He has lost only three matches in high school career
By Dan Itel
Special to the Statesman Journal
S
April 9, 2008
Sprague junior R.J. Peña is the Statesman Journal All-Region wrestler of the year.
t's easy to get overwhelmed when looking back on the first three years of R.J. Peña's wrestling career at Sprague High School.
The junior 140-pounder is a three-time district and state champion. He has lost just three matches in his high school career, and those were against older, bigger opponents during his freshman year.
And at this year's OSAA Class 6A state tournament, Peña was so good, he pinned all his opponents except the last.
It has all been said about Peña. And there's no question it's all deserved.
Peña can add another award to an already overstuffed trophy case. He is the Statesman Journal All-Region wrestler of the year.
"I'm just shooting for my fourth straight title next year," Peña said. "I'm just training hard and working hard so when I get to college, I can win a national championship and maybe after that, the Olympics. I've always just tried to be the best."
Peña ended his third year with a bang.
In his four matches at the state tournament at Portland's Memorial Coliseum, Peña scored his three pins in less than one minute and he was not scored on. And in the championship match against Milwaukie's Aaron Farwell, Peña pressured his opponent's shoulder so hard that Farwell called for an injury timeout and writhed on the mat in pain for nearly a minute before resuming.
He took another injury timeout before the match expired, and Peña scored a 10-0 victory.
"I was just attacking and shooting and wouldn't let him defend it," Peña said after the match. "Relentless pressure, relentless pressure."
Relentless pressure is an apt description of Peña's career, as well.
"He's very focused and determined," Sprague head coach Kary Hadden said. "This year, too, he really showed me how he can deal with pressure. I know he builds this pressure that he has to go out and perform. There's no real secret to his success, it's the fact that he works real hard. He's outworking everybody."
Hadden said Peña hasn't slowed and always is coming up with a new workout or new move to practice. To look for a challenge on the mats, Peña has to look to the next level.
In the preseason this year, Peña entered a handful of open college tournaments. And it should come as no surprise that he regularly beat premier college wrestlers.
"I've always worked hard to always accomplish my goals," Peña said. "And I've always had high goals. When I get to the top of the podium, that's what motivates me just to work harder."
The path for Peña is so ingrained, it's easy to forget that he has another year of high school. He already has said that he will attend Oregon State to wrestle, and his ambitions of a national title and the Olympics are real.
"He's ready," Hadden said. "I know Oregon State said, 'Hey, can we have him next year?' And I said 'No, we need him one more year.'"