Oregon 3A wrestling state championships preview: Quartet vying to join 4-timer club

The 3A Oregon high school wrestling state championships take place this weekend. Here's a look at what to expect.

La Pine senior Landyn Philpott is one of four 3A wrestlers hoping to win a fourth state title this weekend. / Leon Neuschwander

The Oregon 3A high school wrestling state championships take place Thursday and Friday at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland. Here's a look at what to expect. 

Schedule

Thursday, Noon-9 p.m.: Round 1 and Quarterfinals

Friday, 2:45 p.m.: Semifinals

Friday, 7 p.m.: Parade of Champions and Finals

Top seeds (returning champions in italics)

106 Brandon Henderson, Fr., Harrisburg

113 Braxton Henager, So., Harrisburg

120 Riley Flack, Sr., La Pine

126 Kale Cornell, Sr., Burns

132 Canon Winn, Sr., Burns

138 Devon Kerr, Sr., La Pine

144 Landyn Philpott, Sr., La Pine

150 Cannon Kemper, So., Burns

157 Kamran Ness, Sr., Santiam Christian

165 Camaron Houston, Sr., Coquille

175 Brody Buzzard, Jr., Harrisburg

190 Easton Kemper, Sr., Burns

215 Joe Weil, Jr., Burns

285 Kaison Smith, Sr., Warrenton

Other state champions

120 Andrei Donayri, So., Harrisburg

Most state qualifiers

1, Burns 15. 2, (tie) Harrisburg and Willamina 12. 4, Banks 11. 5, Nyssa 10. 6, Santiam Christian 9. 7, (tie) Pleasant Hill, Sutherlin and Warrenton 8.

What to watch

Burns, Willamina figure to challenge defending champion Harrisburg

Harrisburg returns to Memorial Coliseum hungry to defend the state championship the Eagles won for the first time last year. 

They’ll have to stave off Burns, which was a distant second last year — the Hilanders’ third consecutive runner-up finish after their 2020 championship — and Willamina, which finished second at 2A/1A last year before moving back to 3A this season.

The Hilanders have five top seeds among their meet-high 15 qualifiers, while the Eagles have three and Willamina none.

Four remain alive to complete four-time state championship quest

Five 3A wrestlers entered the season harboring hopes of joining the group of 51 who have won four state championships over the previous 77 tournaments.

One — Harrisburg senior Luke Cheek — unfortunately suffered an injury during the season that kept him from competing at district. The other four — Cornell, Kerr, Philpott and Easton Kemper — are four rounds from completing the feat.

Of the quartet, Kerr might face the biggest challenge. A potential semifinal could match him with Banks senior Benjamin Dinan, who placed fourth at 126 last year. In the final, awaiting him could be No. 2 seed Trayson Truesdell of Harrisburg, who placed third at 132 as a freshman last year, or No. 3 Kisor Savage of Willamina, a 2A/1A state runner-up at 120 in 2024.

The No. 2 seed opposite Cornell in the bracket is Banks sophomore Tobijah Mauck, who took fifth at 120 last year. Philpott could face No. 3 Boone Marquess of Pleasant Hill (sixth at 150 last year) or No. 2 James Turner of Banks in the final.

Kemper could meet Willamina junior Bodhi Baller (fourth at 2A/1A 175) in the quarterfinals, with Vale junior Wyatt Cox (fifth at 165 but unseeded) and No. 2 seed Ryan Gaskin of North Valley squaring off in Round 1 on the opposite side of the bracket.

Two returning champions face daunting road to potential 120 final

Last year’s state champions at 106 and 113 pounds moved up to 120 this season and landed on opposite sides of the bracket.

Flack earned the No. 1 seed by virtue of his longer track record at state — he placed fourth as a sophomore — but should he and Donayri work their way through the bracket, it will be their first meeting.

It won’t be easy. Donayri has three returning placers in half of the draw, including No. 3 seed Peyton Wafer of Douglas (sixth at 120), and Flack faces a potential quarterfinal with Harrisburg junior John Henderson (fourth at 106).

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