Sweet Home Mat Club had a host of placewinners at the Kids Freestyle and Greco State Championdships held April 26 at Central High School.
Kyle Sieminski was fifth in freestyle and Greco in Bantam 50 pounds; Jacob Sieminski was fourth in freestyle in Intermediate 60 pounds; Justin Maynard was fourth in freestyle and Greco in Intermediate 55 pounds; Jackson Royer was fourth in freestyle and Greco in Novice 80 pounds; Braden Newport was sixth in Greco in Novice 80 pounds;Jesse Jamison was fourth in freestyle and third in Greco in Novice 112 pounds; Robert Watkins was third in freestyle and fourth in Greco in Schoolboy 84 pounds; Travis Thorpe was second in Greco in Schoolboy 98 pounds; Ricky Yunke was second in freestyle and third in Greco in Schoolboy 105 pounds,; and Damian Shocker was fifth in freestyle and fourth in Greco in Schoolboy 128 pounds.
Also competing were Kyle Watkins in Novice 65 pounds, and Robbie Yunke in Schoolboy 91 pounds. They did not place.
In the high school competition, Kobe Olson was fourth in freestyle and Greco in Cadet 113 pounds; Tyler Fincher was fifth in freestyle and Greco in Cadet 120 pounds; Tyler Miller was sixth in freestyle after an injury default in Cadet 132 pounds; Jake Porter was fourth in freestyle and fifth in Greco at 145 pounds; Anthony Hardee was third in freestyle and Greco in Junior 120 pounds; and Tyler Schilling was fifth in freestyle and Greco in Junior 132 pounds.
Joe Rasmussen wrestled in the Junior 145-pound freestyle tournament, but did not place, and Jason Miller wrestled both Greco and freestyle in Junior 160 pounds, but did not place.
However, Coach Steve Thorpe said, both were a match away from the medals stand.
“Our kids all competed very, very well,” he said, noting that several wrestlers have competed in other recent tournaments. “We have been wrestling. A majority of these guys are doing this extra while they’re doing baseball or track. I’m incredibly proud of what they accomplished, how much better they got.”
The wrestlers will take a month off and then will prepare for the USA Wrestling West Kids and Cadet Regionals in Pocatello, Idaho June 16-21, and for the Kids Freestyle and Greco-Roman Nationals in Orem, UT June 23-25.
Sweet Home will host its annual wrestling camp July 12-15, with an all-star cast this year, since the camp has been designated as training for the Cadet and Junior wrestlers heading for Nationals in Fargo, N.D. and for Oregon’s Cultural Exchange team that is heading for New Zealand with Anthony Hardee and Kobe Olson on its roster.