Reporter for The Canyon Weekly
The Santiam High wrestling squad will participate in the Class 2A-1A Special District 1 championships Saturday, Feb. 10 at Toledo.
Wrestling begins at 10 a.m., with finals set to begin between 5 and 6 p.m. The district consists of 15 teams. Besides Santiam and host Toledo the participants are Alsea, Clatskanie, Colton, Gervais, Jewell, Kennedy, Knappa, Nestucca, Regis, Siletz Valley, Vernonia, Waldport and Willamina.
The top three finishers in each weight class automatically qualify for the state meet, with one wild card among the three 2A-1A districts also advancing. The state meet is Feb. 22-24 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland.
Top competitors for Santiam include 138-pound Wyatt Dayton and 165-pound Lukus Lebahn. Both wrestlers have been seeded third in their respective weight classes.
“Both have been wrestling well lately and have a good shot at qualifying,” Wolverines coach Kerry Crowston told The Canyon Weekly.
Overall, Crowston said, the team wrestled well at the pre-district meet Jan. 31 at Willamina and at the final three-way event at Central Linn.
“They performed aggressively and it felt like they had turned a corner and cranked it up another level,” the coach said. “We are in a very solid district but it looks like we are going to be up for the challenge. The No. 1 ranked team in the state, Willamina, is in our district as well as highly ranked Toledo, Regis and Nestucca, so the challenge is big.”
Scio, meanwhile, will participate Saturday, Feb. 10 in the Class 3A Special District 2 championships at Sheridan. Also in the district are Creswell, Elmira, Harrisburg, Santiam Christian, host Sheridan, Siuslaw and Taft.
Stayton hosts the 4A Special District 2 championships at 10 a.m. Feb. 10.
Cheerleading: The Scio cheerleading squad will be looking to defend its 2023 state title at Oregon City High in the all-class state championships.
Scio participates in the 4A-3A-2A-1A Coed Game Day division and is scheduled to perform at 6:35 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 9.
