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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 2025)
EIGHT - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, February 26, 2025 Heppner girls wrestlers shine Heppner Mustangs grapple to 5th at districts, at districts, secure state spots Heppner High School onto the mat, they are met send three to state girls’ wrestling had a his- with many emotions: ner- On Friday and Satur- ite thing about the Heppner day, February 21-22, 2025, wrestling program is how the Heppner High School close we are as a team. Our boys’ wrestling team trav- dynamic is fantastic, and eled to Bend, Oregon, to we always find ways to compete in the OSAA have fun. What I love most 2A/1A Special District 3 about my coaches is how tournament. HHS had a they hold me accountable successful second weekend for what I do or don’t do. of district wrestling, with They tell me when I am the boys wrapping up the wrong and help me fix my season while still paving the mistakes, but they are just way for the upcoming state as quick to praise me and championships. With seven point out what I did right. wrestlers placing and three They always have fun with qualifying for state, the us and get involved. My team proudly finished 5th coaches continue to help overall, competing along- me overcome obstacles, side fourteen other schools. like the pressure of the Zachary Brown, a se- state tournament, and they nior and Landon McMa- help me stay focused before hon, a sophomore, both and during competitions. placed first in their respec- They always believe in me tive classes at districts. and let me know that they Brown was the top seed are proud of me, win or in his weight class, having lose. I’m looking forward placed third at state last year to hanging out with Jaime and qualified for state the and Zac for one last time in year before. Brown is 36-0 wrestling, and I’m excited this season with over 100 to finish the year strong career wins. This marks the and hopefully win a state third consecutive year that championship. The biggest Brown has qualified for challenge I have overcome state and the second year is the mental battle wres- for McMahon. McMahon tling brings with it.” was also the first seed for State-bound Mustang his weight class this year. wrestlers will be sent off He placed 2nd at state last on Wednesday, February year and holds a record of 26, 2025, at 2:30 PM. Boys 48-2 for this season. and girls will be heading Jaime Cavan, also a to compete in the 2025 senior, is the third state OSAA/OnPoint Commu- qualifier for the Heppner nity Credit Union Wrestling boys’ wrestling team, plac- State Championships at the ing 2nd at districts. This is Veterans Memorial Colise- also Cavan’s third year of um in Portland, Oregon, on being a state qualifier; he the 27th and 28th of Febru- placed 3rd at state last year ary. Wrestling brackets are and 4th the year before. already posted online on L a n d o n M c M a h o n Track Wrestling under the shared what he has enjoyed tournament name for those most about his wrestling who are interested. Good career thus far: “My favor- luck, Mustangs! OSAA 2A/1A Special District 3 Tournament Date: February 21-22, 2025 Location: Bend, OR Team Result: Heppner placed 5th with 139.5 team points Individual Results Zachary Brown (157 lbs) - 1st Place Champ. Round 1: Defeated Bryce Cunningham (Culver), Fall 0:42 Quarterfinal: Defeated Mylen Bowen (Crane), Fall 0:23 Semifinal: Defeated Wyatt Thomas (Adrian), Fall 0:54 1st Place Match: Defeated Anthony Pallis (Imbler), Inj. 0:00 Team Points: 30.0 Landon McMahon (215 lbs) - 1st Place Champ. Round 1: Defeated Jesus Alvarado Disdado (Culver), Fall 1:14 Quarterfinal: Defeated Joseph Ralston (Jo- seph), Fall 0:33 Semifinal: Defeated Raymone Hawley (Crane), Fall 1:24 1st Place Match: Defeated Gavin Russell (Joseph), Fall 0:23 Team Points: 30.0 Jaime Cavan (190 lbs) - 2nd Place Champ. Round 1: Bye Quarterfinal: Defeated Tucker Magee (Union/ Cove), Fall 1:19 Semifinal: Defeated Mason Benge (Grant Union/Prairie City), Fall 3:41 1st Place Match: Lost to Gunnar McDowell (Enterprise/Wallowa), Deci- sion 8-2 Team Points: 22.0 Hayden McMahon (144 lbs) - 4th Place Champ. Round 1: Defeated Sylar Carey (Union/Cove), Fall 1:29 Quarterfinal: Defeated Shane Wenke (Enterprise/ Wallowa), Fall 1:54 Semifinal: Lost to Owen Parsons (Grant Union/Prairie City), Fall 3:07 Cons. Semi.: De- feated Kadin Allen (Elgin), Fall 1:24 3rd Place Match: Lost to Pearce Schnetzky (Enterprise/Wallowa), Fall 1:46 Team Points: 18.0 Owen Guerra (175 lbs) - 5th Place Champ. Round 1: Lost to Xander Olman (Irrigon), Fall 5:03 Cons. Round 1: Bye Cons. Round 2: Defeated Derek Faulconer (Adrian), Fall 1:59 Cons. Round 3: Defeated Josue Gutierrez (Culver), Fall 1:54 Cons. Semi.: Lost to Eli Maley (Crane), Fall 2:55 5th Place Match: Defeated Gabe McKaig (Union/Cove), Fall 2:34 Team Points: 14.0 Kaden King (165 lbs) - 5th Place Champ. Round 1: Bye Quarterfinal: Lost to Everett Vardanega (Grant Union/Prairie City), Fall 3:09 Cons. Round 2: Bye Cons. Round 3: Defeated Emilio Romero (Irrigon), Tech-Fall 19-2 (2:00) Cons. Semi.: Lost to Bear Doman (Crane), Fall 0:28 5th Place Match: Defeated Everett Vardanega (Grant Union/Prairie City), Fall 0:54 Team Points: 10.5 Conner Wilson (157 lbs) - 6th Place Champ. Round 1: Bye Quarterfinal: Lost to Anthony Pallis (Imbler), Major Decision 13-1 Cons. Round 2: Defeated Carlos Mendoza (Irrigon), Fall 2:21 Cons. Round 3: Defeated Adrian Cardoza (Crane), Major Decision 9-1 Cons. Semi.: Lost to Wyatt Thomas (Adrian), Fall 4:52 5th Place Match: Lost to Jasper Rutledge (Culver), Fall 4:30 Team Points: 8.0 Nickolas Wenberg (165 lbs) - Did Not Place Champ. Round 1: Lost to Larry McKaig (Union/Cove), Sudden Victory 12-9 Cons. Round 1: Bye Cons. Round 2: De- feated Felipe Marcom (Grant Union/Prairie City), Fall 0:51 Cons. Round 3: Lost to Larry McKaig (Union/ Cove), Decision 7-6 Team Points: 4.0 Lane Critchlow (285 lbs) - Did Not Place Champ. Round 1: Bye Quarterfinal: Lost to Juan Rico (Adri- an), Decision 13-10 Cons. Round 2: Defeated Blaine Medlock (Elgin), Fall 3:36 Cons. Round 3: Lost to Dominic Turner (Grant Union/Prairie City), Inj. 0:00 Team Points: 3.0 toric weekend at districts, with two female wrestlers qualifying for state and one becoming the first district champion in the history of Heppner’s girls’ wrestling program. On Friday, February 14, 2025, Heppner traveled to La Grande, Oregon, for the OSAA Girls 4A/3A/2A/1A Special District 3 Cham- pionship, which featured 29 teams from across the state. Heppner brought the largest team they’ve ever had as a school—six female wrestlers. Three placed, two qualified for state, and one brought home a district championship title, mark- ing a first in Heppner’s history of female wrestling. Journey Cavan-Harris, a junior at HHS, was seed- ed 2nd and has spent the past few years honing her technique, aiming to be- come one of the first female wrestlers from Heppner to qualify for state. Last year, she came close, placing 5th at districts. The team and coaches were hopeful for at least one qualifier this year. Cavan-Harris pinned her way through the tour- nament, secured a spot at state, and claimed the first- place title in her class. This makes her Heppner’s very first female district cham- pion. Additionally, Heppner had a second state qualifier when Keeley Nairns took fourth place in her class at districts. Keeley Nairns, the team’s senior class lead- er, moved up to a higher weight class before placing fourth and securing her spot for state. Nairns went 3-2 at the tournament, familiar with only two of her op- ponents, while giving up a thirty-pound advantage to her competitors. Emilia Cavan-Harris, a freshman at HHS, went 2-3 and placed 6th in her class at districts. The team placed 9th overall, wrapping up a historic weekend for our small 2A program. As the teams make their way to state this weekend, we are reminded that for many wrestlers, the journey to state is a culmination of years of hard work, dedica- tion, perseverance, and sup- port from their coaches and community. As they step vous excitement, anticipa- tion, and a profound sense of pride. The weight of their dreams rests on their shoulders, and they are well aware that every move and every decision could be the difference between victory and defeat. The support of their coaches, teammates, and families fuels their re- solve, reminding them that they have the strength and skill to succeed. As they face their opponents, they draw on their abilities and spirit, ready to overcome emotional and physical obstacles to give it every- thing they’ve got for a shot at glory. Heppner ’s Journey Cavan-Harris and Keeley Nairns know these feelings firsthand as they prepare for state this coming weekend. Nairns had this to say about her time as a wrestler in the program: “Despite having only two years of experience, I believe my biggest accomplishment is the noticeable improvement from last year. My record and confidence have in- creased as I’ve spent more time in the environment. The most enjoyable part of the program is getting the chance to advocate for myself on the mat. In wrestling, effort in practice directly translates to perfor- mance, unlike other sports where only a few can show- case their skills at a time. My coaches, Tyler and Zac, are the backbone of my suc- cess. Without their support through wins and losses, I wouldn’t be where I am to- day in my wrestling career. They are always happy to see me grow, no matter the outcome of the match. Wrestling has helped me grow as a person and an ath- lete. It keeps me account- able in school, ensuring my grades are up and my work is done to remain eligible to compete. The sport pushes me past my limits every day and has taught me to embrace defeat, using it as fuel and motivation for my next match. This season has made me feel happy and accomplished. I believe this is the best way to end my final season—with my favorite coach, Tyler, and my best friend, Journey, heading to state.” OSAA Girls 4A/3A/2A/1A Special District 3 Cham- pionship Location: La Grande, Oregon Date: February 14-15, 2025 Team Result: Heppner placed 9th overall with 63.0 team points Individual Results Journey Cavan-Harris (140 lbs) - 1st Place Champ. Round 1: Bye Quarterfinal: Defeated Taylor Narron (La Grande), Fall 1:38 Semifinal: Defeated Shelby Bunting (Culver), Fall 2:57 1st Place Match: Defeated Jacie Lathrop (Elgin), Fall 1:08 Team Points: 28.0 Keeley Nairns (235 lbs) - 4th Place Quarterfinal: De- feated Jolisa Mendoza (Crook County), Fall 1:45 Semi- final: Lost to Mallory Lusco (Grant Union), Fall 0:28 Cons. Semi: Defeated Grace Turpin (Crook County), Fall 2:26 3rd Place Match: Lost to Cinthia Madrigal (Irrigon), Fall 1:08 4th Place Match: Defeated Velma Spino (Madras), Fall 0:56 Team Points: 16.0 Emilia Cavan-Harris (145 lbs) - 6th Place Champ. Round 1: Bye Quarterfinal: Lost to Adysen Maupin (Vale), Fall 1:22 Cons. Round 2: Defeated Sara Akers (Irrigon), Fall 2:40 Cons. Round 3: Defeated Juliah Williams (Riverside), Fall 1:28 Cons. Semi: Lost to April Lopez (Crane), Fall 4:42 5th Place Match: Lost to Emma Berry (La Grande), Fall 0:46 Team Points: 9.0 Harlee Cotton (125 lbs) - Did Not Place Champ. Round 1: Lost to Aly Qual (Grant Union), Fall 5:32 Cons. Round 1: Bye Cons. Round 2: Defeated Lexi Flores (Irrigon), Fall 4:16 Cons. Round 3: Defeated Isabella Guillory (Enterprise/Wallowa), Fall 1:13 Cons. Round 4: Defeated Emily Villagomez (La Grande), Fall 2:27 Cons. Round 5: Lost to Angelina Santana (Nyssa), Fall 2:16 Team Points: 10.0 Loren Trujillo (115 lbs) - Did Not Place Champ. Round 1: Lost to June Connor (Crook County), Fall 3:10 Cons. Round 1: Bye Cons. Round 2: Lost to Hai- ley Johnson (La Grande), Decision 9-7 Team Points: 0.0 Sarah Munkers (170 lbs) - Did Not Place Champ. 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