Sweet Home placed second, behind Newberg, at the Earl Gillis Invitational wrestling tournament Saturday, Jan. 12.
The Huskies beat David Douglas 51-18 and Milwaukie 58-15 before losing to Newberg 51-22 in the finals.
“Newberg has won every tournament they’ve been in this year,” Coach Steve Thorpe noted.
Sweet Home also hosted Banks on Thursday, Jan. 10, winning 59-21 on a special Mat Club Night.
“I think we competed well in front of the home crowd,” Thorpe said. “They have a few good kids and we just shook hands and wrestled them. It was fun to have a home dual, to get the seniors out there under the light.”
He said one of the big winners of the night was Treyson Smith, who pinned Banks’ Dylan Smith at 113 pounds.
“We were almost a little more excited and focused on the next day, to wrestle against Newberg.”
That match started with a pin by freshman Kyle Watkins, but it was obvious early why the Tigers have run the table in duals, though some of Sweet Home’s regular starters weren’t in the line-up.
Jackson Royer decisioned Newberg’s Charlie Evans 11-5 at 138 pounds, which was a “solid” win, Thorpe said.
“I think Jackson wrestled as good as I’ve seen him this season. Charlie is a very good wrestler.”
Robbie Yunke had a “great” 6-3 win against Joey Moody at 145 pounds, Thorpe said.
Travis Thorpe pinned all three of his opponents Saturday at 152 pounds.
“Travis was solid with those three falls,” Steve Thorpe said.
Nich James continued to wrestled well, he said, picking up where James left off after the Linn County Championships. James lost a 5-1 decision to Newberg’s Hunter James – ranked No. 2 in the 6A at 195 pounds, two divisions up from the Husky’s typical weight bracket. He also lost 3-1 to David Douglas’ Romeo Manue – at 182 pounds, who is ranked No. 4 in the 6A at that weight.
“Nich is just competing very, very hard right now,” Thorpe said. “He lost two matches to two great wrestlers. But man, he competed so hard. Losses like those are going to benefit you later on.”
He said he appreciated James’ willingness to wrestle up in heavier weight classes.
“This is the point of the year when we need that.”
He said more than a few Huskies are turning in solid performances on the mat, winning or keeping matches close when they don’t.
The Huskies will compete in one of Oregon’s toughest tournaments, the Oregon Classic in Redmond, this weekend. The boys go in as the No. 2 seed and the girls as the No. 3 seed. Also, multiple Sweet Home Mat Club wrestlers have qualified for the kids divisions.
Earl Gillis Invitational Results
Newberg 51, Sweet Home 22
106 – Kyle Watkins (SH) pinned Malaki Amaya (N) 1:04); 113 – Nicky Olmstead (N) pinned Treyson Smith (SH) (1:36); 120 – Ayden Garver (N) pinned Connor Ford (SH) (1:14); 126 – Christopher Strange (N) pinned Keegan Fox (SH) (1:21); 132 – Micah Worthington (N) pinned Robert Watkins (SH) (4:31); 138 – Jackson Royer (SH) dec. Charlie Evans (N) 11-5; 145 – Robbie Yunke (SH) dec. Joey Moody (N) 6-3; 152 – Travis Thorpe (SH) pinned Gavin Korkeakoski (N) (3:35); 160 – Boe Baxter (SH) maj. dec. Hayden Hampton (N) 12-3; 170 – Rowan Gallardo (N) pinned Hayden McDonald (SH) (3:04); 182 – Oliver Myers (N) won by forfeit; 195 – Hunter James (N) dec. Nich James (SH) 5-1; 220 – Jordan Beaudry (N) pinned Jake Fanning (SH) (0:34); 285 – Connor O`Bryan (N) pinned David McMullen (SH) (0:45).
Sweet Home 58, Milwaukie 15
106 – Kyle Watkins (SH) pinned Alfredo Castillo (M) (2:24); 113 – Treyson Smith (SH) pinned Devin Greeley (M) (3:52); 120 – Connor Ford (SH) pinned Jaden South (M) (0:26); 126 – Keegan Fox (SH) pinned Wade Peterson (M) (2:55); 132 – Robert Watkins (SH) pinned Jacob Ashley (M) (3:28); 138 – Bryant Smith (M) dec. Jackson Royer (SH) 7-2; 145 – Robbie Yunke (SH) pinned Osric White (M) (0:34); 152 – Travis Thorpe (SH) pinned Larry Sutton (M) (3:03); 160 – Boe Baxter (SH) maj. dec. Korbyn Amundson (M) 19-7; 170 – Double Forfeit; 182 – Nich James (SH) pinned Fiona McConnell (M) (0:19); 195 – Peter Foulke (M) pinned Austin Olin (SH) 3:07; 220 – Jake Fanning (SH) pinned Austin Aune (M) (5:05); 285 – Dylan Moore (M) pinned Carsen Perry (SH) (0:57).
Sweet Home 51, David Douglas 18
106 – Kyle Watkins (SH) pinned Marquez Goldsby (DD) (3:44); 113 – Hayden Narruhn (DD) dec. Treyson Smith (SH) 7-0; 120 – Connor Ford (SH) dec. Damauri Crawley (DD) 6-3; 126 – Keegan Fox (SH) pinned Adam Young (DD) (3:03); 132 – Kyle Watkins (SH) pinned Jaden Poulshock (DD) (1:04); 138 – Jackson Royer (SH) pinned Xavier Massad (DD) (2:56); 145 – Robbie Yunke (SH) pinned Christopher Dominguez Ford (DD) (1:02); 152 – Travis Thorpe (SH) pinned Maximos Garcia (DD) (2:56); 160 – Boe Baxter (SH) dec. Omarr Narruhn (DD) 3-2; 170 – Hayden McDonald (SH) pinned Michael Hodge (DD) (4:45); 182 – Romeo Manue (DD) dec. Nich James (SH) 3-1; 195 – Josiah Green (DD) pinned Austin Olin (SH) (0:33); 220 – Mostafa Abdul Wahad (DD) pinned Jake Fanning (SH) (3:42); 285 – David McMullen (SH) dec. Micah Cashdollar (DD) 4-2.
Banks Dual
Sweet Home 59, Banks 21
106 – Hunter Smith (B) dec. Kyle Watkins (SH) (7-1); 113 – Treyson Smith (SH) pinned Dylan Smith (B) (3:41); 120 – Connor Ford (SH) pinned Mason Warren (B) (0:29); 126 – Keegan Fox (SH) won by forfeit; 132 – Robert Watkins (SH) pinned Bennett Turner (B) (3:02); 138 – Jackson Royer (SH) pinned Tyler Smith (B) (2:34); 145 – Robbie Yunke (SH) pinned Colby Smith (B) (0:50); 152 – Travis Thorpe (SH) pinned Tanner Thompson (B) (5:16); 160 – Boe Baxter (SH) won by technical fall pinned Johnathan Dudley (B) (16-1, 4:00); 170 – Hayden McDonald (SH) pinned Rephael Mauck (B) (0:35); 182 – Nich James (SH) pinned Tyler Nies (B) (0:21); 195 – Thomas Cook (B) pinned Austin Olin (SH) (0:22); 220 – James Ellis (B) pinned Jake Fanning (SH) (1:17); 285 – Risdon White (B) pinned Levi Baird (SH) (0:54).