Eagle wrestlers boast three district champions, send five to state

JASON SHANER (right) competes at the district tournament last weekend, where he won the Outstanding Wrestler award.

 Contributed photo

The Hood River Valley wrestling team didn’t have its best team finish at last weekend’s district meet, but on an individual level, it was the best meet in several years for the Eagles.

Jason Shaner, Ryan Zeller, and Justin Wilson took first place at the Special District 4 championship tournament in Hermiston — the most district titles won by HRV in eight years. Shaner, who has only lost one of his 44 matches this year and is ranked first in the state in the 126-pound weight class, also took home the Outstanding Wrestler award for the lower weight classes. Shaner defeated Caleb Duhn of Mountain View — last year’s state champion in the 120-pound bracket — by a 16-7 major decision for the honor. It was the second time he defeated Duhn this season. Zeller took the 106-pound title by defeating Redmond’s Landon Robinson in a 12-3 major decision, and Justin Wilson grabbed the gold in the heavyweight bracket by pinning Hermiston’s Beau Blake 4 minutes, 18 seconds into the championship match.