Sweet Home wrestlers will host a team from New Zealand at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 19, in the Main Gym.
The New Zealand team is coming to Oregon from Indiana, said Sweet Home Coach Steve Thorpe. Following their stay in Sweet Home, they will go to Forest Grove on Friday, then back to New Zealand.
“It’s going to be fun to have the opportunity to host these guys,” Thorpe said. “We have never hosted New Zealand. I don’t know what to expect. I don’t know what level they are at.”
He said the local team will consist of mainly Sweet Home wrestlers, including possibly two alums, Sweet Home assistant Tomas Rosa, who will wrestle one of the New Zealand coaches, and Kyle Temple, now coaching in Stayton. Both wrestled at Southern Oregon University.
Cost for Thursday’s event will be $3 for students, $5 for adults.
Off-season wrestling continues at Sweet Home. Three wrestlers – Tyler Cowger, Brayden Newport and Travis Thorpe – competed at the Reno World tournament last weekend and the state freestyle and Greco tournaments will be held this coming weekend in Forest Grove.
Also, a benefit auction for the wrestling program will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28, at the Boys and Girls Club. Cost is $15 per person and admission is limited to adults. Hors d’oeuvres and no-host drinks will be available.
A social hour and silent auction will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., with the live auction beginning at 8 p.m. Items to be sold include Gerber knives, guided fishing, a black Labrador retriever puppy, a Benelli SBEII shotgun, a custom chicken coop, golfing, trips, rifles and more.
For more information, contact Steve Thorpe at (541) 401-1154 or (541) 367-7160 during the day.