SPORTS
A6 — BAKER CITY HERALD
SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2021
Baker wrestlers ready to compete at state
■ Twelve Bulldogs — including three veterans who competed in the 2020 state meet — are wrestling this weekend at Cascade
By Corey Kirk
ckirk@bakercityherald.com
As practice came to a
close on Wednesday, June
23, Baker wrestling coach
Brandon Young had his
wrestlers gather in a circle in
the Baker gym.
Young turned the lights off.
“The Last Rebel” by
Lynyrd Skynyrd blares from
speakers.
Young starts a speech
intended to prepare the
Bulldogs for the two-day
state tournament that would
start in two days, on Friday,
June 25.
“Think about how you
want that story to be told,
go out there and give it
everything you got,” Young
said. “You go down swing-
ing. One of the reasons why
we wrestle is when we get
our hand raised at the end
of that match, and you guys
have worked and sacrifi ced,
there’s nothing that feels any
better than that.”
After a condensed season
concluded with the regional
tournament in La Grande,
12 Baker wrestlers quali-
fi ed for the nonsanctioned
state tournament at Cascade
High School in Turner, near
Salem.
Junior Gavin Stone is no
stranger to the state tourna-
ment stage, having competed
the previous two seasons, in-
cluding a third-place trophy
at 120 pounds in 2020.
(The state wrestling
tournament fi nished just
before high school sports
were stopped due to the
COVID-19 pandemic.)
Stone, wrestling this year
at 145 pounds, placed fourth
at the regional tournament.
He’s ready for a strong per-
formance at state.
“I’m excited, I got a good
spot in the bracket, I might
get to wrestle some of the
approaches of Stone and
In just his second year of
because they are taking more
Gauge refl ect their personali- wrestling, Martin said that
chances.”
ties.
although he knows the state
Regardless of the results
“It’s kind of how they are
tournament atmosphere can this weekend, Young is con-
away from wrestling too, it’s be intimidating, he is confi -
fi dent that Baker’s wrestling
just kind of how they act,”
dent he’s prepared.
team will come back even
Young said. “Gavin is very
“I’ve been prepping to go
stronger when the next sea-
X-Y-Z and is driven. Gauge
to state for this last year, I’m son starts — ideally on the
is driven too but he is more
ready for it, I know I will
normal winter schedule.
relaxed about it and tries to stay focused,” Martin said.
“I think the biggest thing
make it more fun.”
Young said all Baker
is that exposure, getting
Sophomore River Clark
wrestlers have worked hard those kids to the big show
joins Bloomer and Stone as
during a year that has been being so young as freshman
Baker wrestlers with state
anything but normal.
or a sophomore,” Young said.
tournament experience.
Instead of fi nishing the
“Taking that experience into
Clark fi nished with a 1-2
season at the end of winter,
next year and not being quite
record at the 2020 tourna-
the Bulldogs are competing
as nervous.”
Corey Kirk/Baker City Herald ment.
for trophies at the start of
Veteran state competitors
Baker’s Gavin Stone, left, wrestles Ontario’s Marcus
Nine other Bulldogs are
summer.
such as Stone and Bloomer,
Grivajala on June 3. Stone is one of 12 Baker wrestlers
making their debut this
“They want it really bad,” who will be seniors, are
who are competing in the state tournament this week-
weekend at the highest level Young said. “We didn’t get
excited about taking on the
end at Cascade High School near Salem.
of competition.
to really have an actual
leadership roles that their
Junior Jaden Martin, who tournament this year (this
former teammates, such as
same kids, and I’m hop-
195 pounds, said his drum
narrowly missed qualifying weekend’s event is not spon- 2020 graduates Hon Rushton
ing that I do,” Stone said.
solos are just a part of the
for state in 2020, secured his sored by the Oregon School
and Jake Eskew, excelled in.
“I know that I didn’t quite
routine that keeps him
spot this year by winning the Activities Association) so they
Rushton won a state title
wrestle to the best that I
relaxed.
heavyweight division at the are excited to have that op-
at 182 pounds last year, and
could at regionals, but I’m at
“It’s very important, I re-
regional tournament.
portunity to see where they
Eskew placed third at 145
state, and my goal is to win
member last year all season
“I was really excited,” Mar- measure up to everybody
pounds.
it. Everyone wants it. It’s a
I was a very tight wrestler, I tin said. “I was so glad I was else.”
“I’m enjoying the new kids,
whole different tournament.” wasn’t relaxed or loose at all able to win that tournament.
With nine wrestlers mak- and I enjoy watching them
Stone is quietly intense.
until the state tournament,” That last match was a little ing their fi rst trip to state,
wrestle, and watching them
Maintaining a calm but fo-
Bloomer said. “I just decided bit scary. It’s defi nitely a lot
Young said he has strived
improve,” Stone said.
cused demeanor before every to switch it up, try something better than losing.”
to keep them focused and
“This is new for me,”
match, his goal is to make
new. I’ve just been sticking
Young has been im-
to not be sidetracked by the
Bloomer said. “I’ve never
his opponents fear his name with it.”
mensely proud of his junior
pressure.
really been the leader of the
when they see it next to their
After placing fi rst at
heavyweight.
“We try to talk to them
wrestling room, I’ve always
name on a bracket.
the regional tournament,
“He was right there last
to just go out there to try
had Hon or Jake here being
“I want the kid to never
Bloomer is confi dent.
year, but then this year he
and score as many points
the leader, it’s different so I
wrestle me again, I don’t
“I think that I will be able has taken a giant leap,”
as you can and don’t worry
am getting used to it. It’s fun,
want to go the full match, I
to ride that momentum
Young said. “He listens, and about the score or anything
I like it.”
want to hurt him, tech fall
deep into it,” Bloomer said.
he is an athlete. Big guys
else,” Young said. “If they
Tournament results are
him or pin him,” Stone said. “I am not going to overlook
just cannot move like Jaden are doing that then they will available online at www.
“I want to get in and get out. anybody, I am not going to
Martin does.”
get better with the process,
trackwrestling.com.
It doesn’t always happen, but walk in there like I own
it’s wrestling.”
them. I am still going to take
While Stone paces in
everybody seriously.”
preparation, right next to
Bloomer hopes to improve
Friends of
him, with his headphones on on his fourth-place fi nish last
Baker County Library
and occasionally busting out year.
an air drum solo, is fellow
“My goal last year was to
junior Gauge Bloomer.
place and I got that, and I
Volunteers needed to help sort books
Bloomer, also making his
think this year, I am going to
and to work as cashiers at their summer
third trip to the state tourna- try to win it this year, I think
Sign up at the library or
ment, placed fourth at 160
I have a good shot at it,”
pounds in 2020.
Bloomer said.
call Jen 541 519 7828
Bloomer, now wrestling at
Young said the different
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