Reporter for The Canyon Weekly
The Santiam High wrestling team saw strong performances throughout the lineup Jan. 18 and Jan. 19 in a pair of dual meet competitions.
The Wolverines competed Jan. 18 at Sutherlin, where they were joined by Douglas, Sutherlin, Pleasant Hill and cooperative teams from Coquille/Bandon and Glide/ Myrtle Point.
The Jan. 19 event was at Kennedy and also featured Tri-River Conference East squads Kennedy, Gervais, Regis and Colton.
“We are getting down to crunch time,” said Wolverines coach Kerry Crowston, who noted the proximity of the district meet. “The young team continues to improve and compete.”
Here are Santiam highlights from the two meets:
Sutherlin: Randy Fox went 5-0 at 145 pounds, while Wyatt Dayton went 4-1 at the same weight. Lukus Lebahn went 3-2 at 152 and Burton Bodda pulled out a win at 132.
Kennedy: Bodda, Dayton and Lebahn all were 1-1, while Crowston also noted the “fantastic effort” of Lyric Hernandez, who wrestled up a weight class at 182, where he lost a pair of close, hard-fought matches. First-year wrestler Eli Stave secured his first pin in a win against a Gervais opponent.
The Wolverines compete in a pre-district event Feb. 1 at Willamina, with the district competition set for Feb. 11 at Knappa.
Basketball: The Santiam boys improved to 8-0 in the Tri-River Conference’s East Division with a 51-47 win on Tuesday night, Jan. 24, at Willamina. The Wolverines are two games ahead of Kennedy, with seven games left on the league schedule. Santiam, ranked 10th in Class 2A by the OSAA, took on the two West Division leaders, Western Christian and Salem Academy on Thursday and Friday, respectively, after The Canyon Weekly presstime. See next week’s roundup for an update.
The Santiam girls, meanwhile, used a 13-4 4th-quarter rally to take down Willamina, 18-16, in a defensive struggle on Tuesday night. The Wolverines improved to 3-4 in the Tri-River East.
Officials needed: The Oregon Athletic Officials Association and the Oregon School Activities Association are recruiting officials for the high school spring sports seasons. There is an immediate need for umpires in baseball and softball.
Becoming a high school official has several benefits, including staying involved in athletics, maintaining good physical condition and earning extra spending money, said OAOA Executive Director Jack Folliard.
“Oregon has an urgent need for officials in all sports,” Folliard said. “Officials provide valuable service to high schools and students, make a positive impact in the community and build relationships.”
Those interested in becoming a baseball or softball umpire should visit www.newofficials.org.
