Kolton Malone of Thurston makes his No. 4 seeding look foolish by cruising to state title: Oregon (OSAA) wrestling 138-pounds roundup
By René Ferrán
Thurston junior Kolton Malone had to sit out his sophomore season after suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery and still isn’t 100 percent healed.
He admits to moments where he wonders, “Will I ever be the same?”
“There’s been some really scary parts about coming back,” he said. “I just trusted my gut, took the precautions I needed and got to where I am now, based on what I think God’s plan is.”
Because he sat out last season, he entered the state meet as the No. 4 seed at 138 pounds despite having a 39-0 record and a Reser’s Tournament of Champions title under his belt.
He made that seeding look foolish with his dominant run to a first state title at Saturday’s Class 5A state wrestling meet at Ridgeview High School in Redmond. He pinned his first two opponents, knocked off No. 1 seed Narcizo Garza of St. Helens 6-0 in the semifinals, then overcame a nervous moment in the final to defeat Derek Sossie of West Albany 9-2.
“I don’t want to sound cocky, but I’m not surprised that I’m undefeated,” Malone said. “Right after I got cleared after surgery, I grinded my tail off in the summer, then went straight into high school. I really think I earned this in the practice room.”
Malone’s only mistake all day came when Sossie scored a reversal with 36 seconds left in the second period. Fifteen seconds later, Malone was back on top, and he cruised the rest of the way.
“Maybe I could have wrestled a little better,” he said. “But I’m just glad to come away as a champion.”
4A: La Grande junior Joshua Collins contributed to the Tigers dethroning Sweet Home as team champion by stunning top seed Eli Howard of Stayton 11-4 in the final. Collins, who pinned his first three opponents, and Howard were both runners-up at June’s state meet.
3A: La Pine senior Dylan Mann made his fourth appearance in a state final and earned his second title, pinning Austin Johnson of Willamina/Falls City with three seconds remaining in the first round.
2A/1A: Pine Eagle senior Chase Butner followed twin brother Coy’s first title by becoming the school’s first three-time champion, defeating Culver’s Reeden Arsenault 11-8 in the final. Only a quarterfinal loss as a sophomore to Central Linn’s Blake Owens at the 2020 meet cost Butner a shot at being a four-timer (he eventually placed third).
