SPORTS
A10 — THE OBSERVER
THuRSday, MaRcH 10, 2022
RANKINGS
Continued from Page A9
Ronald Osterloh/Contributed Photo, File
Imbler’s Garrett Burns cradles Nestucca’s Zakai Chatelain in the semifinals of the 126-pound weight
class at the OSAA Class 2A/1A State Wrestling Championship on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. Burns earned
a technical fall with a 17-1 win on his way to his third state championship.
BURNS
Continued from Page A9
The senior cruised
through the opening
rounds, winning three
straight matches to ensure
his spot in the final. Otley
previously defeated Burns
once this year, but Imbler’s
top wrestler took the final
matchup of the season
to make history for the
Panthers.
Setting the bar high
The journey from
beginner wrestler to three-
time champion was one of
hard work and dedication
for Burns, who picked up
the sport later than most.
Burns began wres-
tling in the eighth grade,
learning the ins and outs
of a new sport. Burns
went 11-6 as a freshman,
but found inspiration in
his teammates. Logan
Butcher, a senior at the
time, took home an indi-
vidual state championship
for Imbler, giving Burns
motivation to achieve sim-
ilar success.
“It really drove me,”
Burns said. “I put in the
work for it and just kept
working and working and
working. As a freshman if
you told me I’d be a three-
time champion, I wouldn’t
believe you.”
In his senior campaign
for a historic third state
championship, Burns went
the extra mile to cement
his legacy with the pro-
gram. The senior stuck to
a daily regime of lifting
before school, often swim-
ming when time allowed,
weight training after lunch,
practicing after school and
doing homework before
bed — this cycle was on
repeat for the eventual
state champion in his pur-
suit of top marks at the
126-pound division.
ON THE SLATE
Friday, March 11
COLLEGE WOMEN’S
BASKETBALL
Eastern Oregon vs. Sterling
college, Park city, Kansas,
10 a.m.
COLLEGE WOMEN’S
WRESTLING
Eastern Oregon at NaIa
National Invite, Jamestown,
North dakota, TBa
cOLLEGE SOFTBaLL
British columbia at Eastern
Oregon, 1 p.m.
British columbia at Eastern
Oregon, 3 p.m.
“He has a tremendous
work ethic and great lead-
ership,” Imbler head coach
Doug Hislop said. “Our
junior high kids look at
him like an idol, which
is neat. He’s a good role
model and gets straight As
in school.”
History in Imbler
As Burns claimed the
district title at 126 on Feb.
19, the senior suffered a
significant ankle injury
that limited his mobility.
According to Hislop, the
team at Imbler was sure to
tape both of Burns’ ankles
in order to avoid showing a
weak point to opponents
Fighting through injury
at the state tournament,
Burns managed to earn a
7-2 decision over Otley to
make history.
“Everything I put into
it is what I got out of it,”
Burns said. “I made sure I
was doing the right things,
I made sure I was on the
right diet, I made sure I was
lifting and perfecting. By
the time I got there each
year, I was ready for it.”
Burns’ success and
work ethic have drawn high
praises from Hislop, who
has been a pillar in Eastern
Oregon wrestling programs.
“I’ve never in 52 years
of coaching had a kid like
him before,” Hislop said.
After the conclu-
sion of his senior season,
Burns leaves Imbler as the
school’s most successful
wrestler. His three titles,
Sunday, March 13
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Eastern Oregon at corban,
11 a.m.
Eastern Oregon at corban,
2 p.m.
alongside Carson of La
Grande, highlighted a his-
toric season for wrestling in
Union County.
“I was really excited and
ecstatic leaving it on that,”
Burns said. “I was sad to
be done, but I was glad to
leave on that note.”
Burns is planning to
help coach at Imbler next
year, before potentially
studying and wrestling
at community college.
He hopes to eventually
transfer to Eastern Oregon
University, to join the
wrestling team and earn a
business degree.
The senior wrestler
noted that several younger
athletes at Imbler have
recently picked up wres-
tling upon seeing his suc-
cess. He stated his hopes
that younger wrestlers can
see his achievements and
be inspired, just as Burns
found inspiration from his
upperclassmen teammates
as a freshman.
“Just doing that for
those small schools puts a
lot into perspective,” Burns
said. “It doesn’t matter
where you’re from or your
school size, you can still do
it. It’s all about the work.”
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Saturday, March 12
COLLEGE WOMEN’S
WRESTLING
Eastern Oregon at NaIa
National Invite, Jamestown,
North dakota, TBa
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Eastern Oregon at corban,
11 a.m.
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COLLEGE SOFTBALL
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British columbia at Eastern
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COLLEGE WOMEN’S
LACROSSE
Eastern Oregon at Boise State
Tournament, TBa
Ronald Osterloh/Contributed Photo, File
Imbler wrestling coach Doug Hislop stands with Panther grappler
Garrett Burns just before the state championship competition on
Feb. 29, 2020. Burns won the championship in 2020, 2021 and 2022,
becoming the first Union County wrestler to win state three times.
caught at the wall in right-
center field to end the game.
The success has been all
the more impressive con-
sidering the Beavers have
been without two of their
three weekend starters. Jake
Pfennigs was pulled after
two innings in his second
start with an undisclosed
injury and did not pitch
against UC Irvine, while
starter Will Frisch has not
pitched this season because
of an undisclosed ailment.
In their absence, ace left-
hander Cooper Hjerpe (3-0,
1.65 ERA) has been dom-
inant, holding opposing
hitters to a .203 batting
average, and the defense has
been near-perfect, flexing a
.991 fielding percentage that
ranks fourth in the nation.
And, of course, the lineup
continues to batter opposing
pitching staffs — the Bea-
vers are averaging 10.1 runs
a game and rank fourth in
nation in batting average
(.353) and sixth in on-base
percentage (.457).
Oregon State begins
Pac-12 play this week, when
it visits Washington State
at 3:05 p.m. March 11 in
the opener of a three-game
series in Pullman.
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