By Ryker Burr
For The New Era
Sweet Home Wrestling keeps on rolling, winning its third-consecutive Oregon Classic crown this past weekend at Deschutes Fairgrounds.
Sweet Home dominated La Grande 54-23 in the championship match to take home the title.
Pendleton downed Cascade for third place, 42-32.
In the championship bracket, Sweet Home’s total score throughout three duals was 187-39. That was a meaningful score, said Head Coach Steve Thorpe.
“This is the unofficial dual-meet state championship,” he said. “I wrestled in the very first one back in 1984, and this is the first time I’ve three-peated as a coach.”
In six duals (84 matches), the Huskies only lost 12 matches en-route to an undefeated campaign. Sweet Home had more falls than any other team at the tournament.
The defending state champion at 132 pounds, senior Tytus Hardee, did return this weekend. He picked up right where he left off, going undefeated at the meet.
“Hardee’s leadership was huge. He wasn’t 100 percent, but you wouldn’t know it,” said Thorpe.
Sweet Home had five other wrestlers go undefeated: Cody Sieminski (106), Riley Vaughan (120), Jesse Landtroop (126), who remains undefeated on the season; Macen Rosa (144), and Jeremiah Steagall (190).
“We had a few kids that weren’t 100 percent. But you just put that stuff behind you and go compete,” Thorpe stated.
The girls, who made the championship bracket, placed eighth out of 24 teams from 4A-6A division levels.
Crook County rode off with the title, while Redmond and Thurston placed second and third.
Lyla Ventura (110), Bella Rico (125), Bailey Chafin (130), Hailey Borromeo (135), Madison Looney (140), and Eturnity Allison (170) – who saw her first action since returning from injury – all won two of three matches at the tournament.
Both Sweet Home wrestling teams will host Sprague for a dual on Wednesday, Jan. 21. Wrestling will begin at 5 p.m.
The boys will then compete at the Reser’s Tournament of Champions the following Friday and Saturday.