Benny Westcott
Sweet Home High School senior Jacob Sieminski has been honored by the Oregon Army National Guard as the state’s Most Valuable Teammate in boys’ wrestling.
Sieminski finished the 2022-23 wrestling season with a 54-4 record and his third Class 4A state championship, this time in the 132-pound division.
Wrestling coach Steve Thorpe nominated the multi-sport athlete (who has also competed in football, cross country and baseball) for the honor, which was distributed by the Oregon School Activities Association in partnership with the Guard. (West Albany wrestler Ariana Martinez was the other Linn County award recipient.)
According to Thorpe, being a good teammate in the program means a willingness to work with and support everyone, whether they’re in the varsity lineup or a first-year competitor. Sieminski, he said, epitomized that quality.
“He supported our men’s and women’s team,” Thorpe said. “Part of being a great teammate is being a great leader, and he held people accountable. He called you out if you weren’t working hard. If you didn’t run hard, he had to say something.”
He felt the senior’s leadership went beyond words.
“What makes him a most valuable teammate for me is the leadership he exhibited this year, not just with a voice but by his example,” Thorpe said.
“He’s one of the top wrestlers in the state of Oregon and one of the best kids on his team, yet he’s still the guy that will grab the med kit when we’re going somewhere, pick up the locker room, work with brand-new kids, help coach mat club and clean mats. To me, the humbling part of that makes him even better than just a good wrestler.
“You get some great athletes in different programs and schools, and some of them are too good to clean or pick up trash, or they’re too cool to be involved in assemblies at school or mentor a junior-high kid,” he continued. “But Jake just does all of that.”
Thorpe applauded the wrestler’s dedication.
“The expectation he held on himself was an everyday thing for him,” he said. “And it started every morning at 6:30 a.m. with our morning workout.”
Thorpe described Sieminski as someone who sought opportunities to improve.
“He takes advantage of every opportunity there is,” he said. “He doesn’t miss any of the practices, spring/summertime stuff or wrestling camps. He does it all, and he’s been a three-sport athlete for the last four years. That makes him pretty valuable, I think.”