Vikings are firing up for a classic weekend


Siuslaw wrestling coach Neil Wartnik

Neil Wartnik's Siuslaw Vikings wrestling team continues its baptism under fire this weekend with the highly regarded Coast Classic at North Bend.

Action gets underway at 1 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday, with more than three dozen schools competing.

If last weekend's competition was the frying pan, this Friday and Saturday's event will be the fire.

"We had lots of learning, lots of growth, and lots of memories," Wartnik said of last Friday's Deven Dawson Memorial Tournament in Harrisburg and Saturday's Perry Burlison Tournament at Cascade High School in Turner.

"Friday went amazingly well. We had a great team performance. It was a great opening to our year."

The Vikings nearly had a wrestler at each weight class at Harrisburg and finished third among 21 schools.

 "The biggest surprise was Gavin Fletcher winning the 120 pound bracket," Wartnik said. "We also had great performances from Patrick Hill (a third-place finish) and exchange student Alexander Paasch (a pair of wins).

"Standouts Richard Huff and Riley Jennings each placed second."

Wartnik split his team Saturday, with five competing at the varsity level and the rest at junior varsity.

"Saturday we ran into stiffer competition," Wartnik said. "The top 4A and many of the top 5A teams were at Cascade.

"Only Ricky (Huff) placed (third), and to do so he had to overcome a surprising first round loss to a Thurston standout freshman.  The Thurston wrestler went on to win the tournament at 126."

Junior varsity results were better. Elijah LaCosse placed second, while Brady Libby, Patrick Hill, Ryan Jennings and Christian Newlan had third-place finishes.

Next week the Vikings will compete in the Grants Pass Invitational, Dec. 15-16.

Siuslaw's first home meet is its biggest, the annual Nick Lutz Invitational, which will be held Saturday, Jan. 13.

Remaining meets:

Friday-Saturday, Dec. 8-9 — Coast Classic at North Bend.
Friday-Saturday, Dec. 15-16 — at Grants Pass Invitational.
Thursday, Jan. 4 — Far West League Dual at Douglas (Douglas, North Bend, Siuslaw)
Saturday, Jan. 6 — at Bend Invitational.
Saturday, Jan. 13 — Nick Lutz Invitational at Siuslaw (North Bend, Sheldon, Siuslaw, South Umpqua)
Friday, Jan. 19 — Siuslaw at South Umpqua dual meet
Saturday, Jan. 20 — at Sutherlin Classic.
Thursday, Jan. 25 — Philomath at Siuslaw dual meet
Friday-Saturday, Jan. 26-27 — at Cottage Grove Tournament.
Friday, Feb. 2 — Senior Night Duals at Siuslaw (Siuslaw, North Bend, South Umpqua), 5:30 p.m.

Vikings roster
106/113 — Brady Libby, freshman
120/126 — Gavin Fletcher, sophomore
120/126 — Richard Huff, senior
126/132 — Elijah LaCosse, freshman
132/138 — Patrick Hill, senior
132/138 — Ryan Jennings, freshman
145/152 — Jay Goldblatt, senior
145/152 — Sal Sierra, senior
152/160 — Alexander Paasch, junior
160/170 — Riley Jennings, junior
170/182 — Luiz Infante-Marquez, sophomore
182/195 — Christian Newlan, freshman
220/285 — Matthew Horrillo, sophomore