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Madras sophomore Travis Williams wrestles against Crook County’s Cody Roan during a 215-pound match at the Class 5A state wrestling meet Feb. 27 held at Portland’s Memorial Coliseum.
Led by a first-place finish at 140 pounds by Ryan Brunner last weekend, Madras placed eighth overall as a team for its highest placing at an OSAA Class 5A state wrestling tournament.
Brunner capped off a meet where the White Buffalos earned two third places and a sixth-place finish during their last season at Class 5A. Madras will compete in the state's 4A classification next season. Madras earned 89.5 team points for eighth. Hermiston won its fourth consecutive championship with 269 points.
"We had a tremendous tournament," said first-year head coach Ron Oliver. "This is the type of tournament that will help build our program."
Brunner knocked off Hermiston's Matt Kilsdonk by technical fall 15-0 in the 140-pound final to become Madras' first state champion since 2002. For more on Brunner, see related story on aboce on this page.
"I'm not sure what to think," Brunner said. "I've wanted this for a long time."
Trevor Barrett earned third place overall at 189 pounds. The senior lost by fall in the quarterfinals to the hands of Glencoe's Trevor Mannen, but Barrett would earn his revenge.
Barrett won four matches in the consolation finals Saturday, including an 8-3 victory over Mannen in the third-fourth place match.
"I'm not disappointed to say I got third here," Barrett said. "I'm so happy to wrestle hard and come all the way back to win third."
Barrett was ranked No. 3 all season at 189 pounds, behind Hermiston's Curtis Berger and The Dalles-Wahtonka's Jacob Abrams. The three finished in that exact order at the state tournament.
"The IMC finished one, two and three at 189," Barrett said. "It just goes to show how tough the IMC really is."
Barrett finished fifth a year ago at 189 pounds.
"Trevor wrestled his butt off," Oliver said. "I was happy that as a senior he earned third. Placing third is very difficult."
While Barrett finished off Mannen, Madras sophomore and 215-pound Travis Williams was in a tight match with West Albany's Vonn Lambert on the mat just to the left of Barrett in another third-fourth place match.
Williams held on for a 2-1 victory for third place.
"I'm just flabbergasted and can't hardly stand it I'm so excited," Williams said.
Williams wrestled seven matches in all and his lone loss came in the second round to No. 1 seeded Adam Carroll of Silverton, who went on to place second overall. Williams fell 6-1 to Carroll, but he won five matches in the consolation finals to take third.
"You have to want it 100 percent and can't let up," Williams said. "There is no easy match to win third."
Cody Roan of Crook County beat Williams for the Intermountain Conference 215-pound district title one week prior to the state tournament, but Williams avenged that loss with a 9-5 victory in the third-fourth place semifinals.
"It was awesome to beat Roan," said Williams, who went 0-2 at last year's state tournament. "It was the best feeling of my life."
State seeding is partially based on how wrestlers do in the year's previous tournament and if Williams can qualify for the state tournament next year, he will likely be the Class 4A No. 1 seed.
"He has really set himself up for what could be a special tournament next season," Oliver said of Williams. "He went on a huge run here in the consolation finals and really proved himself."
Madras heavyweight Adrian Phillips readies himself before pinning Wilsonville’s Neil Ochs.
Madras junior and IMC heavyweight champion Adrian Phillips earned sixth place in his first state wrestling tournament.
Phillips advanced to the semifinals, but lost by fall to eventual 285-pound champion Jared Bridgewater of Century.
"I didn't wrestle as well as I wanted and did some things that I didn't want to do, but this was a learning experience for me," Phillips said.
Phillips took a shot early in the match against Bridgewater that ultimately put him in bad position.
"I think it was inexperience," Oliver said of Phillips. "He'll learn from it and for his first state tournament, sixth is dang good."
Also for Madras, Miguel Vasquez (125) and Justin Brown (145) each went 1-2 and Brandon O'Brien (171) went 2-2.
"The guys gave a fantastic effort," Oliver said. "They represented Madras well."
