John L. Braese
LA GRANDE – The mats will be full starting Friday, Feb. 15 as 29 teams gather at La Grande High School for the 4A/3A/2A/1A Special District 3 girls wrestling meet. The top four finishers in each weight division will continue forward to the upcoming state meet.
Wrestlers representing Adrian, Baker/Powder Valley, Burns, Crane, Crook County, Culver, Echo, Elgin, Enterprise/Wallowa, Four Rivers, Grant Union, Heppner, Imbler, Irrigon, Joseph, La Grande, Madras, McLoughlin, Nyssa, Ontario, Pendleton, Pine Eagle, Riverside, Sisters, The Dalles/Dufur, Umatilla, Union/Cove and Vale will battle it out for two days of action.
Based on team numbers, overall talent and a national ranking, the host Tigers of La Grande are the team to beat. In January, USA Wrestling picked the Tigers 49th in the national rankings. La Grande was the lone Oregon school to make the listing. A loaded group of talent for the Tigers equates to the rest of the district chasing the Tigers for the team title. La Grande is gunning for a fourth consecutive district title and a return to the state meet for a repeat of last year’s state championship/
In addition to a talented group of La Grande wrestlers, there will be standouts from other teams. We take a look at them.
100 pounds – Lorien Bowns (Nyssa), Mayte Pacheco (Riverside), Alaina Verdugo (La Grande)
Bowns is a sophomore with a 25-9 record while Pacheco comes in with a 17-7 showing. Verdugo make her first district appearance as a freshman.
105 pounds – Kierstyn Azure (La Grande), Lacatia Mason (Four Rivers), Hadee Keegan (Culver), McKenna Justus (Vale)
Azure is back to districts as a senior for La Grande. Mason has already committed to wrestling for Treasure Valley Community College while Keegan makes her first appearance as a freshman. Justus closes out her high school career for Vale as a senior.
110 pounds – Zoey Beam (Grant Union)
Beam takes the mat for the final time as a senior with a season record of 27-11.
115 pounds – Hadley Gunderson (Burns), Talluah April (Enterprise/Wallowa), Avrey Robinson (La Grande), Neva Lynch (Baker/Powder Valley), Hailey Johnson (La Grande)
A crowded division includes Gunderson, a Hilander freshman with a 31-5 record. For the Outlaws, April is a junior sporting a record of 32-11 while Robinson returns to the home mat as a sophomore at 28-13. Lynch, also a sophomore for the Bulldogs, sports a 17-13 showing while Lynch, a freshman, will be on the home mat for La Grande after a 19-12 year.
120 pounds – Lyndie Isaacson (La Grande)
Isaacson is one of two La Grande wrestlers reaching the milestone of over 100 wins in a career. The senior Tigers is 39-10 this year.
125 pounds – Abigail Mardock (Nyssa), Kiera Deleon (Nyssa), Taryn Niday (Baker/Powder Valley)
Two Nyssa wrestlers are to watch in this class with Mardock closing out her career after a 31-8 showing and Deleon, a Bulldog sophomore, coming in at 7-3. Niday makes her first appearance at a district meet as a freshman after finishing 23-8 for the year.
130 pounds – Payton Perry (Vale), Emmeline Livingston (La Grande)
Perry takes the mat for Vale in her final appearance as a senior after a 39-6 year. Livingston is on the other side as a freshman for La Grande and a 26-12 record.
135 pounds – Lilly Collins (Baker/Powder Valley), Jade Seymour (La Pine), Rilley Robinson (La Grande)
Collins makes the trip to La Grande for the final time after a 29-8 year while Seymour represents the Hawks as a junior with a 26-5 record.
140 pounds – Gabrielle Torres (Culver), Jacie Lathrop (Elgin)
Both these wrestlers make a return to district action with Torres a junior with a 10-2 showing and Lathrop, a senior standing at 21-8.
145 pounds – Paige Allen (La Grande), Bailey Hasbell (Elgin), Journey Cavan Harris (Heppner/Ione), Adysen Maupin (Vale)
Another crowded field led by the senior Allen, the second Tiger wrestler with over 100 career wins. Hasbell hits the mat as a freshman and a 21-6 season showing while Harris splits between the two as a junior and a 27-12 record. Maupin, also a junior for Vale, comes in at 26-10.
155 pounds – Marli Lind (Baker/Powder Valley), Kate Norton (Baker/Powder Valley), Lucy Camacho (Imbler)
Lind, the Baker senior, will be the favorite in this division after a 31-4 season record. Norton, the heir apparent, takes the mat as a freshman and a 22-8 record. Imbler’s Camacho also takes the mat for the final time as a senior and a 13-5 year.
170 pounds – Gracie Baker (Crane)
Baker is Crane’s best chance for a district title as the senior hits the mats in La Grande after a 14-2 season.
190 pounds – Megan Weil (Burns), Maddy Armstrong (La Grande)
A surprise of the season is the freshman Weil. The Hilander is 24-2 on the year. Armstrong, a junior, stands at 39-6 for the season.
235 pounds – Mallory Lusco (Grant Union), Madison Meyer (Baker/Powder Valley)
Lusco, the pride of the Prospectors, has a single loss this, her senior season to go with 25 victories. Meyer, a junior, stands at 11-9 for the year.
