After beating Newport on Thursday, the Sweet Home wrestlers finished second in the South Albany Invitational Saturday, a good finish to a rough week, according to Coach Steve Thorpe.
“We had a lot of things hit us this week,” Thorpe said. Two varsity wrestlers, Levi Weikel and Leif Erickson, dropped off the squad, he said, and a number of wrestlers were battling the flu.
Though the Huskies did not enter wrestlers in two weights, they still managed to finish just five points behind West Salem (110), with 105 points. West Albany was third (104), followed by Southridge (86) and Mountain View.
Taylor Tagle (103) and Rob Helfrich (189) were individual champions for the Huskies in the varsity competition. In the junior varsity competition, Mitch Grove (103), Casey Johnson (112), Chris Farris (119) and Jake Smith (125) all took first.
“The JV kids competed really well along with the varsity,” Thorpe said. “They were cheering for each other and taking care of each other. That’s what a team does. I like to see that at this point in the season.”
The junior varsity squad finished second with 106 points, behind West Albany (147) and ahead of Southridge (96), Bend (80) and North Salem (58).
Other varsity wrestlers for the Huskies Danny Johnson (third at 112), Jack Perry (second at 119), Brock Crocker (fifth at 125), Joe McCaslin (third at 130), KC Hanscam (135, did not place), Nick Pitts (third at 145), Sawyer Anderson (152, DNP), Brandon Lawson (fourth at 160), Cory Ottre (171, DNP), and Matt Parker (third at 215).
Other junior varsity finishers were Matt Grove (second at 112), Daniel Smith (fifth at 145), Brad Pitts (sixth at 152), Josh Ward (sixth at 160), Anthony Albright (third at 171) and Marc Callagan (third at 189),
At Newport on Thursday, Sweet Home won 65-12 over the Cubs. Taft, which had just four wrestlers, was beaten 68-3 by the Huskies.
The Huskies will host Central Thursday, Feb. 1, at 6 p.m., in their final home match of the season. The district tournament is Feb. 9-10 at Philomath.
“We’re getting the team bonding we need,” Thorpe said. “The guys are getting very good focus, getting ready for the district tournament. Now we just have to get everybody healthy.”
Sweet Home 65, Newport 12
103 –Taylor Tagle (SH) pinned R. Gaul (N) :53; 112 – Danny Johnson (SH) pinned Card (N) :13; 119 – Jack Perry (SH) pinned Solfakas (N) 5:09; 125 – Brock Crocker (SH) won by forfeit; 130 – Joe McCaslin (SH) pinned Lekberg (N) 2:41; 135 – KC Hanscam (SH) won by forfeit; 140 – Keenar (N) pinned Lief Erickson (SH) 1:44; 145 – Nick Pitts (SH) won by technical fall over Doyle (N) 15-0; 152 – Sawyer Anderson (SH) won by major decision over Smith (N) 15-5; 160 – Cory Ottre (SH) won by forfeit; 171 – Brandon Lawson (SH) pinned Heame (N); 189 – Rob Helfrich (SH) won by major decisioni over Liggett (N) 12-2; 215 – Leis (N) won by forfeit; 285 – Matt Parker (SH) won by major decision over Lynch (N) 25-13.
Sweet Home 68, Taft 3
103- Taylor Tagle (SH) won by major decision over P. Ryan (T); 112 – Danny Johnson (SH) pinned Cox (T) :20; 119 – Jack Perry (SH) won by forfeit; 125 – Brock Crocker (SH) won by forfeit; 130 – Joe McCaslin (SH) won by technical fall over Cox (T) 15-0; 135 – Beatty (T) dec. KC Hanscam 4-1; 140 – Lief Erickson (SH) won by forfeit; 145 – Nick Pitts (SH) won by forfeit; 152 – Sawyer Anderson (SH) won by forfeit; 160 – Brandon Lawson (SH) won by forfeit; 171 – Cory Ottre (SH) won by forfeit; 189 – Rob Helrich (SH) won by forfeit; 285 – Matt Parker (SH) won by forfeit.