Oregon 4A wrestling: Champions, takeaways from district meets

The 4A wrestling district meets took place over the weekend

La Grande's Tommy Belding, who won a Reser's Tournament of Champions title last month, will try to repeat as state champion after winning a second consecutive district title. / Photo by Taylor Balkom

The 4A wrestling district meets took place over the weekend, with the OSAA state championships scheduled for Feb. 27-28 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland.

Here’s a look at the champions and three takeaways from each of the four district meets. The top four finishers from each district meet advance to state. 

Special District 1 (at Scappoose)

Team champion: Tillamook (414.5 points)

Most qualifiers: Tillamook (17), Scappoose (9), Molalla (8), St. Helens (8)

Individual champions

106 Liam Pyle, So., Tillamook

113 Henry Rollins, So., Seaside

120 Leroy Mixon, So., Estacada

126 Michael Cobabe, Sr., St. Helens

132 Beau Sandberg, Jr., Molalla

138 Greg Hall, Jr., St. Helens

144 Jackson Walls, So., Scappoose

150 Brayden Cooley, So., Seaside

157 Psylis McNutt, Jr., St. Helens

165 Maverick Heimbuck, Sr., Scappoose

175 Koi Smith, Sr., Tillamook

190 Cayden Baker, Sr., Scappoose

215 Carlos Silva-Villa, Jr., Seaside

285 Adrian Balli, Jr., Astoria

3 notes

Tillamook qualifies 17 for state in winning seventh district title in a row

Make it seven consecutive district titles for Tillamook, which romped to a 158-point victory over host Scappoose. The Cheesemakers won only two weight classes (in all-Tillamook finals, including repeat champion Smith) but had five other finalists and sent 17 qualifiers to Memorial Coliseum as they look to improve upon a sixth-place finish in the team standings.

Scappoose's Heimbuck wins fourth district title, looks to defend state crown

Heimbuck, who took home a state title at 157 last year, won a fourth district championship with a 16-0 technical fall over Estacada’s Turner Jackson. Heimbuck will arrive at the Coliseum boasting a 46-3 record.

Seaside's three district champions most for program in past two decades

Seaside advanced only three wrestlers to state, but all three were district champions, led by repeat winner Cooley, who placed fifth at state last year — the only Seagull to make the podium. The Seagulls hadn’t had three district champions in the same year in the past two decades.

Special District 2 (at Philomath)

Team champion: Sweet Home (449 points)

Most qualifiers: Sweet Home (18), Cascade (9)

Individual champions

106 Keegan Jefferson, So., Sweet Home

113 Riley Vaughan, So., Sweet Home

120 Jesse Landtroop, So., Sweet Home

126 Tytus Hardee, Jr., Sweet Home

132 Dillan Davis, Jr., Sweet Home

138 Leonardo Michel, Jr., Stayton

144 Hans Kamm, So., Cascade

150 Riley Barrett, Jr., Philomath

157 Kyle Zajic, So., Sweet Home

165 Jacob Landtroop, Sr., Sweet Home

175 Luke Rosa, Jr., Sweet Home

190 Lake Mulberry, Jr., Philomath

215 Matthew Hinkle, Jr., Cascade

285 Nicholas Lopez, Sr., Cascade

3 notes

Defending state champion Sweet Home wins 11th district title in a row

Sweet Home bolstered its hopes of defending its state title with its performance in earning an 11th consecutive district title by a whopping 123.5 points over Cascade, with no other team within 150 points of the Cougars. 

The Huskies matched their 18 state qualifiers and eight champions (including each from 106 to 132) of a year ago, with last year’s 106 state champion Jesse Landtroop repeating as district champion. Last year’s 175 state champion, Ashton Swanson, was disqualified in the 190 semifinals and will not return to Memorial Coliseum.

Cascade sending nine to state, including three-time heavyweight champion

Lopez won a third consecutive district title and Hinkle (a state runner-up at 190 last year) won his second to lead Cascade’s nine-wrestler state contingent. They were joined atop the medals podium by Kamm, who lost in sudden-victory overtime in last year’s 126 district final, then finished second at the state meet.

Philomath's Barrett prepares for state title defense with repeat district crown

Barrett won’t reprise his undefeated season from last year, when he went 48-0 and won the 150 state title, but he is still undefeated against 4A competition this season and 29-3 overall after a 17-0 technical fall against Sweet Home’s James Hearick in the district final.

Special District 3 (at Henley)

Team champion: Marshfield (341 points)

Most qualifiers: Mazama (13), Marshfield (12), Hidden Valley (10)

Individual champions

106 Garron Castro, Jr., Marshfield

113 Charlie Morton, Fr., Marshfield

120 Hadyn Widdicombe, Jr., Marshfield

126 Trayton Forbes, Jr., Marshfield

132 Reese Hite, Sr., Marshfield

138 Parker Pruett, So., North Bend

144 Levi Hicks, Sr., Klamath Union

150 Jackson Swanson, Jr., North Bend

157 Walter Collier, Jr., Henley

165 Aaron Sinnott, Jr., Marshfield

175 Aryan Wright, Sr., Marshfield

190 Jack Kaefring, Sr., Mazama

215 Mitchell Quist, Jr., Hidden Valley

285 Skylar Folau, So., Marshfield

3 notes

Marshfield wins first district championship since 2018

Marshfield took home its first district title since 2018, toppling three-time defending champion Mazama by 54 points, with Hidden Valley another 10.5 points back. The Pirates had eight titlists (including four-time champion Hite and repeat winners Castro, Forbes and Wright), and combined with North Bend’s two champions, the Coos Bay schools won 10 of 14 weight classes.

Mazama has district run end but advances 13 to state

The Vikings did not win a sixth district title in the past seven years, but they did advance a meet-best 13 to next weekend’s state tournament. Kaefring won the team’s only title with a 7-2 decision over Hidden Valley’s Brent Kolkow, with three others falling in the finals.

Klamath Union's Hicks earns third district title

Hicks started the season at 157, then bounced between 144 and 150, winning four tournaments before settling on 144 for the postseason. He improved to 34-3 with three technical falls this weekend, including a 21-5 victory over Henley’s Waylon Poe in the final for his third district title.

Special District 4 (at La Grande)

Team champion: Crook County (493 points)

Most qualifiers: Crook County (20), Pendleton (14), La Grande (12)

Individual champions

106 Tanner Brumble, Fr., Crook County

113 Alejandro Vargas, Fr., Crook County

120 Bragen Anderson, Jr., La Grande

126 Chase Hemphill, So., Crook County

132 Chance Yancey, Jr., Crook County

138 Landon Lavey, Sr., Crook County

144 Chase Brumble, So., Crook County

150 Vance Nelson, Jr., Pendleton

157 Tommy Belding, Jr., La Grande

165 Jayden Lopez, Jr., Crook County

175 Gavin Sandoval, Sr., Crook County

190 Miles Kennedy, Sr., Pendleton

215 Dex Dunlap, So., La Grande

285 Kenai Huff, Sr., La Grande

3 notes

Crook County set up well for state title run with district meet performance

Crook County has four runner-up state finishes since its last championship in 2018, but after a 168-point victory over Pendleton for its third consecutive district title, it takes plenty of momentum to Memorial Coliseum as it bids to topple Sweet Home from atop the 4A wrestling world. The Cowboys won eight district titles, with defending state champions Lavey and Sandoval (a two-time state champion) joining Hemphill and Yancey as repeat district titlists.

La Grande's Anderson wins loaded 120 bracket

One of the most loaded brackets at any district tournament this weekend was the 120-pound bracket in La Grande, with four returning state placers and two district champions in the field. Anderson, a state runner-up at 106 as a sophomore, came out on top, beating Crook County’s Duke Wentzel (fifth at 113 last year) 10-8 in the final. Baker’s Aldo Duran (third at 120) and Crook County’s Justin England (sixth at 120) grabbed the final two state berths.

Reser's champion Belding ready to defend state title

Defending state champion Belding, who won at the Reser’s Tournament of Champions last month, continued his impressive season with a 20-4 technical fall over Pendleton’s Kainen Zimmerman in the 157 final. The Tigers finished a distant third in the team standings, but with four district champions and 12 qualifiers, they’ll still contend for a top-four finish and a trophy next weekend at Memorial Coliseum.

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