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The Oregon 4A high school wrestling state championships take place Thursday and Friday at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland. Here’s a look at what to expect.
Photo by Leon Neuschwander
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Schedule
Thursday, Noon-7:30 p.m.: Round 1 and Quarterfinals
Friday, 2:30 p.m.: Semifinals
Friday, 7:15 p.m.: Parade of Champions and Finals
Top seeds (returning champions in italics)
106 Bragen Anderson, La Grande, Soph.
113 Bryce Haltiner, Tillamook, Sr.
120 Kyle Sieminski, La Grande, Sr.
126 Dylan Clark, Henley, Sr.
132 Kai Carson, La Grande, Sr.
138 Landon Lavey, Crook County, Jr.
144 Tommy Belding, La Grande, Soph.
150 Riley Barrett, Philomath, Soph.
157 Maverick Heimbuck, Scappoose, Jr.
165 Ridge Kehr, La Grande, Sr.
175 Henry Davis, Astoria, Jr.
190 Gavin Sandoval, Crook County, Jr.
215 Tommy Ishida, Ontario, Sr.
285 Matthew Evans, Astoria, Sr.
Most state qualifiers
1, (tie) Crook County and Sweet Home 18. 3, Mazama 16. 4, Tillamook 14. 5, Marshfield 13. 6, (tie) Cascade, La Grande and Pendleton 12. 9, Estacada 10.
What to watch
Can someone break through to break up La Grande-Sweet Home duo?
The past four years, the 4A title race has come down to a mano-a-mano duel between La Grande and Sweet Home.
The Tigers enter this weekend’s tournament having bested their westside rivals each of the past two seasons, but Huskies coach Steve Thorpe believes this could be the year that other teams break up the duopoly.
“Cascade has some tough kids who will score,” he said. “Us, Crook County and La Grande will be fighting it out for the top spot. Crook County and La Grande are very well-coached, so they will be ready. It will be a great race and definitely going to be a tough tourney.”
Besides the teams Thorpe mentioned, don’t count out Tillamook (the last team to win an OSAA title besides La Grande in 2019) and two teams seeking their first titles — Mazama and Marshfield. The Special District 3 champion Vikings have never won a trophy at the state meet.
Sweet Home’s Sieminski looks to become school’s first four-time titlist
Sieminski matched his father Clint last season by winning his third state title with a 6-3 decision against Crook County’s Alberto Flores in the 113-pound bracket.
Flores won’t be in the draw this weekend as the Sweet Home senior seeks to become his school’s first four-time state champion (the Cowboys junior is at 132). Instead, Sieminski’s biggest threats to derail his four-timer chase are Baker/Powder Valley junior Aldo Duran, the No. 2 seed who finished fourth at 120 last year, and third-seeded Jak Hopkes of Tillamook, a junior who placed fourth at 106 last season.
Henley’s Clark hopes to cap dominant run with second state title
Since Clark missed weight at the district meet by two-tenths of a pound as a sophomore, the Hornets senior has been downright dominant.
He went undefeated last season and won his first state title, then cruised to a third district championship two weeks ago to improve to 52-1 this season. His last loss on the mat to an in-state opponent was in December 2021.
He’ll open his title defense Thursday morning against Cottage Grove senior Seazar Ibarra seeking to become the first Henley wrestler to win a second title since Gary Jantzer in 2015.
Complete coverage of OSAA state wrestling
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