Sweet Home ended its regular season Thursday, Feb. 10, with dual meet victories over Stayton, 65-16, and Newport, 72-9, at Newport.
Those wins gave the Huskies a 31-8 dual meet record for the year.
“That’s not bad for an 0-4 start,” said Coach Steve Thorpe, referring to his team’s stumbling start in their season-opening four-way dual, in which they lost to Henley, Lebanon, Crook County and Cascade at home.
Things have changed since then and the Huskies have gone on to what has become a fairly typical season – rolling over all but the top-flight opponents, placing third in the 4A Division at the Oregon Wrestling Classic, and 10th at the Reser’s Tournament of Champions, considered one of the toughest tournaments in the nation.
But that’s all history now as Sweet Home heads for the regional meet Friday and Saturday at Stayton.
Thursday’s matches gave the Huskies a chance to polish things up and some wrestlers a chance to lock in at the weights they will wrestle at in the regional meet.
Thorpe said Newport is “much improved” under new coach Rich Russell, a two-time state champion under former Sweet Home Coach Norm Davis when Davis coached in Idaho.
“I knew some things would turn around,” Thorpe said of Russell. “They came out aggressive. It was nice to see.”
Still, Sweet Home won all but one match, not counting a double forfeit at 215.
Alex Armstrong came from behind to pin his opponent at 171 pounds, drawing praise from the coach, who also credited Colby DeCleve with a good night at 125 pounds and Wade Paulus at 189, both getting two falls.
“Colby just wrestled hard the whole time,” Thorpe said. “It’s nice to see that. And Wade Paulus on the upper end is becoming a tough and dangerous wrestler.”
He noted that Jacob Jewell (160), Tyler Cowger (140) and Kris Newport (152) have locked in at the weights they will wrestle at in the regional meet.
“It’s nice to see them get to see what it’s going to be like,” Thorpe said.
Against Stayton, he said, Trever Olson lost 3-2 to Shane Sheppard at 135 pounds, but it was a “hard-fought” match, Thorpe said.
In the regionals on Friday, Sweet Home will face Cascade, Central, Cottage Grove, Elmira, Junction City, Newport, Philomath, Stayton and Taft – most of the Sky-Em Conference and all of the Capital Coast League teams.
“This isn’t like the old district,” Thorpe said. “I think it will be between us and Cascade for the regional.”
Cascade has beaten Sweet Home twice, the last time by a 34-33 score, in dual meet competition this year. The Huskies have 26 wrestlers entered in the tournament. Cascade has 23.
“They’re good,” Thorpe said. “It’s going to be a tight race. It’s not like the old district tournament when there were just a few kids and a bunch of byes. These are full brackets. It will be good wrestling.”
Wrestling starts at 11 a.m. both days, on Friday with two rounds of championship action, followed by two consolation rounds. Then, on Saturday, the championship semifinals will start at 11 a.m., followed by the consolation brackets through fifth and sixth place. Then, at a time to be announced at the tournament, the championship finals, and third- and fourth-place matches will be held at the same time. The top four place-winners qualify for state.
Sweet Home 65, Stayton 16
103 – Colbentz (S) pinned Ian Search (SH) 3:33; 112 – Justin Nicholson (SH) won by forfeit; 119 – Colton Schilling (SH) won by forfeit; 125 – Colby DeCleve (SH) pinned Howard (S) :50; 130 – Ty Harvey (SH) pinned Redman (S) 5:04; 135 – Sheppard (S) def. Trever Olson (SH) 3-2; 140 – Tyler Cowger (SH) pinned C. Smith (S) :53; 145 – Kyle Hummer (SH) pinned K. Blythe (S) 2:57; 152 – Kris Newport (SH) inj. def. K. Gross (S); 160 – Jacob Jewell (SH) pinned Walle (S) 1:44; 171 – Alex Armstrong (SH) pinned Williams (S) 4:16; 189 – Wade Paulus (SH) pinned Hart (S) :24; 215 – Kuzie (S) pinned John Markert (SH) 1:58; 285 – Zach Gill (SH) won by forfeit.
Sweet Home 72, Newport 9
103 – Justin Nicholson (SH) pinned Estada (N) 1:27; 112 – Hadnes (N) dec. Ian Search (SH) 4-1; 119 – Colton Schilling (SH) pinned Bittner (N) :33; 125 – Colby DeCleve (SH) pinned Martinez (N) :53; 130 – Ty Harvey (SH) won by forfeit; 135 – Trever Olson (SH) pinned Hernandez (N) :30; 140 – Tyler Cowger (SH) pinned Barclay (N) 1:52; 145 – Kyle Hummer (SH) won by forfeit; 152 – Kris Newport (SH) pinned Hale (N) 1:17; 160 – Jacob Jewell (SH) pinned Grant (N) 2:28; 171 – Alex Armstrong (SH) pinned Brown (N) 3:16; 189 – Wade Paulus (SH) pinned Jaques (N) 3:14; 215 – Double Forfeit; 285 – Zach Gill (SH) pinned Wallis (N) 1:09.