First and third place team finishes for HRV wrestling

At Rex Putnam, the boys edged out second place Woodburn by five points in the 13 team tournament in large part due to HRV’s 14 total pins and five individual champions: Ryan Zeller, Chad Muenzer, Jason Shaner, Cade Parker and Beto Rojas.

In the final match at 120 pounds, Zeller won by major decision with a final score of 12-4 over White Salmon’s Myles Moon, scoring 22.5 team points for the Eagles.

Muenzer, at 126 pounds, beat Elijah Bell from White Salmon by a final decision of 4-0 in the final match, earning the Eagles 20.50 points for the first place finish.

And continuing his undefeated season was Shaner (41-0), who took down Jonathon Hernandez of Putnam by a final major decision of 24-11 in the 132-pound final match.

At 138 pounds, Parker beat Brenden Hawkins of Putnam by a final decision of 8-4.

The final winner for the Eagles at the Joe Stewart Invitational was Rojas, at 182 pounds, who won by a final major decision of 12-2 over Woodburn’s Dyontae Navarrete.

Outside of these five top-finishers for the Eagles, HRV also had two others place: Adrian Ramirez and Justin Lane.

Ramirez took second place at 285 pounds and Lane finished in third place at 106 pounds.

These top finishes for HRV wouldn’t have been enough by themselves to put the Eagles over Woodburn, “but we earned enough bonus points from our 14 pins to come away with the win,” said Head Coach Trent Kroll. “The whole team fought hard to earn the trophy and we had huge efforts from Tristian Keely and Lane, who each had three pins for crucial bonus points.”

Final team scores at the Joe Stewart Invitational: HRV (152.5), Woodburn (147.5), McMinnville (99), White Salmon (93) and Putnam (82).

About two-hours south from the boys, the girls were in Springfield at the Thurston State Qualifier.

The girls would finish in third place as a team in a 91-team field, and they would also see Grace Miller, Elena Kroll and Christine Marquez punch their tickets into the OSAA Wrestling State Championships on Saturday, Feb. 17.

Place-finishes at Thurston for the girls: Miller at 145 pounds earned first place, Marquez at 180 pounds earned third, Elena Kroll at 135 pounds earned fourth and Emily Mitchell at 160 pounds earned sixth.

The final team scores at Thurston: Thurston (206), Century (134.5), HRV (120), La Pine (71) and Hillsboro (67.5).

“It’s about that time of the year again as we’ve got to be prepared for a tough February with districts and the state tournament ahead,” said Kroll. “With our wrestlers outstanding performances this past weekend, we’re starting to grow confidence as a team at the perfect time.”

Upcoming meet:

Next up the wrestling team will be at The Dalles for their final dual meet of the season on Thursday, Feb. 1.