Oregon 4A wrestling state championships preview: Crook County, Sweet Home lead strong field of contenders

The 4A Oregon high school wrestling state championships take place this weekend. Here's a look at what to expect.

Crook County freshman 106-pounder Tanner Brumble is one of four Cowboys to earn top seeds at this weekend's 4A wrestling championships. / Taylor Balkom

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. 

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 Tanner Brumble, Fr., Crook County

113 Riley Vaughan, So., Sweet Home

120 Jesse Landtroop, So., Sweet Home

126 Chase Hemphill, So., Crook County

132 Dillan Davis, Jr., Sweet Home

138 Landon Lavey, Sr., Crook County

144 Hans Kamm, So., Cascade

150 Riley Barrett, Jr., Philomath

157 Tommy Belding, Jr., La Grande

165 Maverick Heimbuck, Sr., Scappoose

175 Gavin Sandoval, Sr., Crook County

190 Lake Mulberry, Jr., Philomath

215 Matthew Hinkle, Jr., Cascade

285 Kenai Huff, Sr., La Grande

Most state qualifiers

1, Crook County 20. 2, Sweet Home 18. 3, Tillamook 17. 4, Pendleton 14. 5, Mazama 13. 6, (tie) La Grande and Marshfield 12. 8, Hidden Valley 10. 9, (tie) Cascade and Scappoose 9.

What to watch

Tight races for team championship, trophy finishes should unfold

Expect 4A coaches to return home with neck strains from craning their heads skyward to check the team standings scrolling across the scoreboard.

Sweet Home last year won its first state championship since the 2021 COVID summer season, but the Huskies will get pushed by Crook County in its final year in 4A before returning to 5A. 

The Cowboys have added four runner-up trophies to their case since their last championship in 2018, but with a meet-high 20 qualifiers and four top seeds, they enter a slight favorite among a bevy of title contenders looking to dethrone the Huskies, who were the top 4A team at the Reser's Tournament of Champions and qualified 18 for this weekend.

Tillamook, which made the podium every year from 2020-23, brings 17 wrestlers to the Memorial Coliseum. Cascade returned to the podium last season after a four-year hiatus.

Marshfield (last trophy: second in 2018), Pendleton (last trophy: second in 2012) and Mazama (best finish: seventh) are sending double-digit qualifiers. And don’t forget La Grande, which finished third at its district meet but won three titles in four years from 2020-23.

Could we see four repeat champions in a row in the middle weights?

The middle weights feature plenty of star power, as from 150 to 175 pounds, returning champions hope to add another title this weekend.

Barrett, Belding and Heimbuck won their first gold medals last year, and Sandoval returned from injury in time to earn a second consecutive title.

Three top seeds — Kamm, Hinkle and Huff — were runners-up last season. Sweet Home’s Jacob Landtroop (who lost to Barrett in last year’s 150 final) is the No. 2 at 165 hoping to deny Heimbuck a second title.

Loaded field at 120 boasts returning champion, 5 placers from 2024

A potential rematch looms in the 120 bracket, where Sweet Home’s Jesse  Landtroop and La Grande junior Bragen Anderson are on opposite sides of the bracket. Landtroop won a 6-2 decision over Anderson in last year’s 106 final.

To get to the final, they’ll need to navigate a loaded bracket that features five returning placers from last year’s tournament and district champions Leroy Mixon of Estacada (No. 3 seed) and Hadyn Widdicombe of Marshfield (No. 4 seed).

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