Philomath High’s Riley Barrett is chasing history this season by attempting to become the first Warriors wrestler to win the state title three times.
As a sophomore, Barrett put together a 48-0 season capped by an 8-3 decision over Sweet Home’s Jacob Landtroop in the state finals. Last year, he dominated Pendleton’s Vance Nelson in the championship match with a 14-0 major decision.
Gallery: PHS wrestling vs. Sweet Home (Feb. 5, 2026)
A collection of photos from Philomath High’s home wrestling dual against Sweet Home on Thursday.
But in his final go-round with the Warriors, Barrett’s season has been more of a challenge thanks to an undisclosed injury that occurred in the team’s season-opening tournament at Cascade. He remained unbeaten Thursday in a Senior Night victory over Sweet Home sophomore Brodee Gay.
It was just his 15th match this season.
“Not that setbacks are a good thing but I’m like, ‘what can I do to make my wrestling style the best I can with what I have?’” he said, adding that it helps to watch a lot of film during down time. “If I’ve got a hurt ankle, I’m going to work around that and I’m going to be more patient and wait for my attacks and I’m going to do more re-attacks, countering what’s going on.”
More than half of Barrett’s 15 victories have come on technical falls. The toughest match, he said, came in the Grants Pass Winter Kickoff championship bout against Zane Hill back in December. Barrett won on a 5-3 decision.
Barrett anticipates going up against Hill again in this weekend’s tournament at Cottage Grove.
“He’s just consistent, you don’t get a half-effort from him,” PHS coach Troy Woosley said. “He’s at that level where’s just better and his mental game is that he doesn’t believe he’s going to get beat — and he doesn’t. But he trains hard, he trains really hard.”
Back in the season opener, Barrett struggled to get through the semifinals on a 7-2 ultimate tiebreaker victory against a Mountainside opponent. Then his coaches shut him down before the championship match because he didn’t look right.
“I’ve been working around it, you know, like if something’s hurting, I’ll do something else,” Barrett said. “I think just keeping my head down and just believing in my system and the loyal group I have behind me — my mom, my dad, my coaches, everyone around me are like my partners and have pushed me forward.”
To stay on top, Barrett’s training regimen has been crucial.
“I’ve been training … wrestling up at Salem Elite and just working around it,” he said. “I’ve been doing a lot of PT (physical therapy) stuff, a lot of specialist stuff and just working on it.”
Barrett missed the team’s two earlier home matches — the Warrior Classic on Dec. 12 and the Benton County Championships on Jan. 8. So, it was important for him to wrestle one last time in the home gym.
“I’ve been wrestling the last 11 years of my life, just dedicating everything through blood, sweat and tears,” he said. “For Senior Night to come and to showcase my talent, my hard work and all that, it’s just super rewarding, especially against a really good team like Sweet Home.”
On Thursday night, Barrett defeated Sweet Home’s Gay on a 15-0 technical fall in 90 seconds.
“I’ve always been worried about his stamina for not wrestling as much as everyone else,” Woosley said. “But even when he has sickness or injury, he’s still working out like a madman, so it really doesn’t surprise me.”
Barrett’s entertaining opportunities to wrestle beyond high school but has not made any decisions.
“I’ve got quite a few offers and I think I’m going to check out some schools,” he said. “I’d like to think I’m a man of opportunity and if something comes my way and I think it’s the best fit for me and turns me into a better human and a better wrestler, then ultimately I’ll go there. But I’m still got to do a little searching.”
Barrett is just one of a large group of seniors for Woosley this season. Two of them also posted wins against the Huskies with Porter Compton’s pin over Jackson Knight in 2:47 at 157 pounds and Derick Kohn’s pin over Elijah Cruz in 3:33 at 215 pounds.
“It’s the biggest group since 2012 that I’ve had really for seniors — I think I had eight that year,” Woosley said.
In addition to Barrett, Compton and Kohn, other seniors that made it through the season include Liam Bennett, Lukas Hernandez, Lake Mulberry and Braydon Williams. A lot of success has been seen among the group with multiple appearances at state.
Compton could join Barrett as the only two wrestlers in program history to win medals all four years at state. He also recently became the school’s all-time leader in wins and total matches and is sitting at 32-7 this season.
Mulberry won the state title last year and will be attempting to repeat. Kohn is having a breakout season and currently has a 34-9 record. Plus, Bennett and Hernandez hope to be back in Portland for another shot at a medal.
“There’s a lot of wins,” Woosley said of the group. “From the beginning, from freshman year on, they’ve just been steady.”
The opponent for Senior Night was obviously tough with perennial power Sweet Home in town. The Huskies won the dual by a 64-17 margin with five forfeits figured into the scoring.
The girls were also in action with Philomath winning three of the five matches. Junior Alexis Pettit pinned Sweet Home’s Alexis Lee in 49 seconds at 100 pounds. Freshman Rielly Ellingsen worked for a pin in 1:46 over Raelyn Andrews at 120 pounds. And another freshman, Makinzey Harrington, dominated Hailey Borromeo in a 16-0 technical fall win at 135.
Like the boys, forfeits impacted the final score with Sweet Home winning, 54-17.
Woosley thinks Philomath has a shot at qualifying at least two girls for state this season.
“Makinzey and Sarah (Robertson) look good but we have a couple of others that are really starting to wrestle so we’ll see what happens,” Woosley said. “We’ve just got to get on a roll.”
Philomath is scheduled to compete Friday and Saturday at the Cottage Grove Invitational.
Philomath vs. Sweet Home Dual
Thursday, Feb. 5, at Philomath HS
BOYS
Sweet Home 64, Philomath 17
PHS results — 106, Ryder Farris, Sweet Home, pinned Kellen Carlson, 1:11. 113, Talon Temple, Sweet Home, won by forfeit. 120, Keegan Jefferson, Sweet Home, won by forfeit. 126, Riley Vaughan, Sweet Home, pinned Braydon Williams, 2:33. 132, Jesse Landtroop, Sweet Home, tech. fall over Max Grapoli, 17-2 (3:42). 138, Tytus Hardee, Sweet Home, tech. fall over Lukas Hernandez, 17-1 (5:37). 144, Dylan Davis, Sweet Home, won by forfeit. 150, Riley Barrett, Philomath, tech. fall over Brodee Gay, 15-0 (1:30). 157, Porter Compton, Philomath, pinned Jackson Knight, 2:47. 165, Kyle Zajic, Sweet Home, pinned Liam Bennett, 1:36. 175, Luke Rosa, Sweet Home, won by forfeit. 190, Jeremiah Steagall, Sweet Home, pinned Lake Mulberry, 5:00. 215, Derick Kohn, Philomath, pinned Elijah Cruz, 3:33. 285, Lynkin Royer, Sweet Home, won by forfeit.
GIRLS
Sweet Home 54, Philomath 17
PHS results — 106, Alexis Pettit, Philomath, pinned Alexis Lee, 0:49. 120, Natasha Martin, Sweet Home, won by forfeit. 110, Lyla Ventura, Sweet Home, pinned Carsyn Pettit-Juvenal, 1:13. 115, Alizeah Weikel, Sweet Home, won by forfeit. 120, Rielly Ellingsen, Philomath, pinned Raelyn Andrews, 1:46. 125, double forfeit. 130, Bella Rico, Sweet Home, pinned Sarah Robertson, 1:59. 135, Makinzey Harrington, Philomath, tech. fall over Hailey Borromeo, 16-0 (4:38). 140, Madi Looney, Sweet Home, won by forfeit. 145, Sydney Dominy, Sweet Home, won by forfeit. 155, Hailey Ayala, Sweet Home, won by forfeit. 170, Eturnyti Allison, Sweet Home, won by forfeit. 190, Bailey Newens, Sweet Home, won by forfeit. 235, double forfeit.
