Sweet Home won both the boys and girls tournaments of the Linn County Championships Friday, Jan. 3, led by five individual champions for the boys and four for the girls.
“That was a huge accomplishment for our women,” Coach Steve Thorpe said. “These girls work hard. They get what they deserve.”
Of 26 boys entered in the tournament, 25 scored for the Huskies. Thorpe said all of his Sweet Home wrestlers contribute in such a tournament, including those who don’t place high or win many matches.
“Those non-scorers sure knocked a lot of people out,” he said.
Finishing first for the girls were Sicily Neuschwander at 105 pounds, Lexi Schilling at 115, Jessy Hart at 125, and Kami Hart at 155. Paige Chafin was second at 120.
Team-wise, the Huskies finsihed with 56 points, ahead of West Albany (49) and Santiam (14).
“It’s great that they get that achievement as they get closer to the women’s Classic,” he said. “Lexi has really stepped up in her leadership. That’s what you have to have on any team.”
For the boys, champions were Jake Sieminski at 106, Rian Howard at 126, Travis Thorpe at 160, Jesse Jamison at 170 and Nich James at 182.
“Jesse Jamison had one of his best tournaments,” Steve Thorpe said of the sophomore. ” He just let himself go and that’s what he needs to do.”
He said James is steadily improving, thanks to an increasing number of matches, and Travis Thorpe is wrestling consistently well, to the point that he was named Outstanding Wrestler for the tournament – for the third year in a row.
“The coaches vote on that,” the elder Thorpe noted.
Howard’s individual title was his fourth in a row, but his first for Sweet Home. Sieminski’s was also the first for the freshman.
Placing second were Kyle Watkins at 120 and Jackson Royer at 138, after a medical forfeit in the final to Caleb Hart of West Albany. Thorpe said he didn’t want Royer wrestling too much on a healing ankle, hence the finals forfeit.
Third-place finishers for the Huskies were: Dominic Rodriguez at 106, Treyson Smith at 113, Trenton Smith at 126, Christian Gregory at 132, Isaac Shaffer at 160, Iakona Howerton at 195, Jake Fanning at 220 and Colby Gazeley at 285.
“Isaac had a good tournament, finding himself in the mix. He keeps improving,” Thorpe said. “Jake Fanning competed very hard. He is continuing to get better for us.”
Placing fourth were: Brandon Elder at 120, Connor Ford at 132, Kaden Zajic at 138, Tristan Spencer at 145, Ethan Spencer at 152, Charlie Crawford at 170, and Tucker Weld at 182.
The Spencer brothers are particularly contributing in the scoring column, Thorpe said.
Finishing sixth were Brayden Newport at 145, who lost two matches via injury defaults, Gavin Walburg at 152, and Marc Kanngiesser at 220.
Team-wise, Sweet Home scored 277 points, ahead of West Albany (237.5), Lebanon (161), Scio (114.5), Harrisburg (102), Central Linn (96.5) South Albany (74) and Santiam (13).
The Huskies will be back in action, at home on Thursday, Jan. 9, hosting Mazama and Elmira.
The two visitors will wrestle first, at 5 p.m., then Sweet Home will wrestle Mazama, which will give the Medford school a chance to get an early start home. The Huskies will then wrestle Elmira.
If the Huskies win both duals, Thorpe will celebrate his 600th win.
Going into Thursday’s matches, he is 598-135 over his 24 years at the helm.
He said he hasn’t really thought much about his record since moving past Norm Davis’ record of 504 wins.
“That was the mark,” he said, adding that all of the wins by Sweet Home are a group effort – of many assistant coaches, many wrestlers and their supporters.
“To be narrowing in on 600, that’s a neat number, but it speaks volumes of what this program does. Not just me. A lot of different coaches have sat in the corners: Tim Boatright has been there forever. Tomas Rosa. Steve Schilling. Brock Crocker and now Colton Schilling.
“And there have been a lot of guys who aren’t here any more: Steve Hummer, Fritz Yunke, Kyle Temple, Shannon Stover, Eric Tagle.
“They have been part of many of these wins. It goes well beyond just what I do, by far. I think it’s very important that that number just totally reflects what’s been done by hundreds and hundreds of kids, what they have done for his program. In 600 dual wins, not everybody was 100 percent. Not everybody was wrestling at the weight they actually weighed. There have bene unselfish efforts by everybody.
“It goes beyond what I do, by far.”
He acknowledged that it’s “hard work” keeping a top-flight program going. But from the bottom up, Sweet Home wrestlers know what’s expected, he said.
“We’re a program. We recruit hard, we promote our sport, we promote what we do. There’s a level of expectation on a Sweet Home wrestler. You’re expected to compete every time you step on the mat. You don’t have to be the best, but you have to do your best.”
He said he’s looking forward to Thursday’s duals, then on to the Earl Gillis duals tournament on Saturday, which will feature some of the best teams in the state.
“I’m looking forward to getting this, but don’t expect that me getting 600 is going to be a swan song,” Thorpe said, with a wry grin. “I’m not leaving.”