Wednesday, January 18, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
5
Matmen compete well at Oregon Wrestling Classic
By Rongi Yost
Correspondent
Sisters’ wrestling squad
traveled to compete at the
prestigious Oregon Wrestling
Classic (OWC) on Friday
and Saturday, January 13-14
— and they performed
well against challenging
competition.
The OWC is held at the
Redmond Expo Center and
is an event that usually draws
over 95 high school teams
from around the state. Due
to the severe weather condi-
tions around the state several
teams canceled and the tour-
nament had to be restruc-
tured. Round-robin tourna-
ments were set up, and a new
bracket was set up to include
6A, 5A, 4A schools, and
another for the 3A, 2A, and
1A schools.
The 4A Outlaws realized
they would have to face some
very tough competition.
Coach John Downs said,
“I told the team it was time
to step up and represent what
type of team we have built
here at Sisters. And boy did
we!”
Right out of the gates the
Outlaws faced 5A Springfield
in a tough opening match,
and only lost by one point
in a final score of 37-36.
Freshman Ethan Martin (182
pounds) pinned his oppo-
nent in 3:51 and senior Tyler
Surface (285 pounds), in his
first match of the season, got
a pin in 1:56. Surface just
returned to the squad after
recovering from a knee injury
at the start of the season, and
the team is excited to have
him back.
Sisters boasts a full line-
up this year, and as a result
Cork
Cellars
Wine & Bistro
earned several points from
forfeits.
Sisters took on Ridgeview
in their next contest. The
Outlaws were ready after
their match, with Springfield,
and dominated the Ravens
63-12. Sophomore Dalton
Ford (113 pounds) had a barn-
burner match and at the end
of three rounds defeated his
opponent 15-12. Freshmen
Anthony Randolph (132
pounds) juniors Cole Pade
(138 pounds), Damien Wills
(145 pounds), and freshman
Sal Gibney (170 pounds) all
pinned their opponents in the
first round.
To close out the first
day, the Outlaws matched
up against 6A powerhouse
South Medford (SM). Downs
said the outcome was a tough
one to swallow as the match
ended in a 42-42 tie, and due
to the tie criteria, SM won the
match. Outstanding matches
included Ford, who pinned
his opponent in 5:13, and
repeat winner Wills, who got
the pin in 1:57.
Sisters returned the next
day and faced Phoenix, a
very tough southern Oregon
school. The Outlaws received
a few forfeits from the Pirates
and earned a few wins, but
in the end the Pirates came
out on top 40-33. Junior Jake
Stevens controlled his three-
round match, and won 7-0.
Wills and Martin both pinned
their opponents in the second
round of their matches.
The Outlaws faced 3A
repeat state champions Burns
in their second match of the
day. Sisters prevailed in a
close 43-42 victory. Wills
recorded his fourth win of the
tournament when he pinned
his opponent in 1:39. Junior
Dustin Smith also crushed his
opponent in the first round
with a pin in 1:46.
“The Outlaws were just
starting to warm up, and it
was exciting to see them con-
tinue to still fight hard on the
second day,” said Downs.
The final match of the
tournament was against a
super-tough 5A Hood River
Valley (HRV) squad, who
took the match 48-30. Repeat
winners Gibney and Martin
won both of their matches,
and junior Casey Warburton
(220 pounds) stepped up,
dominated play against his
opponent, and got the pin in
2:46.
It wasn’t looking good
at first with our lighter,
younger wrestlers losing
tough matches, but the
bigger weights for the
Outlaws kept the
duel close.
— Coach John Downs
“It wasn’t looking good
at first with our lighter,
younger wrestlers losing
tough matches, but the bigger
weights for the Outlaws kept
the duel close,” said Downs.
In addition to the boys, the
Outlaws had one high school
girl compete at the event.
Freshman Vickie Hooks
entered the girls’ individual
PHOTO PROVIDED
Coach John Downs and freshman wrestler Vickie Hooks.
championship matches.
Hook didn’t start to wres-
tle until late evening, and
according to Downs her first
match was an eye-opener.
Hook faced a very experi-
enced Malea Maleak from
Thurston High School and
was pinned in the first round.
Hook entered the consolation
round and in the first round
pinned Emily Mitchell from
Hood River in two minutes.
Vickie also tallied wins over
Nicolette Irvine and Marina
Taccone, both from Ashland.
Her three wins earned her a
spot in the third- and fourth-
place match, where she again
had to face Palahnuick of
Thurston, and lost in a very
tough match.
“The team, her parents,
and I were very proud of
Vickie earning fourth place
out of 13 girls,” said Downs.
“Vickie now realizes even
more how much harder she
needs to work in practice.”
Downs told The Nugget
that he was very impressed
with how the entire Outlaws
team fought both days of the
event.
The Outlaws were to wres-
tle against Sweet Home at
home in Sisters on Tuesday,
January 17. On Saturday,
January 21, the Outlaws will
travel to the Madras Invite.
Dinner Specials
Friday & Saturday
Shepherd’s Pie
Free Wine Tasting
Eola Hills,
Thursday 5-7 pm
Live Music
Sat., Jan. 21st, 7-9 pm
Mark Conklin
Open Tuesday-Saturday 12-8 pm
391 W. Cascade Ave. | 541-549-2675
Let Us
s Help You Ge
Get
et Thro
Through
T
h r o ugh
hro
h
.
.
.
R
E
T
N
I
W
ls
Snow S hove
akes
Roof Snow R
very
ellets & Deli
P
l
e
u
F
d
o
o
W
on
Pipe Insulati
ore!
Ice-melt & M
January 17 – February 24
Reception to meet the artists
Friday, January 27, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
People’s Choice Awards and Silent Auction
The community may vote at the library for the awards
between Wednesday, January 17 & Friday, January 27.
All are invited!
H
Hours:
M-F
M F 8 t to 5
5, S
Sat.
t 8 t to 4
4:30,
30 Cl
Closed
dS
Sundays
d
440 N. Pine St. • 541-549-8141 • www.hoyts.net
For information, contact Zeta Seiple at 541-549-6157
or Paul Alan Bennett at 541-588-0156.