Newberg’s Isaac Hampton finishes unbeaten wrestling season with third win over opponent

By René Ferrán | Photos by Taylor Balkom  

A month ago, after Newberg sophomore Isaac Hampton bested Mountain View’s Scout Santos in the Reser’s Tournament of Champions final, he had a feeling that it wouldn’t be the last time he’d face Santos this season. 

Sure enough, the two squared off for the third time this winter in Sunday’s 113-pound 6A final at Sandy High School, and for the third time, Hampton came out on top — this time with a 12-4 major decision that capped a 44-0 season. 

Hampton led just 4-2 after two rounds, but he scored two takedowns and a reversal in the last 45 seconds of the match.

“I know he’s really good upper body, and in our first match, I got tossed really hard,” Hampton said. “I just had to wrestle my match, stay down on his legs, and not play into what he wants to get into. It was just sticking to my game plan, what I like, what I’m good at, and I kept at it.” 

Hampton lost to Roseburg’s Gage Singleton in June’s 106 state final, which he said served as motivation for his perfect sophomore season.

“A lot of people think of taking second as a freshman as pretty good,” Hampton said. “But I knew I had to rethink a lot of things I was doing in the room.” 

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