Oregon (OSAA) 6A/5A girls wrestling state championships preview: West Linn’s Destiny Rodriguez goes for history
By René Ferrán
The 6A/5A girls Oregon high school wrestling state championships take place at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland. Here's a look at what to expect.
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Top seeds (returning champions in italics)
100 Skyler Hall, North Medford, fr.
105 Sienna Caruso, Crater, sr.
110 Kaylee Annis, Thurston, sr.
115 Ariana Martinez, West Albany, sr.
120 Sadie Hall, North Medford, soph.
125 Kailea Takahashi, Forest Grove, soph.
130 Haley Vann, Cleveland, sr.
135 Estella Gutches, North Medford, sr.
140 MacKenzie Shearon, Redmond, soph.
145 Reese Lawson, West Salem, jr.
155 Destiny Rodriguez, West Linn, sr.
170 Alixia Hernandez, Eagle Point, soph.
190 Georgia Buehler, Corvallis, sr.
235 Rose Williams, Centennial, sr.
Most state qualifiers
1, McKay 9. 2, (tie) North Medford and Thurston 7. 4, Hillsboro 6. 5, North Salem 5. 6, (tie) Forest Grove, Liberty, Southridge and West Albany 4.
What to watch
Thurston a constant presence in crowded title race
Since the OSAA elevated the girls wrestling state meet to official status in 2019, Thurston has emerged as a consistent power in the sport.
The Colts placed sixth at the inaugural state meet, then won back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021 (the latter an OWA-run event) before finishing second to Forest Grove last year.
They might not have the numbers McKay is bringing or the top-end talent North Medford (three top seeds) possesses, but the Colts once again will be in the mix to take hardware back down I-5.
“We have to show up and wrestle our best tournament,” Thurston coach Mike Simons said.
The Scots placed 14th at state last year and hope to make the podium for the first time after qualifying more wrestlers this year (nine) than the previous four years combined.
West Linn’s Rodriguez set to make history as four-time champion
Rodriguez might be the most decorated wrestler at Memorial Coliseum this weekend. The No. 3 girls wrestler pound-for-pound in the country (No. 1 at 152) in the most recent FloWrestling/USA Wrestling rankings signed with national power McKendree University following a summer during which she made the U20 World team.
Now, she’s hoping to become the second female wrestler in state history to win four state titles — although both come with asterisks in the OSAA record books. Phoenix’s Emma Truex won her first two titles when the state tournament was an exhibition event. Rodriguez’s sophomore title came at the OWA-sanctioned state meet following the COVID spring 2021 season.
Rodriguez arrives at Memorial Coliseum 68-0 in her high school career, with 66 victories by fall.
Nationally ranked wrestlers Vann, Gutches look to cap careers in style
Vann could have wrestled in the boys tournament this weekend after placing third at 126 pounds at the PIL district meet. Instead, the nation’s 11th-ranked 132-pounder will vie for a third state title at 130 this weekend, bringing a 74-match win streak to the mat.
Gutches, a 2021 state champion who lost to Vann in last year’s 120 final, is ranked No. 8 at 138 nationally. She hopes to lead the Black Tornado back to the podium after they finished fourth at the 2021 OWA meet.
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