The Philomath High School wrestling program went up against the best in the state on Friday and Saturday at the Oregon Classic — the top duals meet of the season with 16 mats of action at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond — and came home with seventh place in the Class 4A competition.
The tournament’s first day featured pool competition and the Warriors went up against Baker, Tillamook, Sisters and Phoenix. Based on those results, teams then advance on the second day into groups of eight wrestling off for final placings.
Philomath opened with a 39-33 win over Baker in a dual that featured three hard-fought Warrior victories on decisions. Freshman River Sandstrom pulled out a 14-12 win at 106 pounds, junior Chase Ringwald was a 10-7 winner at 132 and junior Caleb Blackburn took a 9-5 decision at 138. Junior Ben Hernandez (120), senior Blake Niemann (126), sophomore Jonathan Doig (152), junior David Griffith (160) and senior Blaise Pindell (170) all won on pins. Philomath had to give up 12 points on forfeits.
The Warriors then went up against a tough Tillamook squad and lost by a 58-21 margin. Hernandez, Pindell and senior Joseph Choi at heavyweight had first-period pins and Griffith pulled out a victory on an 8-6 decision.
Philomath regrouped to defeat Sisters, 45-30. The two schools split four of eight on-the-mat matches but the Warriors had an advantage with points off forfeits. Individually, Ringwald had the most competitive match with a 7-5 decision over his opponent at 132. Sandstrom, Griffith and Pindell won on pins.
The Warriors easily beat Phoenix in their final pool match, 57-16. In matches on the mat, Sandstrom, Hernandez, Niemann, sophomore Gradin Fairbanks and Pindell all had victories on pins. Blackburn defeated his opponent on an 8-1 decision.
Philomath’s 3-1 record on Day 1 qualified the Warriors for Saturday’s championship round. In the first dual, the Warriors lost to Banks, 51-30. Hernandez continued a string of fast first-period pins and Blackburn, Griffith, Pindell and Choi also won on falls.
The loss dropped the Warriors into a consolation semifinal against Henley and Philomath lost, 46-34. Hernandez, Niemann, Fairbanks and Pindell had victories on pins. Sandstrom recorded an 11-3 major decision over his opponent.
Philomath and Mazama then met in a match for seventh place and the Warriors pulled out a 36-34 win. On the mat, the Warriors and Vikings each won five of the 10 matches. Mazama got forfeit wins at 152 and 182, Philomath got a forfeit win at 220 and there was a double forfeit at 195.
Sandstrom, Hernandez, Niemann, Griffith and Pindell all won on pins. Both Ringwald and Choi lost on close two-point decisions to their opponents.
Individually, Pindell and Hernandez were unbeaten at the two-day event. Pindell won all seven of his bouts on pins. Hernandez went 6-0 and also won all on pins — five of his six falls came in under 60 seconds, two under 25 seconds.
Griffith went 5-1 at the tournament with four pins and Sandstrom finished 5-2 with three pins. Niemann was 4-2 with all of his wins on pins. Blackburn and Choi both had split records at 3-3 and 2-2, respectively. Ringwald and Fairbanks each had two wins and Doig had one.
In all on-the-mat bouts combined, Philomath wrestlers had a 37-36 record.
La Grande won the team title in the 4A competition with Sweet Home second and Tillamook third. In the other classifications, team winners included Newberg (6A), Thurston (5A), La Pine (3A) and Culver (2A/1A).
Philomath is scheduled to compete Wednesday in a conference duals meet at Stayton. Elmira and Sweet Home are scheduled to join the Warriors and host Eagles. Philomath will then compete on Jan. 22 — the boys at the Screaming Eagle at Santiam Christian and the girls at the Lady Dragon Invitational at Dallas.
Oregon Classic
Friday, Jan. 14 at Deschutes County Fairgrounds, Redmond
Pool 3
Philomath 39, Baker 33
Wt Result 106 River Sandstrom, Philomath, dec. Marcus Chamberlain, 14-12 113 Aldo Duran, Baker, pinned Cameron McConnell, 0:32 120 Ben Hernandez, Philomath, pinned River Clark, 3:39 126 Blake Niemann, Philomath, pinned Sage Darlington, 3:01 132 Chase Ringwald, Philomath, dec. Cole Hester, 10-7 138 Caleb Blackburn, Philomath, dec. Riley Martin, 9-5 145 Gavin Stone, Baker, pinned Gradin Fairbanks, 3:40 152 Jonathan Doig, Philomath, pinned Julian Garcia, 1:58 160 David Griffith, Philomath, pinned Ryan Brown, 2:17 170 Blaise Pindell, Philomath, pinned Cody Eskew, 1:31 182 Gauge Bloomer, Baker, won by forfeit 195 Ethan Morgan, Baker, won by forfeit 220 Alex Ritter, Baker, pinned Jacob Hamlet, 0:57 285 Jaden Martin, Baker, dec. Joseph Choi, 5-1
Tillamook 58, Philomath 21
Wt Result 106 Bryce Haltner, Tillamook, pinned River Sandstrom, 0:31 113 Joshua Perdew, Tillamook, pinned Cameron McConnell, 0:57 120 Ben Hernandez, Philomath, pinned David Weathers, 0:49 126 Austin Simmons, Tillamook, maj. dec. Blake Niemann, 20-11 132 Bradley Rieger, Tillamook, pinned Chase Ringwald, 0:11 138 James Goddard, Tillamook, pinned Caleb Blackburn, 3:00 145 Parker McKibbin, Tillamook, pinned Gradin Fairbanks, 1:04 152 Gilbert Whitlatch, Tillamook, pinned Jonathan Doig, 1:20 160 David Griffith, Philomath, dec. Austin Bosch, 8-6 170 Blaise Pindell, Philomath, pinned Logan McKibbin, 1:46 182 Hayden Hamerl, Tillamook, won by forfeit 195 Koi Smith, Tillamook, won by forfeit 220 Jackson Contreras, Tillamook, pinned Jacob Hamlet, 0:33 285 Joseph Choi, Philomath, pinned Michael O’Neil, 1:25
Philomath 45, Sisters 30
Wt Result 106 River Sandstrom, Philomath, pinned Conrad Irlam, 1:18 113 Carter Van Meter, Sisters, pinned Cameron McConnell, 3:59 120 Ben Hernandez, Philomath, won by forfeit 126 Blake Niemann, Philomath, won by forfeit 132 Chase Ringwald, Philomath, dec. Carson Brown, 7-5 138 Caleb Blackburn, Philomath, won by forfeit 145 Ben Cooper, Sisters, pinned Gradin Fairbanks, 3:24 152 Wyatt Maffey, Sisters, pinned Jonathan Doig, 0:48 160 David Griffith, Philomath, pinned Dolan Pool, 1:17 170 Blaise Pindell, Philomath, pinned Jayden Vogt, 1:05 182 Gabe Bailey, Sisters, won by forfeit 195 Double forfeit 220 Henry Rard, Sisters, pinned Jacob Hamlet, 1:17 285 Joseph Choi, Philomath, won by forfeit
Philomath 57, Phoenix 16
Wt Result 106 River Sandstrom, Philomath, pinned Tanner Schuh, 2:46 113 Cameron McConnell, Philomath, won by forfeit 120 Ben Hernandez, Philomath, pinned Jackson Scala, 0:17 126 Blake Niemann, Philomath, pinned Erik Reyes, 1:55 132 Chase Ringwald, Philomath, won by forfeit 138 Caleb Blackburn, Philomath, dec. Hunter Nash, 8-1 145 Gradin Fairbanks, Philomath, pinned Eric Peltier, 0:48 152 Hunter Everhart, Phoenix, maj. dec. Jonathan Doig, 10-2 160 David Griffith, Philomath, won by forfeit 170 Blaise Pindell, Philomath, pinned Marcelo Camargo, 3:30 182 Double forfeit 195 Trevor Sharrar, Phoenix, won by forfeit 220 Joseph Baynard, Phoenix, pinned Jacob Hamlet, 1:25 285 Joseph Choi, Philomath, won by forfeit
Oregon Classic
Saturday, Jan. 15 at Deschutes County Fairgrounds, Redmond
4A Championship Bracket
Banks 51, Philomath 30
Wt Result 106 Benjamin Dinan, Banks, pinned River Sandstrom, 4:56 113 Mason Warren, Banks, pinned Cameron McConnell, 1:26 120 Ben Hernandez, Philomath, pinned Jace Thompson, 0:36 126 Hunter Smith, Banks, tech. fall Blake Niemann, 15-0 132 Dylan Smith, Banks, tech. fall Chase Ringwald, 15-0 138 Caleb Blackburn, Philomath, pinned Jack Vandehey, 3:10 145 Jackson Lyda, Banks, tech. fall Gardin Fairbanks, 19-4 152 Luke Bozied, Banks, pinned Jonathan Doig, 2:44 160 David Griffith, Philomath, pinned Philemon Mauck, 1:04 170 Trent Rogers, Banks, won by forfeit 182 Blaise Pindell, Philomath, pinned Daevon Vereen, 2:38 195 Mishael Mauck, Banks, won by forfeit 220 Braydon Ball, Banks, pinned Jacob Hamlet, 0:18 285 Joseph Choi, Philomath, pinned Luke Bigsby, 0:48
Henley 46, Philomath 34
Wt Result 106 River Sandstrom, Philomath, maj. dec. Emma Poe, 11-3 113 Dylan Clark, Henley, pinned Cameron McConnell, 0:34 120 Ben Hernandez, Philomath, pinned Cole Davis, 0:51 126 Blake Niemann, Philomath, pinned Kyle Nichols, 3:30 132 Riley Ore, Henley, maj. dec. Chase Ringwald, 11-2 138 Jaxon Mengis, Henley, pinned Caleb Blackburn, 2:43 145 Gradin Fairbanks, Philomath, pinned Ryan Dotson, 3:38 152 Sam Mckeen-Hornbeck, Henley, pinned Jonathan Doig, 0:23 160 Dominic Ingle, Henley, pinned David Griffith, 3:22 170 Blaise Pindell, Philomath, pinned Estefan Muneton, 0:26 182 Nolan Sieben, Henley, won by forfeit 195 Matthew McCoy, Henley, won by forfeit 220 Hagen Greer, Henley, pinned Jacob Hamlet, 2:28 285 Joseph Choi, Philomath, won by forfeit
Philomath 36, Mazama 34
Wt Result 106 River Sandstrom, Philomath, pinned Michael Rasdal, 0:56 113 Haydn Burk, Mazama, pinned Cameron McConnell, 2:36 120 Ben Hernandez, Philomath, pinned Gabriel Aumiller, 0:21 126 Blake Niemann, Philomath, pinned Braden Davis, 0:41 132 Treyce Horton, Mazama, dec. Chase Ringwald, 4-2 138 Tanner Wood, Mazama, maj. dec. Caleb Blackburn, 13-0 145 Savien Burk, Mazama, pinned Gradin Fairbanks, 1:11 152 Kris Baldwin, Mazama, won by forfeit 160 David Griffith, Philomath, pinned Taylor Casey, 1:47 170 Blaise Pindell, Philomath, pinned Dominic Schreiber, 1:12 182 Seth Wright, Mazama, won by forfeit 195 Double forfeit 220 Jacob Hamlet, Philomath, won by forfeit 285 Isaac Pena, Mazama, dec. Joseph Choi, 3-1