Sweet Home said good-bye to its senior wrestlers Thursday night, Feb. 3, with decisive wins over Philomath and Central, a pre-regionals tune-up in which many of the seniors contributed.
The Huskies downed Philomath 59-9 and Central 72-2. They will wrestle Stayton and Newport Thursday, Feb. 10, at Newport in their last match before the regional meet, which will be held Feb. 18-19 at Stayton.
Coach Steve Thorpe said the performance against the former Val-Co opponents was “pretty good.”
“I didn’t expect to beat Philomath as bad as we did,” he said. “I’m pretty excited about how we competed. It was a big night for a few kids.”
Colton Schilling extended his unbeaten season record to 30-0 with a quick 41-second pin of Philomath’s Zach Leonard, who was ranked 12th in the state at 125 pounds.
Ian Search raised his season mark to 24 wins at 103 pounds and Wade Paulus pinned second-ranked Charlie Strouder of Philomath in their 189-pound bout.
“We had great efforts from a lot of people,” Thorpe said, crediting his wrestlers for their “unselfishness.” He was particularly pleased that 130-pounder Ty Harvey sat out against Philomath to give Colby DeCleve and Schilling a chance to move up and get matches after a forfeit at 112 pounds, Schilling’s normal weight class.
“For a junior that is good leadership,” Thorpe said.
Senior Mike Harry got a fall against Central’s Fry Villalba at 171 pounds in the place of normal varsity wrestler Kyle Sorenson, who was injured. Senior John Markert earned a technical fall and pinned his other opponent at 215.
Jacob Jewell and Kyle Hummer, who has been sick, both lost fairly close matches against Philomath.
“I hate to see him lose,” Thorpe said of Hummer, who has been very consistent in recent weeks. “That’s how it goes in wrestling.”
He said the Huskies are showing consistency up and down the line.
“We’re wrestling well right now.”
Note: The junior varsity tournament scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 9, has been cancelled.
Sweet Home 59, Philomath 9
103 – Ian Search (SH) pinned Jimmy Beartlein (P) 3:05; 112 – Justin Nicholson (SH) pinned Brian Blyth (P) 3:11; 119 – Scottie Stockman (SH) won by forfeit; 125 – Colton Schilling (SH) pinned Zach Leonard (P) :41; 130 – Colby DeCleve (SH) pinned Seth Faust (P) 3:30; 135 – Zach Trask (P) def. Trever Olson (SH) 5-1; 140 – Mikael Hill (P) def. Kyle Hummer (SH) 10-8 (OT); 145 – Tyler Cowger (SH) maj. dec. Dakota Benson (P) 15-2; 152 – Kris Newport (SH) maj. dec. Troy Thurman (P) 17-5; 160 – Braydon Calder (P) dec. Jacob Jewell (SH) 5-2; 171 – Alex Armstrong (SH) dec. Riley Watkins (P) 11-7; 189 – Wade Paulus (SH) pinned Charlie Strouder (P) 2:33; 215 – John Markert (SH) pinned Lucus Sinclair (P) 2:17; 285 – Zach Gill (SH) won by forfeit.
Sweet Home 72, Central 2
103 – Ian Search (SH) won by forfeit; 112 – Justin Nicholson (SH) pinned Khristian Blackwell (C) 1:05; 119 – Scottie Stockman (SH) pinned Reymundo Delatore (C) 1:35; 125 – Colby DeCleve (SH) pinned B. Dolan (C) :27; 130 – Ty Harvey (SH) pinned Tylor Armstrong (C) :48; 135 – Dylan Rardin (C) def. Trever Olson (SH) 7-2; 140 – Kyle Hummer (SH) won by forfeit; 145 – Tyler Cowger (SH) maj. dec. Victor Perez (C) 11-2; 152 – Kris Newport (SH) won by forfeit; 160 – Jacob Jewell (SH) def. Joseph Swinehart (C) 6-4 (Central was assessed a one-point penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct); 171 – Mike Harry (SH) pinned Fry Villalba (C) 3:23; 189 – Wade Paulus (SH) pinned David Vidal (C) 1:18; 215 – John Markert (SH) TF Jeremey Watton (C) 15-0; 285 – Zach Gill (SH) pinned Tyler Riggen (C) 1:07.