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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend February 2, 2006 Crater senior Jon Bernhardt is one of four Comets who carry top seeds into this weekend�s SOC district tournament. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Look of a champion By DON HUNT Mail Tribune When folks talk about Crater High’s premier wrestlers, the names that immediately surface are 215-pound Cody Clark and 275-pound Charlie Alexander. No wonder. Both are unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in Class 4A at their respective weights. But Jon Bernhardt deserves to be mentioned in the same breath. The personable senior boasts a 35-3 record and is ranked No. 1 at 145 pounds. Bernhardt is one of four Crater wrestlers who carry top seeds into this weekend’s Southern Oregon Conference district tournament at North Medford High. The tournament, featuring a good share of the state’s finest high school wrestlers, kicks off at 1 p.m. Friday and picks up at 11 a.m. Saturday with the championship semifinals. The championship finals are slated for 4:45 p.m. Saturday. Advertisement Bernhardt had a reasonably good season a year ago as he finished third at district and sixth at state. But there was a feeling among the Crater coaches that Bernhardt could be far more dominant if he became more aggressive on the mat. The willingness to open up and attack at every opportunity has paid huge dividends in 2005-2006. Not only has Bernhardt won his matches by larger margins, he’s also registered falls in more than half of his victories. "He’s always been a tough kid, but now he’s anxious to get in there and fight, to open up and mix it up," Crater coach Greg Haga says. "And that approach has created more opportunities for Jon to score." Simply being a senior has also driven Bernhardt to become mentally tougher. He admits he gave up in a couple matches last season — including one at the state meet. "There’s no way that will happen this year," says Bernhardt, whose only losses have come at the prestigious Reno Tournament of Champions and the Clovis West Shootout in Fresno, Calif. "I’ve worked too hard and this is my last year as a high school wrestler." Bernhardt credits workout partner Will Smith for keeping him on his toes every day in practice. "He’s a good drill partner because he’s tough and he stays in good position," says Bernhardt of Smith. "He makes me work to get my shots in." A perfect ending to the season for Bernhardt would have both him and his team winning titles at the state meet Feb. 16-18 at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion in Salem. Nothing comes easy up there, but Bernhardt won’t have the added stress of trying to impress college scouts since he signed a letter of intent with Cal Poly last November. "There’s a peace of mind knowing you already have a scholarship in hand and don’t have to impress the college scouts," says Bernhardt, who carries a 3.4 grade point average in the classroom. "I can just do my thing." Bernhardt plans to study animal science at Cal Poly and eventually became a veterinarian. He raised a pig and a lamb through the Future Farmers of America program last summer and sold the animals at the Jackson County Fair. When he’s not wrestling or tending to his animals, Bernhardt can often be found on a lake or river fishing. Such peaceful surroundings are a welcome contrast to the intensity of wrestling. It’s just the kind of balance that Bernhardt, who smiles and laughs easily when he’s not on the mat, needs to come out fired up for his biggest matches. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail Look of a champion ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations Casinos Canada dvd-r Generic Viagra Myspace Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Sudoku Online Advertisement s