for the fall.

Amerson was the last of Newberg’s individual titlists as the Tigers amassed the third-highest point total in 6A meet history with 353. 

5A: Senior Joseph Downing of Redmond, fifth at state each of the previous two seasons, defeated Crater’s Kutter Christensen 7-0 to join older brother Junior (2022) as a state champion. 

6A/5A Girls: Liberty senior Gracee Grenfell, who like Amerson was a runner-up a year ago, pinned Westview’s Paige Carrier midway through the second round of the 135-pound final to become the first Falcons girl to win a state title. Her victory was the first in a state final for a Liberty wrestler since 2017. 

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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