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47 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, November 25, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend November 17, 2004 Ducks sign last of the Lee brothers Four Crater stars overall ink collegiate letters of intent By KEVIN GOFF Mail Tribune CENTRAL POINT — Wrestling is a family affair for Crater High’s Ron Lee. The 18-year-old senior has followed in the footsteps of four older brothers to hit the mat for the Comets. So it was only fitting that Lee took another step up in the family craft on Tuesday by signing a college letter of intent with the University of Oregon. Lee, the defending state 171-pound Class 4A champion, became the third brother to sign with the Ducks and will make it a perfect five-for-five to wrestle collegiately. "They’ve got what I need as far as education," said Lee, whose older brothers Doug and Matt both wrestled for Oregon, while Mike Lee (Southern Oregon University) and Travis Lee (UC-Davis) also competed at the collegiate level. "I want to be a teacher and they’ve got a good masters program for that." Advertisement Ron Lee, who was offered a full scholarship by Oregon, has helped the Comets to two straight state titles. After being the lone non-senior to place at state his freshman year, Lee steadily climbed the ranks to the state championship level last season. He also ranks 10th nationally at 171 among prep seniors, according to InterMatwrestle.com. "Ron’s worked very hard," said Crater coach Greg Haga. "He’s had some big shoes to fill when it comes to his brothers. But he’s put himself in a position where colleges should show interest in him. "He’ll fit right in to college wrestling, and I expect him to put himself right in the mix for a national title." Also signing collegiate letters of intent on Monday were Crater cross country runners Kendel Nelson, Geoff Donaldson, Greg Dallaire and Roseburg standout Gavin Weaver. Nelson will run for the University of Portland, while Donaldson, Dallaire and Weaver will compete for NCAA Division II Adams State College in Alamosa, Colo. Nelson, who claimed her first Southern Oregon Conference district championship this season, finished seventh at the state meet. The 18-year-old has had her eye on Portland since her freshman season. "I’ve really liked the school for a while," said Nelson, who received a full scholarship. "The campus is so beautiful. "They have similar training to what we do, so it won’t take me long to adapt." Donaldson and Dallaire helped Crater grab a third-place trophy at the state meet. Weaver and the Comet duo will join a school rich in cross country history. "They’ve had a lot of success," said Donaldson of Adams State, which has won 17 men’s national titles. "A lot of that (success) has been recent, too." The trio have been friendly rivals for the last couple years. "I was going anywhere Gavin was going," said Donaldson, who befriended Weaver his sophomore season. "We’ve wanted to go to the same college together. You get one of us, you get a package deal." Ron Lee will also find familiar faces welcoming him on the mat next season in Eugene. Former Crater standouts Chris Dearmon, Shane Webster, Jeremy McLaughlin and Nate Gibson are all currently on the Oregon roster, while Tony Overstake is a volunteer assistant under head coach Chuck Kearney. "It was a good fit for me," said Lee, who was recruited by several schools, including Oregon State and Boise State. "It’s close to home and I know a lot of guys on the team. "It’s nice to get (the signing) out of the way. Now I can focus more on wrestling." Lee could compete anywhere from 174 to 184 next season. But he still has some things to accomplish this year. "I want to win Reno," he said of the prestigious Reno Tournament of Champions. "I also want to win state and go undefeated." But for now, Lee gets to savor the arrangement with the Ducks. "It’s a pretty good deal," said Lee. "I get the opportunity to wrestle at the Division I level. I feel pretty privileged." Reach reporter Kevin Goff at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] . 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