Ethan Hoagland
It’s full steam ahead for Sweet Home High School’s wrestlers, after a series of opening wins at the Weisbrodt Invitational at Lebanon High School. Held Nov. 29, head coach Steve Thorpe said the team got a good glimpse of this season’s competition.
“We opened up well, I thought,” Thorpe said. “We had four freshmen on our lineup. They all just competed incredibly well for us.
“It’s always great when we can go down the road and get matches and find out where we’re at, what we need to do,” Thorpe noted.
The boys went 3-0, according to Thorpe, beating out a close duel against the Dallas boys team.
“Coming away with all three wins [at the invitational] was Keegan Jefferson, who’s a freshman, Jessie Lantroop, who’s a freshman. Tytus Hardee, he went 3-0, he’s a returning state placer. Kyle Sieminski, he’s a returning three-time champ, went 3-0,” Thorpe said. Ryker Hartsook was also among those going 3-0 at the Weisbrodt Invitational, according to Thorpe.
“Everything we’re doing right now is just focusing where we need to get better.”
Sweet Home’s girls wrestling team opened strong as well, going 2-1 after “losing a close duel to Dallas” at the Invitational.
“Our girls competed incredibly well,” Thorpe said. “They picked up dual wins against Tigard, West Albany.” Thorpe pointed out that many of the girls were first-time wrestlers getting critical early-season experience.
Among the girls going individually undefeated at the Weisbrodt Invitational was Bailey Chafin, Lydia Wright, Kaylene Zajic, Madi Looney, Alyssa Peterson and Emmaline Durrett.
With the Weisbrodt Invitational under their belts, Sweet Home High School’s wrestlers headed over to the Perry Burlison Wrestling Tournament to face even more stiff competition.
“It’s one of the toughest tournaments in the state,” Thorpe remarked. “It is a barn-burner. But we’re gonna have our entire squad.”