Oregon (OSAA) 5A wrestling state championships preview: Crescent Valley faces stiff competition in bid for fourth consecutive title

The 5A Oregon high school wrestling state championships take place Saturday in Redmond. Here's a look at what to expect.

The 5A Oregon high school wrestling state championships take place Saturday in Redmond. Here's a look at what to expect. 

Top seeds (returning champions in italics)

106 Everest Sutton, So., Crescent Valley

113 Wyatt Dingman, So., St. Helens

120 Tucker Bonner, Sr., Crook County

126 Gabe Whisenhunt, Sr., Crescent Valley

132 DJ Gillett, Jr., Crescent Valley

138 Narcizo Garza, Sr., St. Helens

145 Ethan Dunigan, Jr., Central

152 Hunter Harwood, Sr., Thurston

160 Dylan Lee, Jr., Redmond

170 Daschle Lamer, Jr., Crescent Valley

182 James Rowley, Sr., Crescent Valley

195 Hayden Walters, Jr., Crescent Valley

220 Vaun Halstead, Jr., Thurston

285 Riley Godek, Sr., Crescent Valley

Other returning champion

132 Cash Wells, Jr., Crook County

Most state qualifiers

1, Crook County 21. 2, Redmond 17. 3, Thurston 16. 4, Dallas 15. 5, St. Helens 14. 6, Eagle Point 12. 7, Scappoose 11. 8, (tie) Crescent Valley and Hillsboro 10. 10, West Albany 9.

What to watch

Crescent Valley faces stiff competition in bid for fourth consecutive title

Crescent Valley has the top seed in half the weight classes at Saturday’s state meet at Ridgeview High School in Redmond. 

However, the Raiders have only three other qualifiers — they added a 10th in Gunner Gillett at 113 pounds when West Albany’s Aliana Martinez, who placed fourth at district, gave up her spot to win a girls state title at 110 on Thursday night.

Even with seven wrestlers favored to win titles — including two vying to become four-timers — Crescent Valley coach Chad Lamer knows his team has little margin for error as it tries to hold off Crook County, Redmond, Thurston and Dallas and win a fourth consecutive state title.

“It will probably be pretty close,” Lamer said. “Our guys need to get bonus points like they are completely capable of doing, and we will need to get some points at 113 and 220 (junior Jayden Cobb). I think the team race will be an exciting one. We will need some help from the other teams in the state to knock down some of the Thurston, CC and Redmond guys.”

The Colts have two top seeds, while the Cowboys and Panthers have one apiece. A key match could come at 132, where a couple of returning champions — DJ Gillett and Crook County’s Wells, who lost in the district semifinals — could meet in the semifinals.

Also, don’t count out St. Helens, which also has two top seeds as it looks to reach the podium for the first time since 1992.

CV wrestlers look for another 4-peat — 4 years in a row with a 4-time champion

For the fourth consecutive year, a Crescent Valley wrestler could join the elite club of four-time state champions this weekend. 

Or, in this case, two Raiders could enter a group that includes just 41 wrestlers (40 boys, one girl) who have won four titles in the 74-year history of the state championships.

Whisenhunt, an Oregon State signee, brings a 139-8 career record and a No. 6 national ranking by WIN magazine to this weekend’s meet. Potential roadblocks to his fourth title include Thurston junior Braylin Ruchti, a 2021 runner-up at 113, and Scappoose junior Anthony Comer, the No. 2 seed in the bracket.

Rowley seeks a fourth consecutive title before heading to Wisconsin in the fall. A two-time world champion medalist and ranked No. 7 in the country by WIN magazine, he is 129-10 for his career. The No. 2 seed in his bracket is Wilsonville senior Marshall Rodenbeck.

4 runners-up from June look to win state title this weekend

Both of Thurston’s No. 1 seeds, Harwood and Halstead, were runners-up at the state meet in June and look to take that final step up the medals podium as state champions.

Two other second-place finishers from June also return as No. 1 seeds this weekend — Bonner lost in the 120 final, while Garza fell in the 132 final.