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NHS prepares
for a season of change
Sports
briefs
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NHS anxious to prove state wrong |
NHS wrestling coach says the Tigers aren't
rebuilding this year, like many think |
By B. Scott Anderson, Newberg
Graphic sports editor
E-mail Scott at banderson@eaglenewspapers.com
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It seems to be the same
story every season for the Newberg High School wrestling team.
People around the state say the Tigers are going to rebuild each
season because they lost so many quality wrestlers due to
graduation, particularly two-time defending state champion Sean
Santana. Teams from around the state are supposed to run past
Newberg in the state tournament. Yet it never seems to happen.
“Looking at what we lost after last year, it appears that we were
going to be starting over but we’re not,” Russo said. “I think that
around the state, the perception is that we’re rebuilding and we’re
not going to be there (vying for a state title) but I think we kind
of like it that way. It’s been that way for three or four years, I
think. But I don’t mind it.”
Russo said it’s tough for the Tigers to fly under the radar of the
other teams in the state because of the toughness of the schedule
the team wrestles. After a dual meet with Woodburn on Thursday, the
Tigers host the Earl Gillis Tournament Friday. Russo said the
tournament, which will see the likes of West Linn, Pendleton, Crook
County and others, makes it a tough way to start the season; seeing
so many quality teams early in the season makes it tough to escape
the attention of teams.
“It seems like we always attract attention, which is fine,” Russo
said. “I would put our schedule up against anybody’s. We start the
year with our Earl Gillis Tournament, which has traditionally had
the top four, five or six teams in the state. We are always bringing
in teams who are competitive. Then from there we go to North Bend
which is another whole thing.”
Last year, the Tigers finished fifth in the state. The Tigers
qualified 15 for the state tournament but Russo said because of
injuries, the Tigers limped into the district tournament, only to
put on one of the most dominant district meets in Pac-9 Conference
history. The Tigers scored a meet record 446 points. The
second-place team (Canby) finished with 230.5 points.
“Last year’s team, I think, overachieved not just at the district
tournament but all year long,” Russo said.
Russo pointed to the fact that the Tigers were in the finals of the
Oregon Classic, one of the premiere dual meet tournaments in Oregon.
The Tigers also ran away with the Pacific Tournament and were
“probably” two matches away from being in the top two of the state
tournament.
“We lost one or two (matches) that could have easily gone the other
way and we had a two-time defending champion (Santana) who had
pneumonia and didn’t score like he should have,” Russo said. “It was
a little bit tough to swallow but having been removed from it for a
little while, it was a pretty impressive performance all year long
by us, I thought.”
Losing the likes of Santana, Jon Chandler, Trevor Arsenault, Jaime
Lopez and Brandan Laheyne, the Tigers will have to fill in a few
spots this season. The top returner is junior Marty Eng, last
season’s state champion at 103 pounds. The Tigers also return senior
Trent Conant, who finished eighth at state at 152, and senior Sam
Schmitz, who placed fourth at state at 130. Russo said Eng, Schmitz
and Conant will carry the load for the Tigers this season.
“With Marty, Trent and Sam as state place-winners, there shouldn’t
be many times where those guys get beat,” Russo said. “When we’re in
dual meets, those are the guys who are going to be picking up bonus
points for us. They’re also the guys that we’ve got to be able to
shuffle around and matchup with other teams’ best kids.”
Other state-qualifiers who return for the Tigers are Andrew
Hamilton (171), Ransom Portis-Cathers (189), Tim Brugger (125),
Thomas King (152) and Ryan Rustrum (215). Russo said they will be
key for Newberg this season.
“We have to have our guys who were state-qualifiers last year to be
our foundation. When we’re going into a tournament or into a dual
meet, we need to be able to count on them being in the money,” he
said.
Russo said he also expects Dan Chandler (145), Jeremy Radzik (275),
Justin Moore (112 or 119), Travis Wiser (171), Jesse Kelly (130),
Kyle Thomas (130) and Colin Cornett (103) to fill out the roster.
“We have a bunch of kids who have been there and we have a bunch
who are right on the verge,” Russo said.
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From
Nov. 27,
2004, Newberg Graphic
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