Tyler Schilling was named Outstanding Wrestler for the Huskies at their annual wrestling awards banquet held Sunday evening at the high school.
“He had to bear a lot of burdens, a lot of pressure, but he had big shoulders,” said Coach Steve Thorpe of the junior, who finished the year 51-5, with 41 initial takedowns and 35 falls, which also brought him the Most Falls and Most Takedowns awards.
The fact that Schilling was disappointed with a fourth-place finish at state, his third straight year on the podium, was an indication of “how high he sets his goals,” Thorpe said, pointing out that he himself never finished that high in high school.
Rookie of the Year went to freshman Kobe Olson, who “turned it on this year,” the coach said, and won 39 matches before finishing one win away from a state medal.
Most Improved went to sophomore Joe Rasmussen and freshman Dillon Stutzman.
Rasmussen “wasn’t that dedicated last year” but turned it around this season and finished fifth in the regionals in a very competitive weight class, just missing a trip to state, Thorpe said, while Stutzman, who was new to wrestling, showed toughness and “bought into what we were selling.”
The Iron Man Award, presented to one or more individuals who are “always there” and even on “bad days, still go fast and hard,” went to junior Anthony Hardee and to sophomore Tyrel Miller, who placed fifth at state.
The Work Horse Award went to senior Ian Search, who came back to the team after three knee surgeries and who never missed a workout all season, Thorpe said. He noted that Search has “run the gamut” of Husky wrestling, starting as a 103-pounder and finishing as a senior big enough to qualify as a heavyweight. “He never missed a morning run,” Thorpe said of Search’s final year as a wrestler.
Those making The List, which recognizes wrestlers who “ have taken advantage of all of the opportunities provided to them by the Sweet Home wrestling program” were: Olson, Aaron Blanchard, Jason Miller, Search, Tyler Fincher, Rasmussen, Travis Petersen, Jake Porter, Hardee and Schilling.
The Huskies finished the season with 26 dual wins and won the Sky-Em League dual meet title, but did not win a trophy at state for the first time since 2004.
It was also the “biggest transition year” for Thorpe, he told the crowd of 100-plus who turned out for the banquet. “(Former assistants) Steve Hummer went to South Albany and (Tim) Boatright retired. Those two people, who I only knew the Sweet Home wrestling program with, went in different directions.”
He expressed appreciation for new assistant Matt Mahr, along with Tomas Rosa and Steve Schilling.
Also honored were stats keepers Kourtney Dixon, who has completed four years as a statistician, Tahali Robbins, Nicole Rasmussen, Natalie Thorpe, Adrianna Perez, Natasha Rasmussen and Gracie Olson, who also served as team manager.
Third-year letter winners were seniors Ben Terry and Dylan Elder, and juniors Anthony Hardee and Tyler Schilling. There were no four-year letter winners.
Second-year letters went to junior Jason Miller and Cole Ashcraft, and sophomores Aaron Blanchard and Tyrel Miller.
First-year letter winners were senior Spencer Knight, who placed fifth in the region in a very competitive weight division after one year of high school wrestling, senior Jimmy Sullivan, who transferred in from Lebanon earlier this school year, junior Travis Petersen; sophomores Gavin Baskins and Joe Rasmussen; and freshmen Evan Feigum, Tyuler Fincher, Kobe Olson and Jake Porter.
Junior varsity certificates went to Keegan Moore-McKay, Daniel Rooney, JC Elder, Austin Harvey, Oscar Hernandez, Nock McIntire and Dillon Stutzman.
Thorpe and senior wrestlers urged the nine freshmen to stay focused.
“This class right here is very valuable,” Thorpe said, noting that only four of the six seniors were left from their freshman class. “It’s important for them to see what they need to do. There were a lot more freshmen than we have seniors here tonight. Who’s going to stay motivated, eligible and clean? I want you guys to make a mental note. I hope you figure it out. You guys have lots of responsibility.”