By Ryker Burr
For The New Era
Lebanon’s Girls Wrestling team finished 12th out of 15 teams that competed at the 6A-5A Special District 3 Meet, which took place in West Salem this past weekend, but two Warriors qualified for the state championships.
Dallas won with 324 ½ points; North Salem was second with 266; and McNary took third with 217 ½. The Warriors scored 37 points.
“Unfortunately, we had the majority of our girls out for injuries,” Head Coach Brooklyn McElroy reported.A recent flu outbreak did not make things easier either.
“It really hit us. Even the coaching staff,” McElroy said.
Two of the five available girls punched their ticket to the Veterans Memorial Coliseum: Mary Jane Duty (second at 110) and Zoee Ruonavaara (fourth at 235).
McElroy shared the expectations for Ruonavaara’s first state dance: “For Zoee, just compete. Go out there and give it all we’ve got.”
Jane will also compete at state for the first time after an injury robbed her of the opportunity her freshman season. McElroy said nerves got to her in her sophomore season.
But she clearly hasn’t failed to show potential.
“We love her. She’s great. She’s super spunky.”
State will take place at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland Feb. 27-28. More information, including the soon-to-be revealed brackets, can be found on OSAA’s website.