Roseburg takes title, local schools finish strong in wrestling championships
PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Roseburg wrestling team won as expected in the 6-A state wrestling championships in Portland on Saturday, standing on top of the strong showing by Douglas County high schools in the tourney.
It was another dominating performance by the RHS wrestling team, as they took their fourth state championship in five years at Memorial Coliseum.
The Indians actually had it wrapped up even before the championship finals got underway Saturday evening.
With seven wrestlers in the finals, they ran away with the team title.
In the 152 pound class, top-seed Seth Thomas, who was named 6-A Wrestler of the Tournament, took on teammate Javier Mandera for the championship. The duel had to go overtime, and Thomas won his third state title, but he said it was a weird experience wrestling his own teammate.
"Well, we don't wrestle too often, but it was still probably a little more awkward than I though it would be," said Thomas. "He (Mandera) fought hard and he wrestled really well, so, hats off to him."
After going undefeated all year long, Drew Van Anrooy capped off his senior season with his first state championship. "I wanted to leave no doubt, and do a dominating performance if I could," he said. "I left it all out there."
Maybe the most excited Indian of all was Chayse Jackson, who won a dramatic decision in overtime. "It's something I've been dreaming about for four years in a row, and I don't really know how to explain it," said Jackson. "The first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning is this, the last thing I think about when I go to bed is winning this, and now it's finally here."
Roseburg's Dylan Fors was a third-time winner at 171. "So much fun to go out three times as a winner, and that's the most intense sport, and the most intense environment you can get,said Fors."
Indians coach Steve Lander, who was named Coach of the Year, says it was truly a team effort that 
brought home another state championship. "I told the coaches that the kids won us another award, so, I look at it as the coaching staff of the year, and if we're not winning, we're probably not getting that award," said Lander.
Roseburg won the team title with 212 points. Sprague of Salem was far back in second at 105.5, while Grants Pass came in third at 100.5.
The cupboard is not bare, as the Indians will have many of their top wrestlers back next year, but they will miss a great group of seniors.
Some other Douglas County teams had some outstanding individual efforts in the championships as well.
Freshman Walker Damewood of Glide pulled off a big win over Aaron Longtain of Rogue River. He won 8-6 to take the 119 pound class in 3-A.
Damewood had beaten him before, so he was confident, but it was a battle to the end. "Today, I had some really good matches, in the semi-finals match it went into overtime, and I just worked my hardest to get past that match, and I got it," he said. "I got the title."
Sophomore David Henry of Oakland came up with an upset win over Justin Guest of Scio, pinning him in a flurry of action in the first round. Henry told KPIC Sports, "When I beat Zack Reid from Riddle, he was ranked second, I thought I can do this, and I came through."
Douglas High School senior Tyson Dahl was also a winner, taking the 152 pound title in class 4-A.
South Umpqua didn't have a champion, but finished 11th in the team standings with only five wrestlers in the tournament, in what turned out to be another good showing for Douglas County.
You can click here for the complete list of results.
