Crescent Valley’s DJ Gillett bookends Reser’s career with second TOC title (138 pounds)
By René Ferrán | Photos by Leon Neuschwander
Crescent Valley senior DJ Gillett finished his Reser’s Tournament of Champions career the way he started it — his hand raised in victory.
Three years after Gillett won the 106-pound title as a freshman, the Oregon State signee capped his final run at Liberty High School in Hillsboro with a 10-0 major decision over Grants Pass’ Owen Hull in the 138 final — the first of Saturday evening’s slate of championship matches.
In between, Gillett lost to Roseburg senior (and future Beavers teammate) Nash Singleton in a thrilling 132 final last January — a result that Gillett hadn’t forgotten entering the weekend.
“Taking second last year was very heartbreaking, and we didn’t have a sophomore year (because of COVID), so that sucked,” Gillett said. “So, yeah, it was a little bit in the back of my mind, but I was just focusing on this one, one match at a time.”
Gillett is No. 20 in the nation at 132 in the most recent SBLive/Sports Illustrated rankings, but he moved up to 138 this weekend and dominated his four opponents. Saturday’s final was the only match for him that went the full six minutes, and he gave up only three points in four matches.
“I didn’t feel like I could get scored on if I just stayed in good position and didn’t make mistakes,” he said.
Gillett now hopes to join the Raiders’ growing list of four-time state champions in three weeks at Memorial Coliseum in Portland before heading across town to join OSU.
“I’m working really hard in the room, just trying to get better,” he said. “There’s definitely a lot of pressure, and it’s something I’ve been trying for since middle school. I got the freshman year one, then the sophomore and junior. So, I want to get it done. It’s more the pressure I’m putting on myself.”
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