Sky Chappell
The OSAA/OnPoint State Championship that happened over the weekend finished with Sweet Home boys taking first place in the 4A division and the girls taking eighth place in the 4A/3A/2A/1A division. Along with 15 Huskies placing, four Huskies left this championship in first place.
Kyle Sieminski (54-3) placed first for his fourth year in a row, becoming the first Sweet Home High School student to win four state championships back to back.
Ashton Swanson (48-8) placed first, pinning his way through the tournament. Jesse Landtroop (47-6) placed first, as well as returning state champ Bailey Chafin (4-0) who also placed first, pinning her way through the tournament.
“I’m very proud of it. You know, there’s always matches you wish you would have won or thought you should have won. But it was still a great tournament,” Coach Steve Thorpe said. “We have an extreme[ly] high expectation for ourselves.”
“Anybody can just make it to state. But when we get to a state tournament, we’re going there, and this year, we went there to win a state title. Every year, we’re a team that’s a perennial powerhouse,” Thorpe said. “I’m very proud of our coaches, our parents and our kids. I’ve already told my kids, they trusted what we’re teaching, they trusted us coaches. The ones that don’t trust us don’t succeed.”
Other teams may often have “contentions” among coaches, parents and/or athletes, but the SHHS teams got to focus on nothing more than what they went there for, wrestling.
“Our girls came off of a regional title, winning a region with 55 teams [they] won 1A-4A. Some of the brackets had 24 girls, and they came off of that and entered into a state tournament where they had a 10 person bracket. It was kind of tough on the bracket.” Thorpe said, “We did not finish what we had hoped, we wanted a trophy, and finished eighth.”
This however, will not stop Thorpe. “We’re going to go to work this spring, we’re going to try to recruit more girls to come out next year, try to have a big team and increase our expectations of them. [But] not doing a lot different, just keep doing what we’ve been doing.”
Going forward, the team plans to have their annual potluck style banquet, March 10, at 5 p.m. located in the cafeteria of Sweet Home High. As Thorpe said, “Anybody that [has] supported Sweet Home wrestling is welcome to attend.”
Results for the championship follow by weight:
4A-106 Jesse Landtroop (47-6) placed 1st and scored 25.0 team points.
4A-106 Keegan Jefferson (33-17) placed 6th and scored 12.0 team points.
4A-113 Riley Vaughan (28-13) place is unknown and scored 6.0 team points.
4A-113 Tytus Hardee (44-14) placed 4th and scored 16.0 team points.
4A-120 Kyle Sieminski (54-3) placed 1st and scored 30.0 team points.
4A-120 Dillan Davis (26-13) place is unknown and scored 4.0 team points.
4A-126 Jayce Miller (42-13) placed 3rd and scored 22.0 team points.
4A-126 Harrison Kegler (25-22) place is unknown and scored 7.0 team points.
4A-132 James Hearick (33-22) place is unknown and scored 3.0 team points.
4A-144 Kyle Zajic (42-17) placed 5th and scored 15.0 team points.
4A-150 Jacob Landtroop (38-16) placed 2nd and scored 22.0 team points.
4A-157 Luke Rosa (39-14) placed 2nd and scored 21.0 team points.
4A-165 Ryker Hartsook (41-16) placed 4th and scored 17.0 team points.
4A-175 Ashton Swanson (48-8) placed 1st and scored 30.0 team points.
4A-190 David Steagall (35-14) placed 6th and scored 7.0 team points.
4A-215 Dylan Sharp (25-13) placed 3rd and scored 19.0 team points.
4A-215 Lynkin Royer (38-16) place is unknown and scored 7.0 team points.
4A-285 Colton Bennett (38-18) placed 4th and scored 20.0 team points.
4A/3A/2A/1A Girls 105 Amelia Sullens (0-2) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
4A/3A/2A/1A Girls 110 Alizeah Weikel (2-2) place is unknown and scored 7.0 team points.
4A/3A/2A/1A Girls 120 Riley Watkins (2-1) placed 2nd and scored 20.0 team points.
4A/3A/2A/1A Girls 125 Bailey Chafin (4-0) placed 1st and scored 28.0 team points.
4A/3A/2A/1A Girls 130 Lydia Wright (0-2) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
4A/3A/2A/1A Girls 140 Lily Bishop (0-1) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
4A/3A/2A/1A Girls 145 Kaylene Zajic (0-2) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.