Oregon 4A wrestling: Champions, takeaways from district meets
By René Ferrán | Photo by Leon Neuschwander
The 4A wrestling district meets took place over the weekend, with the OSAA state championships scheduled for Feb. 23-24 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland.
Here’s a look at the champions and three takeaways from each of the four district meets. The top four finishers from each district meet advance to state.
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Special District 1 (at Tillamook)
Team champion: Tillamook (385.5 points)
Most qualifiers: Tillamook (18), Scappoose (11), St. Helens (10)
Individual champions
106 Bryce Haltiner, Tillamook, Jr.
113 Carson Jackson, St. Helens, Jr.
120 Evan Willis, St. Helens, Jr.
126 Anthony Comer, Scappoose, Sr.
132 John Hayes, Molalla, So.
138 Cohen Schleich, Estacada, Jr.
145 Maverick Heimbuck, Scappoose, So.
152 Tyler Moncrief, Tillamook, Sr.
160 Ben Rintoul, Scappoose, Sr.
170 Trey Dieringer, Scappoose, Sr.
182 Henry Davis, Astoria, So.
195 Wyatt Anicker, Scappoose, Sr.
220 James Durand, Estacada, Sr.
285 Matthew Evans, Astoria, Jr.
3 notes
Tillamook wins fifth consecutive district title, sends 18 to state
Tillamook placed third at state a year ago for its fourth consecutive podium finish, but the Cheesemakers haven’t won a state title since their 2019 win started their trophy streak.
If they are to challenge for a title this fall, they’ll do so thanks to their depth, advancing 18 wrestlers to state despite winning only two weight classes in earning a fifth consecutive district title by 73.5 points over Scappoose.
Haltiner successfully defended his title at 106, winning a 1-0 decision against teammate Jak Hopkes in the final.
Scappoose, St. Helens look strong after dropping from 5A
Scappoose and St. Helens dropped from 5A this season and finished second and third, respectively, in the team standings. The two teams are darkhorse picks to end lengthy trophy droughts — eight years for Scappoose (fourth in 2015) and 31 for its Columbia County rivals (second in 1992). Comer, Heimbuck, Rintoul and Dieringer won NWOC district titles a year ago, as did Willis for St. Helens.
Estacada’s Schleich repeats as district champion
Schleich has lost only once in three district tournaments for Estacada, winning a second consecutive title by pinning teammate Tucker Jackson 43 seconds into the third round to improve to 36-6. Schleich finished fourth and third in his previous two state meets.
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Special District 2 (at Cascade)
Team champion: Sweet Home (448.5 points)
Most qualifiers: Sweet Home (18), Cascade (14), Philomath (10)
Individual champions
106 Tytus Hardee, Sweet Home, Fr.
113 Kyle Sieminski, Sweet Home, Jr.
120 Conrad Baxter, Stayton, So.
126 Leonardo Michel, Stayton, Fr.
132 Jacob Sieminski, Sweet Home, Sr.
138 Porter Compton, Philomath, Fr.
145 Trenton Wymore, Cascade, Sr.
152 Ashton Swanson, Sweet Home, So.
160 Carson Henderson, Junction City, Sr.
170 Kaden Zajic, Sweet Home, Sr.
182 Ethan Spencer, Sweet Home, Sr.
195 Blake Perlichek, Cascade, Sr.
220 Colton Bennett, Sweet Home, So.
285 Nicholas Lopez, Cascade, So.
3 notes
Sweet Home makes it nine consecutive district titles
Sweet Home was never headed in securing a ninth consecutive district championship, winning half the weight classes and advancing wrestlers in 11 of 14 divisions to the state meet.
Among the champions were repeat winners Kyle Sieminski, Zajic and Spencer. Jacob Sieminski, who won the Reser’s TOC two weeks ago, regained the district title he lost in a taut final last year by denying teammate Jacob Landtroop a second consecutive title. Swanson also won an all-Sweet Home final to keep junior Ryker Hartsook from repeating.
The Huskies have had odd-numbered success at state, winning their past five titles in odd-numbered years — including 2017 and 2021, with a runner-up finish in 2019.
Cascade shows great improvement in bid for trophy finish at state
Cascade again finished second to Sweet Home, but the Cougars scored more than 125 points more this season as they look to make the podium at the state meet for the first time since 2020.
Perlichek dethroned Huskies junior David Steagall as 195 district champion with a 9-0 major decision. Lopez turned out for wrestling for the first time this winter and pinned Cottage Grove’s Nathan Abrams in 3:04 in the heavyweight final.
Stayton keeps producing Michels winning district titles
Don’t look now, but there’s another Michel coming through the Stayton program. After Mauro Michel graduated last spring following a career in which he became a four-time state champion before heading to Southwestern Oregon CC, younger brother Leonardo opened his high school account by pinning Riley Barrett of Philomath in 62 seconds to win his first district title. Leonardo won the OWA 16U 132-pound folkstyle state title in January.
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Special District 3 (at Phoenix)
Team champion: Mazama (401 points)
Most qualifiers: Mazama (17), Marshfield (11)
Individual champions
106 Leonardo Pacheco, Marshfield, So.
113 Reese Hite, Marshfield, So.
120 Dylan Clark, Henley, Jr.
126 Kyle Nichols, Henley, Jr.
132 Mathyis Horton, Klamath Union, Jr.
138 Treyce Horton, Mazama, Sr.
145 Levi Hicks, Klamath Union, So.
152 Jonathan Calvert, Marshfield, Sr.
160 Zach Humphrey, Hidden Valley, Jr.
170 Dominic Schreiber, Mazama, Sr.
182 Seth McLane, Mazama, Jr.
195 Tyson Van Gastel, Mazama, Jr.
220 Neal Walter, North Bend, Sr.
285 Armando Galindo, Mazama, Jr.
3 notes
Can Mazama turn district dominance to state success?
Make it four district championships in the past five years for Mazama, which dominated the heavier weights en route to a 145-point victory over Marshfield.
Last year, the Vikings didn’t win a district title above 145 pounds. This time, they won four of the final five weight classes and five titles overall as they look to improve upon their seventh-place finish at state and contend for the program’s first podium finish.
Treyce Horton was the team’s only repeat champion, with the senior earning a 14-8 decision over North Bend’s Wyatt Smith in the final.
North Bend’s Walter among repeat district titlists
Four other wrestlers repeated as district champions, including Walter, last year’s 5A runner-up at 285 who dropped to 4A 220, defeating Klamath Union’s Indrani Espinoza 12-1 in the final. Hite, Calvert and Nichols also won a second district title, with Hite pinning Ashton Lewis of Mazama in the third round of a match of 2022 champions in the 113 final.
Henley’s Clark takes undefeated record to state meet
Clark won a district title as a freshman during the COVID-shortened season, but he had to drop out of last year’s district meet. He’s made up for lost time this winter, improving to 42-0 by pinning teammate Cole Davis 35 seconds into the second period in the district final.
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Special District 4 (at Pendleton)
Team champion: Crook County (451 points)
Most qualifiers: Crook County (19), La Grande (17)
Individual champions
106 Chance Yancey, Crook County, Fr.
113 Alberto Flores, Crook County, So.
120 Mason Wolcott, La Grande, Jr.
126 Kai Carson, La Grande, Jr.
132 Cash Wells, Crook County, Sr.
138 Joshua Collins, La Grande, Sr.
145 Brysen Penaloza, La Grande, Sr.
152 Gavin Sandoval, Crook County, So.
160 Cael White, Madras, Sr.
170 Cole Shafer, La Grande, Sr.
182 Wyatt Livingston, La Grande, Sr.
195 Jarett Armstrong, La Grande, Sr.
220 Jubal Brumble, Crook County, Sr.
285 Mauricio Ambriz, Crook County, So.
3 notes
Crook County, La Grande battle to wire for district title
Crook County has finished first or second at the OSAA 4A or 5A state meet every time since 2013 (the Cowboys were third at the OWA meet in 2021) and will be among the favorites to extend that streak this weekend at Memorial Coliseum after winning a tight battle with La Grande for district supremacy.
The Cowboys, runners-up to Crescent Valley in the past three OSAA 5A meets, held off the defending 4A state champion Tigers by 17.5 points to win the district title. The two powerhouses combined to win 13 of 14 weight classes and just shy of two-thirds of the available state berths from the meet.
The teams split their four head-to-head matchups in district finals, with the Tigers winning seven titles to Crook County’s six.
Carson wins third title by beating fellow champion
One of the best matchups saw a couple of reigning district champions — Carson and Crook County’s Landon Lavey — square off in the 126 final. Carson won his third district title with a 7-0 decision to join Wolcott, Collins, Penaloza and Livingston as repeat champions. All six Cowboys to win titles were first-time champions.
Madras’ White repeats at district, seeks redemption at state
The only wrestler outside the top two teams to win a district title was a repeat champion, as White won a second consecutive 160 crown by again defeating a La Grande wrestler — this time senior Dominick Carratello by 10-1 major decision. White will look to improve upon a disappointing 2022 state meet, when he went out in the quarterfinals and failed to make the podium.
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