Takedown Report

Amateur Wrestling Reports

High School Wrestling News # 21

1 } – Travis Thorpe among three wrestlers chosen for Ron Finley scholarship
Sweet Home wrestler Travis Thorpe is one of three grapplers statewide chosen to receive the Save Oregon Wrestling Foundation’s annual Ron Finley Scholar Athlete scholarship. The other winners were Elijah Cleaver of Nyssa High School and Gabriel Vidlak of Cascade Christian High School. “These champions demonstrated remarkable academic and athletic achievement, extra-curricular participation, along with community service,” the foundation said in a statement. … Funded by the Save Oregon Wrestling Foundation, the scholarship program was enacted to give greater opportunity to Oregon student athletes to further their education and compete in wrestling at the collegiate level anywhere in the United States. The program seeks to offset the loss of collegiate wrestling opportunities “for Oregon’s many talented high school wrestlers,” the foundation said. “SOW has a long-standing history of promoting the sport of collegiate wrestling, and this fund supports Oregon s great scholar athletes who share our commitment and represent our future.” … rest of story at https://www.sweethomenews.com/story/2020/06/24/sports/travis-thorpe-among-three-wrestlers-chosen-for-ron-finley-scholarship/23173.html?mc_cid=9af16a3b6d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – The wrestler who knew when it was time to raise his hand
R.J. Pena was game for the challenge. The Sprague freshman moved up a weight class to take on Newberg senior Marty Eng, a two-time defending state champion, at the prestigious Reser’s Tournament of Champions in Hillsboro…and lost. The date was January 28, 2006.
Pena never lost again for the remainder of his high school career. A four-time state champion, one of 39 in the 72-year history of wrestling in Oregon, Pena finished on a 147-match winning streak. Eleven years later, it remains an Oregon high school record for consecutive victories. *** Current Sprague head coach Nolan Harris was an assistant coach at the school during Pena’s first two years. He said that Pena was extraordinary. “The way he trained, he was very dedicated,” Harris said. “He had fun doing the mundane things because he was so competitive. It was a lifestyle for him. He had a goal and wanted to meet that goal and do something special.” Harris added that even when Pena was an eighth grader, he probably would have won a state title had he been eligible. … rest of story at http://www.osaa.org/today/article/1735/view?title=They+did+what%3F%21%21%21+Oregon%27s+astounding+prep+sports+records&mc_cid=7a484e7dde&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – Warren Hills to wrestle prelim to big-time Division I college dual
Warren Hills’ wrestlers will be getting a close-up look at big-time college competition this winter. And big-time college wrestlers will be getting a close-up look at the Blue Streaks. Warren Hills will be taking on Watchung Hills at Jadwin Gym in Princeton on Jan. 24 before Princeton hosts Missouri in what could be one of the top college matches of the season. “Two of what I hope will be top-20 teams in New Jersey will wrestle before two top-10 college teams,” Warren Hills coach Dave Sbriscia said. “We hope to get our kids exposure and let them see what big-time college wrestling is all about, and there’s no better way to do that than wrestle at one of these big matches.” … rest of story at https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/highschoolsports/2020/07/warren-hills-to-wrestle-prelim-to-big-time-division-i-college-dual.html?mc_cid=fc895bba88&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – Dalvin Tomlinson finally awarded ring for wrestling state titles
Dalvin Tomlinson won three career Georgia state heavyweight titles during his days at Henry County (Ga.) High School. He claimed his last Georgia Class AAA state title in 2012.  Tomlinson is entering his fourth season in the NFL. But the New York Giants defensive lineman finally received a state championship ring for his stellar high school wrestling career. On his way to winning three state titles in high school, Tomlinson accumulated a record of 49-0 during his senior year and 169-2 in his career. What happened in the two losses? “The first one was my first-ever varsity match, and I was nervous and lost by points. And the second one, I got disqualified for hip-tossing a dude onto his neck,” Tomlinson recalled in 2016. “I feel like wrestling was probably the biggest thing that helped out just because you learn leverage and that’s a big key to defensive line-offensive line,” Tomlinson said. “So I feel like wrestling is probably the biggest sport that helped out.”  … rest of story at https://247sports.com/college/alabama/Article/Alabama-Football-New-York-Giants-DL-Dalvin-Tomlinson-finally-awarded-ring-for-wrestling-state-championships-148891861/?mc_cid=35441de679&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – NMAA SETS NEW MEXICO HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING SEASON FROM APRIL THROUGH JUNE
Editor’s notes: As high school state associations continue to address the COVID-19 pandemic and the return to high school athletics, decisions are being made about changes to the traditional sports schedule.New Mexico becomes the first state to officially push its high school wrestling season from its traditional schedule to the late spring. New Mexico has official wrestling championships for both boys and girls.
“Wrestling is probably the hardest sport. If you think about it, the one-on-one contact in wrestling. In order to make sure we have a really strong wrestling season, we have shifted that back even past January. We have shifted it from the April to the June time frame, trying to make sure we have that sport and we don’t have issues because of the contact in wrestling,” said Sally Marquez, NMAA Executive Director. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/July/15/NMAA-moves-New-Mexico-HS-wrestling-to-late-spring-season?

6 } – Chad Lamer has made it a family affair at Crescent Valley High School in Oregon
Chad Lamer, a three-time Division II NCAA champion for South Dakota State, has made a name for himself in Oregon along with his wife, Ann, a six-time All-American in track. So have their sons: Justice, Brawley, Legend, Chance, and Daschle. … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPlayer.jsp?TIM=1594777826145&twSessionId=fvugmitwxj&videoId=785320135&mc_cid=2a2de153ce&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } – Band of Pease brothers left mark on Pioneer wrestling program
McLoughlin High School’s wrestling program has fielded an enormous group of district and state champions over the years. Among them are the Pease brothers — Chuck, Chris, Cliff and Carlton. The foursome combined for nine state placings — including five state titles — and an equal number of district crowns. This band of brothers left their indelible mark on the wrestling program throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. Carlton won three district championships (1981, 178 pounds; 1982-83, 191 pounds) and placed sixth or better at state on three occasions (1981, sixth; 1982, second; and 1983, first). … rest of story at https://www.union-bulletin.com/sports/high_school_sports/mcloughlin_high_school/band-of-pease-brothers-left-mark-on-pioneer-wrestling-program/article_845aa0da-e5de-5bf0-bd88-dbd89e9b3b93.html?mc_cid=43f0dbddeb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – Elyria coach Erik Burnett working through changes at his wrestling camp
For the past 21 years, Elyria wrestling coach Erik Burnett has spent a majority of his summer working with his brother Scott at their Burnett Trained Wrestling Camp, where they’ve helped train and teach the next generation of high school wrestlers in Ohio. The camp is still being held this summer, but the brothers have changed and modified their camp due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Normally, Burnett Trained Wrestling is defined by campers spending a week working with fellow wrestlers their age while learning from the state’s best coaches. That’s still the case this summer, but there are still things that are very different. … rest of story at https://www.morningjournal.com/sports/elyria-coach-erik-burnett-working-through-changes-at-his-wrestling-camp/article_4585ee7c-c78e-11ea-832b-3ff995e9f5b3.html?mc_cid=78726f35ba&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9} – Bless was wrestling champ before coaching football
The finishing match of the 21st and last state wrestling finals inside Southport Fieldhouse was, by all accounts, a Bless-ed event. Greenwood senior Mark Bless capped a perfect 31-0 season by winning the heavyweight division with a 9-2 decision over North Central senior Jim Yanan in the championship match. Bless, a standout for the Woodmen in football and track and field, graduated in 1980 having won 10 varsity letters. Now 58, he’s enjoying a successful career as a high school football coach, having achieved a record of 233-100 in 30 seasons. “I was always passionate about football and kind of fell in love with wrestling,” said Bless, who’ll soon start his 11th season as the coach at Avon. “I started wrestling in the seventh grade, and most of my friends at that time were playing basketball. … rest of story at http://www.dailyjournal.net/2020/07/16/bless_was_wrestling_champ_before_coaching_football/?mc_cid=78726f35ba&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – PIAA reduces wrestling weight classes to 13
The PIAA Board of Directors has reduced the number of wrestling weight classes from 14 to 13 in an effort to reduce forfeits in dual meets. The expected move was unanimously approved … rest of story at https://www.readingeagle.com/sports/high-school/piaa-reduces-wrestling-weight-classes-to-13/article_4a0a3dac-c79a-11ea-9530-bbc1745553e1.html?mc_cid=78726f35ba&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

July 27, 2020 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment