Sweet Home won its ninth straight district wrestling title Saturday night and qualified 17 wrestlers for the state 4A tournament, which runs Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 26-28, at the Portland Memorial Coliseum.
Sweet Home scored 414 points, far ahead of runner-up Philomath (235), which was trailed by Central (157), Newport (112) and Taft (107.5).
Nine Huskies won individual district championships: Matt Grove (112 pounds), Mitch Grove (119), Kris Newport (125), Taylor Tagle (130), Brock Crocker (140), Jack Perry (145), Brad Pitts (160), Anthony Albright (189) and Marc Callagan (215).
Newport was named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler.
Sweet Home’s other qualifiers for state were: Tyler Holley, second at 112 pounds; Marshall Arndt, second at 130 pounds; Kyle Hummer, second at 135 pounds; Jacob Jewell, third at 152 pounds; Tyler Paulino, second at 160 pounds; Colton Woody, second at 171 pounds; and heavyweights Logan Clark, who placed second, and Zane Wise, who was third.
“We went into districts with a goal,” Coach Steve Thorpe said. “We didn’t put a number on how many we needed to qualify. We just said we were going to qualify as many as we could.
“Our kids just competed very, very hard. They supported each other and I’m very proud of them for that.”
Thorpe said the goal now is to move wrestlers through the state brackets as far as possible, a goal echoed by his wrestlers.
Newport, who won a state title last year as a freshman, said his goal this year is “to win it.”
“I want to repeat this year,” he said, adding that the fact that he is seeded second, behind Nico Martinez, a junior who placed third last year at state, is added incentive.
“I want to meet him in the finals,” he said, noting that he also expects good competition from Tyler Stigall of North Marion and Trinity Castner of Douglas. “They’re both really tough kids.”
Junior Taylor Tagle, who was fourth at 103 pounds last year, has moved up in size and weight at 130 pounds, wher e he is seeded second.
“I feel stronger this year,” he said. “I’m not cutting as much weight.”
He said he’s hoping for the chance to face Pleasant Hill’s Drew Erickson, the top-seeded wrestler, in the finals and he also expects tough competition from Chase Fields of Ontario, who’s seeded third. Fields decisioned Tagle 3-2 at the Oregon Classic earlier this year.
Brock Crocker, another junior and veteran for the Huskies, will wrestle at 140 this year after finishing fourth last year at 135 pounds after losing a controversial decision in the semifinals. He said he’s looking forward to meeting Sam Winter of Illinois Valley, the wrestler who benefited from a referee’s take-down call last year in that disputed match. He said he also expects a tough match in his opening round bout against Eleazar DeLucca of Phoenix.
“I think we can take it,” he said of the Huskies’ chances at state. “Tillamook’s taking 17 guys too, but we have more guys who can score more.”
Mitch Grove, who has been a consistent performer for the Huskies this year, said he is “feeling really good” and is shooting for “the top three, at least” after finishing fifth last year at 103 pounds as a sophomore. Grove will wrestle at 119 this year, seeded fifth.
He said he sees several talented opponents in the field, including top-seeded Gabe Goodrich of Scappoose, whom Grove lost to earlier €“ “I didn’t wrestle well €“€“ and Adam Smith of Tillamook, whom he hopes to see in the quarterfinals.
“I think we’re looking pretty good,” he said. “We’re definitely up there. Hopefully, we’ll get first place as a team.”
Senior Marc Callagan said he is looking for a better run this year after finishing 1-2 last year at 189 pounds, out of the medals. This year he is facing Eric Haney of Junction City in the first round of the 215-pound division. He said he’s not looking past Haney, whom he beat earlier this year.
“I’m still worried about him,” Callagan said.
“I feel confident about us getting into the top three,” he said. “That’s our main goal.”
Thorpe, who was named the conference’s Coach of the Year, said credit goes to his assistants, who have helped prepare the Huskies for their run in state.
“We have a great coaching staff,” he said. “My getting Coach of the Year is a huge reflection on our entire coaching staff.”
He said the Huskies know what they have to do.
“We’re going there with a goal,” Thorpe said. “We want a trophy and we know which one we prefer. When it’s over they’ll give us the one we earned.”
Val-Co District Tournament
Sweet Home Results
103 €“ Scottie Stockman (SH) lost to Blake Woosley (Phil) 11-1; lost to Zach Leonard (Phil) 6-3 OT to finish fourth. Woosley was champion in the division.
112 €“ Matt Grove (SH) def. Tyler Holly (SH) 7-0 to take the championship. Holly pinned Dustin Parker of Taft in 1:49 to reach the final.
119 pounds €“ Mitch Grove (SH) def. Joseph Cox (Taft) 12-0; pinned Dylan Rardin (Central) 3:10 to take the championship. Steven Bidwell (SH) lost to Mikael Hill (Phil) 7-2, was pinned by Joseph Cox (Taft) in 1:22, then got a bye to finish fifth.
125 pounds €“ Kris Newort (SH) pinned Jordan Brown (New) 1:20; pinned David Converse (New) 2:41 to take the championship. Nikki Smith (SH) lost to Allen Neufeld (Phil) 16-6, pinned Jordan Brown (New) 1:45, lost to Allen Neufeld (Phil) 14-11 to take fourth.
130 €“ Taylor Tagle pinned Tristan Wilson (New) :17, pinned Seth Faust (Phil) 3:06, took a forfeit from Marshall Arndt (SH) to win the championship. Marshall Arndt (SH) pinned Marcus Hartwig (Phil) 2:36, then forfeited to Tagle to take second.
135 €“ Kyle Hummer pinned Dakota Benson (Phil) :12, scored TF over Victor Perez (Central) 17-1, lost 7-3 to Patrick Ryan (Taft) to take second. Chris Farris (SH) lost 5-1 to Brayden Calder (Phil), pinned Alex Urquhart (New) :29, pinned Dakota Benson (Phil) 3:08, was pinned by Braden Calder (Phil) 3:44 to take fourth.
140 €“ Brock Crocker (SH) pinned Charlie Stouder (Phil) 3:55, def. Robin Hethorn (Central) 11-2 to take the championship. David Rinehart (SH) was pinned by Robin Hethorn (Central) 1:25, pinned Matt Trask (Phil) 1:44, lost to Charlie Stouder (Phil) 1-0, def. Joseph Swinehart (Central) 7-5 to take fifth.
145 €“ Jack Perry (SH) def. Chancy Mercado (Phil) 10-5, pinned Cody Keen (Phil) 1:22 to take the championship. Kyle Sorenson (SH) lost to Keefer Riddle (Taft) 10-8, was pinned by Chancy Mercado (Phil) 1:38, pinned Alex Grant (New) to take fifth.
152 €“ Jacob Jewell (SH) lost to Cody Cox (Taft) 13-11, pinned Tyler Anke (Phil) 3:04; pinned Osvaldo Meza (Central) :31, def. Cody Cox (Taft) 20-4 to place third. Jacob Cuillo (SH) def. Osvaldo Meza (Central) 7-0, was pinned by Bryce Dryden (Phil) 2:34; was pinned by Cody Cox (Taft) 4:10, pinned Osvaldo Meza (Central) 1:12 to place fifth. Dryden was division champion.
160 €“ Brad Pitts (SH) pinned Isaac Lome (New) 1:17; pinned Tyler Paulino (SH) :48 to win championship. Tyler Paulino (SH) def. Rogan Weinert (New) 7-6, def. Mitchell Wilcox (Taft) 11-7, was pinned by Brad Pitts (SH) :48 to take second.
171 €“ Colton Woody (SH) was pinned by Josh Erickson (Phil) 3:04, pinned Kevan Johnson (New) :53; def. Michael Harry (SH) 8-7 to take third. Michael Harry (SH) def. Kevan Johnson (New) 7-0, was pinned by Ricky Cedillo (Central) :51, lost to Colton Woody (SH) 8-7 to take fourth. Ricky Cedillo (Central) was division champion.
189 €“ Anthony Albright (SH) pinned Anthony Sanchez (Central) 1:07, def. Cody Hayner (New) 8-7 in OT to take championship.
215 €“ Marc Callagan (SH) pinned Kyle Hanson (Phil) :52, pinned Khrys Bahr (Taft) 2:47 to win championship.
285 €“ Logan Clark (SH) pinned Allan Miller (Central) 3:29, def. Tryston Nash (Phil) 7-5, was pinned by Marcus Cuellar (Central) 1:10 to take second. Zane Wise (SH) pinned David Smith (Taft) :16, def. Allan Mille (Central) 6-1, pinned Tryston Nash (Phil) 1:38 to take third. Marcus Cuellar (Central) was division champion.
4A State Tournament
Sweet Home Opening Match-Ups and Seeds
112 €“ Matt Grove (Third-Seed, First-Round Bye) vs. Christian Mallare (Tillamook, Unseeded)
Tyler Holly (Unseeded, First-Round Bye) vs. winner of first-round match between Matt Oliva (Ontario, Unseeded) and Jonathan Fall (North Bend, Unseeded)
119 €“ Mitch Grove (Fifth Seed, First-Round Bye) vs. winner of first-round match between Patrick Sheets (McGloughlin, Unseeded) and Nate Johnson (Henley, Unseeded)
125 €“ Kris Newport (Second Seed, First-Round Bye) vs, winner of first-round match between Cody Falk (Astoria, Unseeded) and Vince Morales (Ontario, Unseeded)
130 €“ Taylor Tagle (Second Seed, First-Round Bye) vs. Ian Hopper (Pleasant Hill, Unseeded)
Marshall Arndt (Unseeded) vs. Ryan Dozier (Cascade, Unseeded)
135 €“ Kyle Hummer (Unseeded) vs. Garry Elkins (Unseeded)
140 €“ Brock Crocker (Second-Seed, First-Round Bye) vs. Eleazar DeLucca (Phoenix, Unseeded)
145 €“ Jack Perry (Fifth Seed, First Round Bye) vs. winner of first-round match between James Martz (North Valley, Unseeded) and Frank Lopez (Ontario, Unseeded)
152 €“ Jacob Jewell (Unseeded, First Round Bye) vs. Josh Warden (Pheonix, Third Seed)
160 €“ Brad Pitts (Unseeded) vs. Harold Kottre (Tillamook, Unseeded)
Tyler Paulino (Unseeded) vs. Cody Anders (Estacada, Unseeded)
171 €“ Colton Woody (Unseeded) vs. Cameron Wharton (Ontario, Unseeded)
189 €“ Anthony Albright (Unseeded, First Round Bye) vs. Cody Shaffer (La Grande, Unseeded)
215 €“ Marc Callagan (Unseeded) vs. Eric Haney (Junction City, Unseeded)
285 €“ Logan Clark (Unseeded) vs. J.T. Strang (Tillamook, Unseeded)
Zane Wise (Unseeded, First Round Bye) vs. Paul Gutzman (North Valley, Top-Seed)