DJ Gillett, Daschle Lamer, Hayden Walters, Destiny Rodriguez join exclusive club of Oregon 4-time wrestling champions
By René Ferrán
Three years ago, four wide-eyed freshmen arrived at Portland’s Veterans Memorial Coliseum for their first trip to the OSAA wrestling state championships.
DJ Gillett, Daschle Lamer, Hayden Walters and Destiny Rodriguez took their first steps toward the record books that weekend, winning their first state titles. But little could they have known the twists and turns their journeys to Sunday morning would entail.
A worldwide pandemic. A rescheduled sophomore season that culminated with state tournaments organized by the Oregon Wrestling Association. A junior season in which the OSAA tournaments were spread around the state.
Then, when it looked like everything was back to normal, a snowstorm hit the Portland area midweek that threatened to cancel their final shot at state glory.
Through it all, they endured, and a day later than they’d expected, the four of them entered the record books as Oregon’s latest four-time state champions, joining 45 others who preceded them.
“It kind of hit me when I pinned her,” said Rodriguez, the West Linn 155-pounder who became the second girl to join the four-timer club with a 47-second pin of Hood River Valley’s Lauraine Smith. “I was really happy that we were able to get back in here for my last state championship.”
Destiny Rodriguez (West Linn) photo by Leon Neuschwander
Gillett, who was the first of the four to win a title in 2020 (he was a 106-pounder that year), became the first to achieve four-timer status with a 4-0 decision over Thurston’s Holton Halstead in the 5A 138 final.
“This has been my goal since fifth grade, my first time coming here as a spectator,” Gillett said. “I came here every year and looked up to these guys like my idols. And now I’m one of them.”
Gillett then took a moment to soak in the cheers cascading from the stands.
“It’s amazing here,” he said. “Some of my teammates, James Rowley, Chance (Lamer), they didn’t get their senior year here, which is a shame. This is a special environment. It’s really amazing to be here. It’s great to start it out here and to finish it here.”
DJ Gillett (Crescent Valley) photo by Taylor Balkom
Daschle Lamer choked up as he watched his Crescent Valley teammate win his fourth title. Then, Lamer went out and became the third member of his family to win four titles, also needing just 47 seconds to pin Thurston’s Sawyer Casarez.
“Just the pressure here is a lot more intense, which I love,” said Lamer, who had Chance up from Cal Poly in attendance and his father, Chad, sitting in his corner as one of his coaches.
“I really wanted to just live up to expectations, because I know a lot of people were wanting it. There was a lot of pressure. But I’m a diamond. I get created under pressure. That’s when I shine the most.”
Chad Lamer, who announced this winter that this season will be his last as Raiders coach, welled up with tears as he reflected on Daschle’s journey to join older brothers Legend and Chance as four-timers.
“Obviously, you want to see your kids succeed,” he said. “It means a lot, knowing they made Oregon a better wrestling state. I’m really proud of them. They put a lot of hours into this sport. Even if you’re talented, you’re not going to win four titles unless you’re putting the time in, and they did. They’ve done it all.”
Daschle Lamer (Crescent Valley) photo by Taylor Balkom
Rodriguez could relate. The national champion and World U-20s qualifier finished her high school career undefeated, with 69 of her 71 matches ending by fall.
“I’m so happy,” she said. “I know I’ve worked hard for this. I know that I deserve this.”
Walters didn’t know a month ago whether he’d get the chance to win his fourth title. The Crater 220-pounder, who transferred over the summer after winning his first three titles at Crescent Valley, dislocated his right wrist in the final of the Reno Tournament of Champions and missed the next two months, with doctors clearing him to practice just before the postseason.
“I didn’t know if I was going to come back,” said Walters, who completed his fourth title run with a first-period pin of Silverton’s Brash Henderson. “Missing out of most of my senior year wasn’t obviously what I had planned. But God’s got different plans, so trust in Him and get it done.”
Hayden Walters (Crater) photo by Taylor Balkom
While two potential four-timers had their dreams dashed this weekend — Crescent Valley junior Everest Sutton lost in the 5A semifinals Saturday, and Roseburg junior Gage Singleton lost in his 6A 113-pound final Sunday — three others will be back next February hoping to add their names to the list.
Juniors Mike Miller of Illinois Valley, Kyle Sieminski of Sweet Home and Zachary Keinonen of Newberg started their journeys during the COVID-shortened 2021 spring season. Twelve months from now, they’ll hope to end them in celebration under the Coliseum’s bright lights.
4-time Oregon wrestling champions
David Baker, Parkrose, 1948-51, 113-120-121-121
Lee Allen, Sandy, 1949-52, 96-104-113-123
Scott Cardwell, Lowell, 1978-81, 123-136-141-141
Jeff Cardwell, Lowell, 1981-84, 123-141-157-168
Dan Russell, Gresham, 1983-86, 123-136-141-157
Dan Casarez, Lowell, 1984-88, 136-148-157-168
David Vizzini, Phoenix, 1988-91, 96-96-115-130
Heath Harvey, Lowell, 1990-93, 123-130-136-136
Dustin Leno, Willamina, 1992-95, 106-123-123-126
Shawn Finnicum, Dayton, 1994-97, 136-151-172-185
Talon Hofman, Burns, 2001-04, 130-140-152-160
Barry Johnson, Dayton, 2002-05, 119-130-135-140
Zack Giesen, North Valley, 2003-06, 125-135-160-171
Miguel Baltazar, Culver, 2005-08, 112-119-125-125
Alec Ortiz, Willamina/Newberg, 2006-09, 145-171-145-160
RJ Pena, Sprague, 2006-09, 112-125-140-145
Cy Swartzlander, Burns/Lakeview, 2006-09, 103-103-119-125
Tommy Siciliano, Newberg, 2007-10, 103-112-119-125
Zac Cardwell, Lowell, 2008-11, 152-160-171-189
Mike Rodriguez, Hillsboro, 2008-11, 119-125-130-135
Zac Brunson, Churchill, 2009-12, 135-145-160-170
Joey Delgado, Hermiston, 2009-12, 103-119-135-138
Brandon Griffin, Sprague, 2009-12, 160-171-189-182
Quinn Johnston, Gold Beach, 2009-12, 103-112-135-145
Jared Kasch, Culver, 2010-13, 103-112-126-120
Lucas Randall, North Marion, 2010-13, 125-130-138-145
Tyler Berger, Hermiston/Crook County, 2011-14, 125-132-138-152
Alex Rich, Crescent Valley, 2012-15, 126-126-132-138
Hans Rockwell, Riverside, 2012-15, 106-113-126-132
Samuel Shields-Colbray, Hermiston, 2013-16, 195-195-195-195
Heath Hartley, Nyssa, 2014-17, 106-113-120-120
Haydn Maley, Roseburg, 2014-17, 170-182-195-220
Layne Van Anrooy, Roseburg, 2014-17, 138-152-160-160
Travis Wittlake, Marshfield, 2015-18, 152-160-170-170
Dax Bennett, Harrisburg, 2016-19, 132-152-182-170
Legend Lamer, Crescent Valley, 2016-19, 106-120-138-152
Lorenzo Vasquez, Culver, 2016-19, 106-113-120-126
Emma Truex, Phoenix, 2017-20, 126-125-125-125
Santos Cantu III, Sprague/Crescent Valley, 2017-20, 195-195-195-195
Beau Ohlson, Mountain View, 2017-20, 113-126-138-145
Chance Lamer, Crescent Valley, 2018-21, 106-113-126-145
Ayden Garver, Newberg, 2019-22, 113-126-145-145
Mauro Michel, Cascade, 2019-22, 106-113-126-132
James Rowley, Crescent Valley, 2019-22, 145-160-182-182
Gabe Whisenhunt, Crescent Valley, 2019-22, 106-113-126-126
DJ Gillett, Crescent Valley, 2020-23, 106-120-132-138
Daschle Lamer, Crescent Valley, 2020-23, 120-152-170-170
Destiny Rodriguez, West Linn, 2020-23, 145-155-155-155
Hayden Walters, Crescent Valley/Crater, 2020-23, 182-195-195-220
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