Sprague's Peña will go for his third state crown
By Bill Poehler
February 11, 2008
Sprague's R.J. Peņa won the OSAA Class 6A 125-pound state championship last year at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion. This week, Peņa will go for the third state title of his career.
It's state championship season, with the OSAA state meets for wrestling and swimming taking place this week.
The state wrestling tournament returns to Portland's Memorial Coliseum after a three-year stint at the Pavilion at the state fairgrounds.
The Class 6A, 5A and 4A state meets start at 9 a.m. Thursday. The 3A and 2A/1A meets start at 9 a.m. Friday.
The semifinal rounds are Friday night starting at 7 p.m. and the championship round starts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Sprague wrestler R.J. Peña, a junior, goes for his third straight state championship in the 6A meet. He and junior teammate Bryce Whitehead, are both in the 140-pound weight class.
Fellow Sprague wrestler Alex Kostenborder (103) was a state runner-up last year and will attempt to win his first state championship.
In the 3A meet, Willamina brothers Denny Linton a junior two-time state champ, and Brandon Linton, a senior defending state champ, will try to increase their combined state title total to five.
The state swimming meets take place at Gresham's Mt. Hood Community College.
The 6A state meet starts Thursday with prelims at 5 p.m. Finals start at 4 p.m. Friday.
The 5A and 4A/3A/ 2A/1A meets start Friday with the prelims at 9:30 a.m. The 4A/3A/2A/1A finals start at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, and the 5A finals are at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
McNary senior Amber Boucher, a state champion as a sophomore who has signed to compete in college at Boise State, will try to add another state title (she won the 50 free style in the 2006 Class 4A meet).
Blanchet senior Andy Ottolia, a two-event state champion in each of his first three years, will go for eight total state championships in his career in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke.
Cascade sophomore Crystal Kibby will attempt to defend the state championship she won as a freshman in the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM.
State basketball tournaments begin Feb. 27, with the Class 3A tournamenht for boys and girls returning to Willamette University in Salem for a second consecutive year.
bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6701