Siuslaw Vikings wrestling coach Neil Wartnik expects more than three dozen wrestlers to turn out for the 2019-20 season, including six to eight girls.

"Our turnout looks to be huge by Siuslaw standards," Wartnik said. "We may get upwards of 30 boys turning out this year — 10 or more freshmen and eight to 10 sophomores.

"This looks to be one of the finest freshman classes I've ever coached. It will be a different kind of challenge orchestrating a large team."

The Vikings had four state qualifiers last year, including current juniors Elijah LaCosse (126 pounds) and Ryan Jennings (152) and senior Matthew Horrillo (220).

Junior Brady Libby was fourth at district as a sophomore but did not qualify for state because he lost a challenge match to the fifth-place finisher on a wrestleback.

Junior Hector Garcia was sixth last season at district at 160.

Three of the four girls from last year's squad return, including sophomores Bailey Overton and Hayden Muller and junior Adriana Edwards.

"Bailey, Hayden, and Adri are returning,and we have three cheerleaders who will be doubling," said Wartnik. "Add to that two others. 

"Shayla Ford of Florence Crossfit will be joining us to help the team with training and to give us a woman's touch working with the girls."

Middle school coach Stecher Buss is joining the high school staff as an assistant. Other assistant coaches include Chris Rupp, David Burkett, Dusty Shingleton, Robert Forsythe, Rylan Burum and Thomas Jennings.

Practice begins Monday, Nov. 18, and the first meet is the Devan Dawson Invitational Dec. 6 in Harrisburg.

The current schedule includes meets at Siuslaw on Dec. 17 and Jan. 18.

"We will have at least one more home meet. We might add two," Wartnik said. "Ask me for an update around Thanksgiving. I should have a better sense of reality then."

Siuslaw is in 4A Special District 2 with Cascade, Elmira, Junction City, Newport, Philomath, Stayton and Sweet Home.

There are four special districts in boys 4A, and four wrestlers in each of the 14 weight classes will advance to the 16-person state championships.

There are two special districts for girls in 1A to 6A and the top four wrestlers in each district advance to state to form an eight-person bracket.

The state championships are Feb. 28-29 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland.

Siuslaw Vikings 2019-20 Wrestling Schedule
Friday, Dec. 6 — at Devan Dawson Invitational, Harrisburg (Amity, Central Linn, Creswell, Harrisburg, Jefferson, Kennedy, Lowell, Oakland, Pleasant Hill, Scio, Sheldon, Siuslaw)
Friday-Saturday, Dec. 13-14 – at Coast Classic, North Bend (Bend, Brookings-Harbor, Canby, Cascade Christian, Century, Clackamas, Cottage Grove, Crater, Douglas, Eagle Point, Grants Pass, Henley, Hidden Valley, Illinois Valley, Liberty, Marshfield, Molalla, Newport, North Bend, North Marion, North Medford, North Salem, Parkrose, Redmond, Reedsport, Ridgeview, Roseburg, Siuslaw, South Medford, West Salem, Woodburn, Fortuna, Calif.)
Tuesday, Dec. 17 — Central Coast Challenge, Siuslaw (Reedsport, Siuslaw)
Friday-Saturday, Dec. 20-21 — at Grants Pass Winter Kickoff (Cascade Christian, Eagle Point, Grants Pass, North Bend, North Medford, Phoenix, Siuslaw, South Medford, Willamette)
Saturday, Jan. 11 — at Sutherlin (Cottage Grove, Douglas, Elmira, North Bend, Siuslaw, Sutherlin)
Saturday, Jan. 18 — at Nick Lutz Invitational, Siuslaw (Churchill, Cottage Grove, Elmira, North Bend, Siuslaw, Sutherlin, Taft, Willamette)
Friday, Jan. 24 — at Sky-Em Duals, Marshfield (Siuslaw, Cottage Grove, Elmira, Marshfield)
Saturday, Jan. 25 — at Bay City Duals, Marshfield (Siuslaw, Cottage Grove, Marshfield, North Bend, Sheldon)
Friday-Saturday, Jan. 31-Feb. 1 — at Cottage Grove (Churchill, Cottage Grove, Elmira, Harrisburg, Oakridge, Philomath, Pleasant Hill, Scappoose, Siuslaw)
Thursday, Feb. 6 — at Oregon West Conference, Newport (Cascade, Newport, Philomath, Siuslaw)
Friday-Saturday, Feb. 7-8 — at OSAA Southern Division Girls State Regional, Thurston (Cottage Grove, Philomath, Siuslaw, South Medford, Sutherlin, Thurston)
Friday-Saturday, Feb. 21-22 — OSAA Southern Boys Regional, Cottage Grove
Friday-Saturday, Feb. 28-29 — OSAA state championships, Portland