By Ryker Burr
For The New Era
A Lebanon wrestling team debilitated by illness fell Wednesday, Jan. 28, at home to Mid-Willamette Conference foe Silverton
“We had about three kids out and lost by about 16,” Head Coach Michael Cox reported.
But Cox – who’s in the midst of his 20th season as the Warriors’ head coach – still saw matches worth celebrating.
“Jack Mitchell at 144 pounds had a huge pin, he wrestled very well. David Brandt at 150 pounds won a big match for us.”
The short-handed boys traveled to the Hood River Memorial Tournament on January’s final day, finishing 12th out of 16.
Redmond dominated the day and won by nearly 60 points (274.5). Oregon City (217.5) and Molalla (214) were the top runner-ups.
Seth Wynn (165) and Grady Cox (175) took home titles for the Warriors. Wynn was named the meet’s outstanding wrestler.
Tyson Trask (157) took second while teammate Cade Weber (165) finished third.
In addition to multiple Lebanon contenders being sick, Coach Cox will let Brandt rest this week, as the senior is near the allotted 50-match limit before districts.
The Lebanon girls traveled to the Southridge Smackdown for a tournament on Saturday, but could only bring four girls – Mary Jane Duty, Malerie Yankey, Kenley Mortenson, and Sophia Summerlin – after the aforementioned outbreak.
Duty pinned her way through the 110-pound bracket, besting her first two opponents in ten seconds or less. She defeated McNary’s Kallyn Bollman-Lechner in 1:44 in the championship match.
Lebanon’s remaining triplet went winless at the meet.
The depleted Warriors placed 14th out of 16 teams.
Dallas won the meet with 264.5 points; McNary took silver with 252; and Forest Grove brought home bronze after a 190 point effort.
Lebanon’s boys will travel to Silverton for an invite on Saturday, Feb. 7.
But before that, both Warrior teams will host Senior Night against Corvallis on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Junior varsity teams will face off at 5 p.m. Varsity will start an hour later.
Lebanon’s girls’ district meet will be Feb. 13-14 at West Salem.. Lebanon’s boys will compete for the MWC title Feb. 20-21 at Crescent Valley.
Huskies beat 5A champ Crater
Sweet Home Wrestling traveled 3½ hours for its biggest test of the season: a duel at the home of the defending 5A state-champions – Crater High School.
“This duel has been in the works for years. When you get the opportunity to pit two of Oregon’s best teams against each other, you gotta take it,” Head Coach Steve Thorpe said.
Crater and Sweet Home are two of the state’s most historic and successful wrestling programs. Both have nine state titles and are looking for their tenth this season.
But it was the road underdogs who came out on top, 45-31.
The Huskies were led by lightweight stars Riley Vaughan and Jesse Landtroop, two juniors (and defending state champions) who stood out to Thorpe.
Vaughan pinned last year’s 120-pound 5A runner-up and Landtroop pinned the 5A bronze-medalist from the preceding year.
“The boys came in with the mentality to win and they got the job done,” Thorpe stated of his first duel against the Comets since 2007.
The matchup meant nothing in terms of seeding, but as Thorpe explained last week, the contest was all but unimportant: “When you get two of the best teams in the state against each other, it’s good for the sport… It gives us somebody we’re not going to beat by 70.”
In the junior varsity duel, Sweet Home won by a lot tighter score: 24-18.
Five girls went along with the Huskies to wrestle some matches against the Comets.
Eturnity Allison and Kass Zajic were winners against Crater’s small girls team.
“She wrestled very well,” Thorpe said of Zajic, a freshman who is the sister of last year’s state runner-up at 157 pounds, Kyle Zajic.
AGATE BOX SCORE
Sweet Home 45, Crater 31
106 – Cody Sieminski (SH) won by tech fall over Mike Diaz-Torres (C) (16-1 3:24);
113 – Keegan Jefferson (SH) won by forfeit. 120: Riley Vaughan (SH) pinned Shane Smoker (C) (1:46); 126 – Jesse Landtroop (SH) pinned Brayden Martinez (C) (2:53); 132 – Jeremiah Oliva (C) dec. Tytus Hardee (SH) (9-2); 138 – Haeden Durighello (C) pinned Jasper Victor (SH) (4:39); 144 – Dillan Davis (SH) pinned Carter Cole (C) (3:54); 150 – Macen Rosa (SH) won by DQ over Asher West (C); 157 – Jaxon Godley (C) pinned Jackson Knight (SH) (0:57); 165 – Kutter Christensen (C) maj. Dec. Kyle Zajic (SH) (14-4); 175 – Luke Rosa (SH) maj. dec. Jethro Watkins (C) (13-0); 190 – Ryland Walters (C) pinned Jeremiah Steagall (SH) (3:21); 215 – Elijah Cruz (SH) pinned Elijah Cole (C) (2:18); 285 – Travis Ege (C) pinned Lynkin Royer (SH) (1:59).
Sweet Home will host Senior Night Wednesday, Feb. 4, taking on the Tillamook Cheesemakers. The junior varsity dual will begin at 5 p.m., followed by senior recognition at 6. The varsity duals will immediately follow senior recognition.
