OC picked to snap West Linn’s string

The Pioneers are young, but they’ve got the talent and the numbers to dethrone the Lions

By John Denny

The Oregon City News, Dec 4, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

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Three other Oregon City wrestlers came within a match of qualifying for state last season. Sophomore Luke Scruggs (103), junior John Newman (130) and senior Luis Lopez (125) all placed fourth in their respective weight divisions.

Seniors Michael Luna (125), Doug Jahn (145) and Casey House (215) were also district place-winners for the Pioneers last winter, along with junior Sam Wallace (145/152).

Oregon City coach Roger Rolen says he’s got at least 10 wrestlers whom he believes have a good chance of qualifying for state, and he says that several of them could place.

The Pioneers have lost four state qualifiers to graduation – Shaun Snow (130), Tony Garboden (135), Andrew Marshall (160) and Scott Shugert (HWT).

They’ll also miss senior David Tkach. The district runner-up at 152 last season, Tkach has elected not to wrestle.

Although West Linn returns only five district place-winners, four of them are pretty good ones. Sophomore Donald Paulson (103) and junior Andrew Kim (112) were district champions. Sophomore Logan Krellwitz (119) and senior Devan Schiewe (140) advanced to state as district runners-up. Paulson and Kim were both state place-winners on a West Linn team that finished state runner-up to Roseburg.

The Lions have graduated state champion Prescott Garner (119), state runner-up Brandon LaDick (140), and state place-winners Gustavo Bessa (135), Cameron Callaghan (145), John Bartlett (152), Lane Locke (171), Ryan Krellwitz (171), Spencer Hansen (189) and Jake Helbling (215). West Linn state-meet participant Aaron Newsome (160) has moved to Alabama.

“I would have to say that Oregon City is the team to beat,” said West Linn coach Doug Samarron. “When you get to district, it’s a numbers game. And Oregon City has the numbers.”

Samarron noted that he’s got fewer than 40 athletes out for wrestling this year, and only four seniors.

“They dropped middle school wrestling for a year [in West Linn] four years ago, and it’s caught up with us,” Samarron said. “My team is mostly underclassmen and they’ve decided that 12-and-one is okay with them. We may be out of the running this year, but we’ll be back for number 12 next year….

“This year we’ll be battling for second with Clackamas and Milwaukie.”

“I think we’ve got a good chance [of winning district], but it won’t be easy,” said Rolen. “We’ve got a young team. We could have as many as nine underclassmen in our varsity lineup….

“West Linn says they’ve lost their lineup, but they’ve got tradition. Eleven district championships in a row says something about their program. They’ve got a bunch of kids behind the seniors who graduated who were right there. They’re the favorites until someone proves differently.

“And Clackamas has some horses. We’ll battle with Clackamas.”

Rolen is high on his younger wrestlers.

“We’ve got a freshmen and sophomore group now that’s really enjoyable to be around,” said Rolen. “I can’t wait to get to the practice room. They’ve got a great work ethic, they’re good students and good citizens, and they’ve got a passion for the sport of wrestling.”

Oregon City was to begin Three Rivers League competition tonight in a home meet with Lake Oswego. The Pioneers square off with Clackamas at Clackamas next Wednesday.

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