Sweet Home’s wrestlers returned home Thursday, Jan. 19, for the first time after a uncharacteristic dual-meet loss to Cascade two weeks before.
Clearly the Huskies were in a different mode. They rolled over North Marion 65-9, then did the same to Culver, a top 2A team, 66-3 in a nightcap match.
“For me, that was a very special night because every one of my seniors was in the varsity lineup,” said coach Steve Thorpe. “Every senior won that night – the first time I’ve had that happen. To get that win in the last home meet of their senior year, under the light, is very special, very memorable. It’ll mean something to these kids 10 or 20 years down the road, I hope.”
On Friday and Saturday, Jan. 20 and 21, Sweet Home placed second out of 1y teams in the Pac Rim Tournament at Seaside.
Trevor Tagle (140) and Shane Vandehei (130) both won individual championships.
Thorpe said the Huskies struggled in the semi-finals, but “had some guys rebound after their semifinal loss and come out the back door (to place third).”
He said Jake Smith (119) in particular “wrestled an outstanding tournament,” beating Mike Coleman of Cascade, who pinned him two weeks ago.
“That shows how he’s been working,” Thorpe said.
Nick Pitts, who entered the Pac Rim as a non-scoring contestant at 145 pounds, upset a couple of opponents, Thorpe added.
The Huskies wrestle at Stayton on Thursday, Jan. 26, then travel to South Albany for a tournament Saturday, Jan. 28, at 9:30 a.m.
Pac Rim Tournament, Jan. 21
(17 Teams) Estacada 269, Sweet Home 200, Cascade 180.5, Coquille 142, Scappoose 128, Elmira 98.5, Tillamook 85, North Marion 84, Rainier 78.5, Molalla 75, Banks 66, Neah-kah-nie 63, Central 61, Seaside 59.5, Astoria 35.5, Warrenton 30, Vernonia 11.
Sweet Home Results
103 – Chris Farris, 4th
112 – Aris Somatis, DNP (did not place)
119 – Jake Smith, 3rd
125 – John Sutten, 3rd
130 – Shane Vandehei, Champion
135 – Levi Weikel, DNP
140 – Trevor Tagle, Champion
145 – Shorty Weikel, 3rd
145 – Nick Pitts (extra non-scorer), 4th
152 – Thomas Helfrich, 5th
152 – Sawyer Anderson (extra non-scorer), DNP
160 – Colton Cooley, 3rd
171 – Rob Helfrich, 5th
189 – Joey Ellis, 5th
215 – Shaw Valentine, DNP
275 – Matt Parker, DNP
Sweet Home 65, North Marion 9
103 – Chris Farris (SH) pinned Tyler Wilson (NM) 4:50; 112 – Aris Somatis (SH) pinned Brandon Moore (NM) :57; 119 – Jake Smith (SH) pinned Dan Sparks (NM) 1:09; 125 – John Sutten (SH) TF over Dan Mathies (NM) 4:00; 130 – Shane Vandehei (SH) pinned Syron Powlison (NM) :35; 135 – Travis Walker (SH) def. Chris Willmschen (NM) 1:54; 140 – Trevor Tagle (SH) def. Paul Cam (NM) 14-2; 145 – Shorty Weikel (SH) TF over Jese Ramirez 3:06; 152 – Tom Helfrich (SH) def. Grant Koutny 8-0; 160 – Colton Cooley (SH) def. Kyle Hall (NM) :57; 171 – Ivan Cam (NM) def. Rob Helfrich (SH) 10-8; 189 – Joey Ellis (SH) pinned Vincent Roberts (NM) :22; 215 – Dan Thompson (NM( pinned Shaw Valentine (SH) 3:46; 275 – Matt Parker (SH) pinned Ben Frey (NM) 1:09.
Sweet Home 66, Culver 3
103 – Chris Farris (SH) pinned Patrick Foster (C) 5:36; 112 – Aris Somatis (SH) pinned Michael Williams (C) 5:10; 119 – Jake Smith (SH) won by forfeit; 125 – Miguel Baltazar (C) def. John Sutten 8-2; 130 – Shane Vandehei (SH) def. Jeremy Thompson 9-6; 135 – Levi Weikel (SH) pinned Gerald Spears 1:26; 140 – Both teams forfeited; 145 – Trevor Tagle (SH) pinned Austin Clark (C) 1:03; 152 – Shorty Weikel pinned Levi Roberts 5:03; 160 – Colton Cooley pinned Austin Alley 1:48; 171 – Rob Helfrich def. Paul Krueger (2nd OT) 3-2; 189 – Joey Ellis pinned Luis Serna 1:56 ; 215 – Shaw Valentine won by forfeit; 275 – Matt Parker pinned Kyle Fisher 4:35.