Vale's Calvin Longoni (right) faces a Nyssa opponent on Saturday, Feb. 22, during the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)
Several Malheur County grapplers punched their tickets to the state wrestling meet as the Nyssa and Vale boys wrestling teams took second and third, respectively, at the 3A Special District No. 4 wrestling tournament on Saturday, Feb. 22, in Vale. The Nyssa team will see 10 grapplers move on to the OSAA state championships and five Vale wrestlers qualified for the state tourney. The action starts Thursday, Feb. 27, and runs to Saturday, March 1, at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland. The top three finishers in their weight class at districts move on to the state championship. Nyssa’s Jose Jiminez, a junior, and Luke Baker, a sophomore, won their 106 and 157 weight categories. Freshman teammates Adan De La Fuente and Juan Santos took second and third in the 113 weight class. Nash Froerer, a sophomore, took second in the 150 weight class, while senior Noah Fuentes finished second in the 285 weight class. Junior Nathan Beck, wrestling in the 138 division, and freshman Aiden Baker, in the 165 class, each finished third. Sophomore Joaquin Cuevas and junior Israel Lopez took third in their 175 and 215 weight categories. As a team, the Nyssa boys claimed second out of eight teams at the tournament, scoring 333 points. First-place Burns posted 364 team points. For Vale, sophomore Gunnar Tamez and senior Kase Schaffeld won their 165 and 175 weight divisions. Meantime, teammates Wyatt Cox, a junior and Calvin Longoni, a sophomore, took second in their 190 and 215 weight classes. Colbey Quinn, a junior, took third in his 120 weight class. Vale scored 148 team points to take third place overall. Two Ontario grapplers also qualified for the state championship after competing in the 4A Special District No. 4 Tournament at La Grande High School on Saturday, Feb. 22. Gage Valencia took second in his 285 weight class, while teammate Raul Macias finished third in his 215 weight category. Ontario finished fifth out of seven teams with 129 points as a team. On Saturday, the Adrian boys wrestling team scored over 65 points at its district tournament in Burns.
Nyssa’s Michael Corn’s hand is raised in victory on Saturday, Feb. 22, during the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) High school wrestling fans packed the stands on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A Vale grappler attempts a take-down move on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) A Vale wrestler attempts to pin a Nyssa wrestler on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) High school wrestling fans packed the stands on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) Vale’s Wyatt Cox’s is raised after winning a match on Saturday, Feb. 22, during the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) Vale head wrestling coach Dirk Cleaver talks to Rye Cummings on Saturday, Feb. 22, during the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) A Umatilla wrestler attempts to take down a Vale grappler on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) High school wrestling fans packed the stands on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) A Vale wrestler’s hand is held up in victory on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) Vale head wrestling coach Dirk Cleaver (left) and assistant Lane Cummings cheer on a Vale grappler on Saturday, Feb. 22, during the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) A Riverside wrestler attempts to pin a Nyssa opponent on Saturday, Feb. 22, during the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) Nyssa’s Michael Corn faces an opponent on Saturday, Feb. 22, during the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) Nyssa head wrestling coach Bobby DeLeon (left) and assistant Craig Fournier cheer on a grappler from the sidelines on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) High school wrestling fans packed the stands on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) Luke Cleaver, Nyssa High School principal, confers with referees on Saturday, Feb. 22, during the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Nyssa’s Jobany Sotelo (right) squares off against a Vale opponent on Saturday, Feb. 22, during the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) A Vale grappler attempts a take-down move on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) High school wrestling fans packed the stands on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) A Vale wrestler’s hand is held up in victory on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) Nyssa’s William Savage’s hand is raised in victory on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. Savage finished fourth overall in his weight class at the tourney. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) A Nyssa and Vale grappler square off on Saturday, Feb. 22, during the 3A Special District No. 4 wrestling tournament in Vale. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) Nyssa’s William Savage, a senior, faces Vale grappler Rye Cummings on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) Nyssa assistant coach Sebastian Sanchez (left) and Ryan Vineyard cheer on a wrestler on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the 3A Special District No. 4 Tournament at Vale High School. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)
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