The Sweet Home wrestlers put in a big weekend Friday and Saturday, taking second in two tournaments and placing three wrestlers in the finals at a third.
Perry Burlison Classic at Cascade
On Friday, the Huskies placed second behind host Cascade at the Perry Burlison Classic tournament at Cascade. The tournament was held as a memorial to honor Perry Burlison, who died last year. Burlison had been a “mainstay” in the Capital Conference for several years and ran the district tourney, Huskies Coach Steve Thorpe said.
Only the top finisher in each weight class scored, which left Sweet Home unable to take advantage of its depth, Thorpe said.
Still, the Huskies took second out of seven teams, with 11 wrestlers in the finals and four champions. Cascade scored 222.5 points, with Sweet Home right behind, with 214.5.
The Huskies were dominant in the lower weights. Taylor Tagle beat teammate Mitch Grove in the finals of the 103-pound match, while Danny Johnson beat Chris Farris in the 112-pound final.
The other two champions for Sweet Home were Nick Pitts (145) and Rob Helfrich (189).
“I was happy with how some guys competed,” Thorpe said. “Sawyer Anderson wrestled very well at 152 pounds and Nick Pitts took first, his first tournament championship. I was very happy with all the little guys making it to the finals.”
Perry Burlison Classic
Team Scores
Cascade 222.5
Sweet Home 214.5
Pleasant Hill 127
Rainier 120
Elmira 81
Junction City 53
Gladstone 30
Sweet Home Placers
103 Taylor Tagle 1st
Mitch Grove 2nd
112 Danny Johnson 1st
Chris Farris 2nd
119 Jack Perry 2nd
Jake Smith 3rd
125 Brock Crocker Inj Def DNP
Derek Sharp 4th
130 Joe McCaslin 2nd
Casey Hanscam 4th
135 Levi Weikel 3rd
140 Daniel Smith 2nd
145 Nick Pitts 1st
Robert Callagan 4th
152 Sawyer Anderson 4th
Brad Pitts DNP
160 Andrew Knight 2nd
Ben Brewer 4th
171 Brandon Lawson 2nd
Cory Ottre 5th
189 Rob Helfrich 1st
Marc Callagan 4th
215 Kyle Holmes DNP
275 Matt Parker DNP
Holiday Classic at McKay
The Huskies took second out of eight teams, behind Thurston, the number two-ranked 5A team in the state, at McKay.
Thurston finished with 346.5 points, followed by Sweet Home with 320 and Lebanon in third with 247.5.
“We barely lost to Thurston,” Thorpe said. “We were leading up till the finals. They overtook us in the finals.”
Sweet Home’s only champion was Jack Perry in the 119-pound division, who “just wrestled with a lot of heart,” Thorpe said.
Perry scored a takedown in the final seconds to win his finals match.
Five others made the finals in addition to Perry.
Taylor Tagle was second at 103, Danny Johnson at 112, Derek Sharp at 125, Daniel Smith at 140, Nick Pitts at 145, and Brandon Lawson at 160.
Thorpe said Sharp and Lawson turned in noteworthy performances.
Sharp made the finals at 125 pounds by pinning Rudy Salazar of Lebanon in the semifinals.
Lawson had a come-from-behind win in the semis, pinning his opponent to make the final.
“That was great heart there,” Thorpe said.
McKay Holiday Classic
Team Scores
Thurston 346.5
Sweet Home 320
Lebanon 247.5
Dallas 209
McKay 204
North Salem 184
South Salem 22
Sweet Home Placers
103 Taylor Tagle 2nd
Mitch Grove 5th
112 Danny Johnson 2nd
Chris Farris 3rd
119 Jack Perry 1st
Jake Smith 5th
125 Derek Sharp 2nd
Nikki Smith DNP
130 Joe McCaslin 5th
Casey Hanscam 6th
135 Levi Weikel 4th
Leif Erickson 6th
140 Daniel Smith 2nd
145 Nick Pitts 2nd
Robert Callagan DNP
152 Sawyer Anderson 6th
Brad Pitts DNP
160 Brandon Lawson 2nd
Andrew Knight 5th
171 Corey Ottre 6th
Ben Brewer DNP
189 Rob Helfrich 3rd
Marc Callagan DNP
215 Kyle Holmes DNP
275 Matt Parker 3rd
Central Linn Tournament
Wrestlers who did not travel to McKay on Saturday competed at another tournament at Central Linn.
Matt Grove pinned Marcus Hartwig of Philomath, ranked 12th in the state, to win the 112-pound division.
Brek Veitemheimer won the 119-pound division.
Kevin Yeung took third at 125.
“This kind of shows our depth, when we get to enter two guys per weight,” Thorpe said of the weekend’s activities. “It shows how tough, how good our depth is, being able to send guys to tournaments.”
He noted that the Christmas break will give some of the Huskies, who are injured, a chance to get healthy.
“Joe McCaslin is coming off a knee injury and, although he hasn’t won a tourament yet, he’s wrestling very hard,” Thorpe said. “It will be interesting to see how thing shake out after Christmas, to see who will be number one and number two man when we go to district.”
Central Linn Tourney
103 Tyler Holly 2nd
James Myers 4th
112 Matt Grove 1st
119 Brek Veitenheimer 1st
125 Kevin Yeung 3rd