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PREP WRESTLING Trophy dash North's Westfall repeats as champ, Tornado places fourth Comment By Kris Henry Mail Tribune Follow @@Kris_Henry MailTribune.com By Kris Henry Mail Tribune Follow @@Kris_Henry Posted Feb. 28, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Kris Henry Mail Tribune Follow @@Kris_Henry Posted Feb. 28, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News PORTLAND — Back in December, North Medford senior Wyatt Westfall found himself distraught after severely dislocating his right elbow. On Saturday, he found himself with a Black Tornado assistant coach on his shoulders for the second straight year as he exited the Memorial Coliseum floor. Needless to say, this weekend in Portland capped quite a season for Westfall, who became the first North Medford wrestler to earn two state titles when he held off Roseburg’s Brandon Jeffers for a 5-3 win in the Class 6A 170-pound championship. “I told myself every day while I was out recovering for a month that I’d get it and I finally got it,” a heavily bandaged Westfall said of another championship. “My elbow’s not 100 percent but it’s good enough to wrestle and win a state title, and that’s all I care about.” Well, there was at least one other thing Westfall cared about and, highlighted by his efforts and a runner-up showing at 160 by senior Cole Hornbrook, North Medford was able to accomplish it with a fourth-place team trophy. “That was one of the goals for this team,” said Westfall. “I knew we could do it, but I didn’t think it was going to happen just because we only had five kids left after yesterday. We did pretty darn good and I’m happy for how the team came out and how I finished the past two years with a state title and a team trophy.” It’s the second straight year the Black Tornado has earned a trophy (top-four finish) and third trophy overall (third in 2015 and 2010) for a program that has sprung to life in recent years after a slow start from its debut season in 1986-87. “This class and these kids were already good when they came in,” said North Medford head coach Phillip Lopez. “It was just giving them a little bit more of a push and more motivation and getting them to the right tournaments. They did an awesome job and our younger kids kind of know what the expectation is now. We should be fighting for a state trophy every year for a city like us when you have Crater, Eagle Point and Grants Pass and all those schools surrounding you. How do you not get tougher? You’ve got a choice, you can either get better or … you know.” Roseburg secured its third straight team title and eighth in the last 10 tournaments with 295 points. David Douglas (181), Newberg (147), North Medford (98.5) and McMinnville (96.5) followed. Westfall had beaten Jeffers 8-3 in the Southwest Conference district finals but things were much closer this time around against the sophomore. Westfall went up 2-0 midway through the first period but it was 2-2 in the second period until Westfall again managed a takedown for a 4-2 edge. Unable to hold Jeffers down with his still healing elbow, Westfall was forced to let his opponent go three times in all during the championship but still finished the season without giving up a takedown. His escape to open the third period provided enough cushion to seal the deal. “I think he was a little bit more nervous this year because it was his last time through the stage,” said Lopez. “I’m just so proud of him because he works so hard. They came in with a good game plan by circling away from his offense, but Wyatt knows how to win close matches, too.” He also knows how to celebrate, continuing a North Medford tradition by carrying assistant coach Jimmy Ulrey — who already had his broken hand bandaged up — out of the arena. When Trent Wilson won North’s first title in 2014, it was Lopez being carried out. Last year, Westfall hoisted assistant coach John Covey. This year didn’t go as smoothly, but the job got done. “I’m glad none of the heavyweight coaches were there because that would’ve been a pain,” said Westfall. “Coach Jimmy’s a lot heavier (than Covey) but I’m a little tired, too.” Hornbrook’s bid to join Westfall was denied by Roseburg’s Layne VanAnrooy, who has been his nemesis for years from the club and district levels. Hornbrook had won his quarterfinals and semifinals matches by a combined 58 seconds but the nationally ranked VanAnrooy provided a bigger obstacle. Hornbrook’s deficit was at 6-3 in the first period when VanAnrooy picked his ankle for a takedown in the final 15 seconds and then kept the pressure on thereafter for a 19-8 triumph. Senior Henry Cox encountered tough luck in the state semifinals for the second straight year, falling to Westview’s No. 3 seed Nick Capetillo when he was pinned in 3:30. Cox’s bid to then place third for the third year in a row was denied in the consolation rounds, where he was pinned by Sprague’s Daniel McClung before bouncing back to place fifth with a pin of David Douglas’ Dillon Nunes in 3:36. For Grants Pass, junior 152-pounder Trajan Hurd earned his first state championship to help the Cavemen place 10th with 77 points. Also placing for the Cavemen were seniors James Jarrett (fourth, 220), Ted Sutters (fifth, 152) and Aaron Little (sixth, 285). CLASS 4A: Entering the state tourney, Phoenix had crowned at least one state champion in eight of the last 10 trips. Senior Trace Vega nearly made that nine in 11 years but couldn’t quite find an answer for Crook County senior Carson Raymond, who opened a 9-1 lead but found himself in pinning position twice by Vega before scoring a 15-7 victory. Phoenix seniors Cedar King (138) and Justin Knight (170) placed third to boost the Pirates and Mark McAllister was sixth to help Phoenix finish 10th in the team race with 66 points despite only five state qualifiers. King and Knight each had familiar foes in their third-place finals, with King edging Baker’s Korey Grende 7-6 in a rematch from his 7-3 quarterfinals win and Knight topping Cottage Grove’s Alan Bordeaux 6-3 one day after edging him 6-4 in overtime in the quarters. McAllister was pinned in 3:58 by Sweet Home’s Tyrel Miller in the fifth-place final. Crook County won its fourth straight 4A title with 249 points. CLASS 3A: Cascade Christian junior Moses Jackson accomplished something no other Challenger has done by reaching the championship finals at 285 but he couldn’t achieve his ultimate goal as Nyssa’s Osiris Tapia earned his second straight title with a 3-1 decision. Jackson led 1-0 entering the third period but a quick reversal by Tapia and a stalling point with 55 seconds to go determined the match. Challengers teammate Max Valle, a junior 120-pounder, placed fourth after getting pinned in 3:26 in the third-place final by Rainier’s Isaiah Vazquez. Cascade Christian finished 12th with 44 points. Nyssa repeated as 3A champion with 209 points. CLASS 2A/1A: Butte Falls senior Luke McGonagle bowed out after making the program’s first state tournament appearance when he was pinned in 4:37 in the consolation semifinals at 195 by Evan Glover of Reedsport. Glover went on to win the third-place title with a pin in 11 seconds. Thanks to a consolation pin Friday by McGonagle, the second-year Loggers scored three points at the tourney. GIRLS EXHIBITION: North Medford freshman Kyleigh Lopez, daughter of Black Tornado head coach Phillip Lopez, won her state championship final with a 9-6 decision over Hood River Valley’s Grace Miller at 113 pounds. North Medford’s Aniseta Acosta was pinned in 3:09 in her championship final at 170 against Cottage Grove Kathrine Dennis, while Ashland’s Joanne Lemley forfeited her championship final at 152 to Hood River Valley’s Payton Rigert. CLASS 6A TEAM SCORES (Top 10) — Roseburg 295, David Douglas 181, Newberg 147, North Medford 98.5, McMinnville 96.5, Glencoe 94.5, Century 94, Westview 90.5, Sprague 82, Grants Pass 77. CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS 152 — Trajan Hurd, Grants Pass, dec. Tristin Molinari, David Douglas, 10-5. 160 — Layne VanAnrooy, Roseburg, maj. dec. Cole Hornbrook, North Medford, 19-8. 170 — Wyatt Westfall, North Medford, dec. Brandon Jeffers, Roseburg, 5-3. FIFTH-SIXTH FINALS 113 — Henry Cox, North Medford, pinned Dillon Nunes, David Douglas, 3:36. 152 — Ted Sutters, Grants Pass, dec. Garrett Russell, Roseburg, 7-5. 285 — Will Reddekopp, Roseburg, dec. James Jarrett, Grants Pass, 5-0. CLASS 5A TEAM SCORES (Top 10) — Hermiston 226.5, Churchill 137, Crater 137, Dallas 120, Lebanon 114, Redmond 110.5, Sandy 107.5, Hillsboro 78.5, Central 77, St. Helens 67.5. OTHER LOCAL SCORES — Eagle Point 43. CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS 106 — Legend Lamer, Crescent Valley, dec. Zeth Brower, Crater, 7-0. 145 — Logan Meek, Crater, maj. dec. Collin Swinehart, Central, 14-2. 182 — Bob Coleman, Hermiston, dec. Cavin Gillispie, Crater, 6-2. THIRD-FOURTH FINALS 152 — Jace Godley, Crater, pinned Taran Floyd, Wilsonville, :17. 170 — Tommy Winningham, Crater, forfeit Jeff Dunagan, Dallas. 182 — Scott Martin, Eagle Point, dec. David Negrete, Central, 11-9. FIFTH-SIXTH FINALS 138 — Matthew McCain, Redmond, medical forfeit Bryan O’Neil, Eagle Point. CLASS 4A TEAM SCORES (Top 10) — Crook County 249, Marshfield 175, Henley 150, Sweet Home 131, North Marion 114.5, McLoughlin 83, Baker 82, Cascade 70, Tillamook 68, Phoenix 66. CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS 195 — Carson Raymond, Crook County, maj. dec. Trace Vega, Phoenix, 15-7. THIRD-FOURTH FINALS 138 — Cedar King, Phoenix, dec. Korey Grende, Baker, 7-6. 170 — Justin Knight, Phoenix, dec. Alan Bordeaux, Cottage Grove, 6-3. FIFTH-SIXTH FINALS 145 — Tyrel Miller, Sweet Home, pinned Mark McAllister, Phoenix, 3:58. CLASS 3A TEAM SCORES (Top 10) — Nyssa 209, La Pine 147, Glide 137, Willamina 122, Harrisburg 96.5, Dayton 94.5, Riverside 91.5, Scio 91, Vale 85, Creswell 80. OTHER LOCAL SCORES — Cascade Christian 44. CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS 285 — Osiris Tapia, Nyssa, dec. Moses Jackson, Cascade Christian, 3-1. THIRD-FOURTH FINALS 120 — Isaiah Vasquez, Rainier, pinned Max Valle, Cascade Christian, 3:26. Reach reporter Kris Henry at 541-776-4488, [email protected], www.facebook.com/krishenryMT or www.twitter.com/Kris_Henry By Kris Henry Mail Tribune Follow @@Kris_Henry MailTribune.com By Kris Henry Mail Tribune Follow @@Kris_Henry Posted Feb. 28, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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