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Hayden Walters yet another Crescent Valley wrestler with a chance to 4-peat next season: Oregon (OSAA) wrestling 195-pounds roundup

“One step closer to the ultimate goal, which is four. It’s been a goal of mine since I started wrestling, so it feels good.”

By René Ferrán 

Crescent Valley had two wrestlers join the exclusive club of four-time state champions on the same night at Saturday’s Class 5A state wrestling meet at Ridgeview High School in Redmond. 

Junior Hayden Walters made sure two more Raiders could become four-timers next February, joining teammate DJ Gillett as a three-time champion by pinning Crook County’s Ray Solis 45 seconds into the third period of the 195-pound final. 

“It’s awesome. One step closer to the ultimate goal, which is four,” Walters said. “It’s been a goal of mine since I started wrestling, so it feels good.”

Walters, one of seven champions Crescent Valley crowned Saturday night, did his part in earning the bonus points that helped the Raiders stave off Crook County and Thurston to win a fourth consecutive team title.

Walters won three of his four matches by fall and won his quarterfinal by technical fall, tacking on 7½ critical points to the total. 

“All of us wrestled really well, even those who didn’t win (titles),” Walters said. He then called out Jayden Cobb, Crescent Valley’s 220-pounder who placed fifth, for special mention. “He wrestled really good. I’m really proud of him.”

4A: Marshfield senior Miguel Velasquez, who won a 2A/1A title two years ago wrestling for Reedsport, scored a late takedown to clinch his second championship with a 9-5 decision over La Grande’s Brody MacMillan.

3A: South Umpqua senior Caj Simmons, second at 195 a year ago, came back this winter to finish the job, capping a 24-0 season with a 16-13 decision over La Pine’s Dylan Hankey. 

2A/1A: Toledo sophomore Ash Blomstrom wrapped up the Boomers’ first team trophy in school history by pinning Myrtle Point’s Logan Clayburn with 37 seconds remaining in the final. Toledo finished fourth in the team standings after placing fifth in June. 

6A: ‘I wasn’t going to do something stupid.’ Newberg’s Hudson Davis keeps head straight to win rematch of June wrestling final