The 2023-24 Class 6A wrestling season is preparing to be a great one.
West Linn won its first team state championship in school history last year and is returning three state champions in Oscar Doces (126), Charles Spinning (145) and Henry Dillingham (152), as well as state placers in Maclain Culp (126) and Lucas Grey (160). The Lions seem to have a lot of firepower despite graduating many seniors last year.
But the finals race with Newberg — which won the OSAA Class 6A team titles in 2020 and 2022 — could be one for the ages. The Tigers have reigning state champions in Isaac Hampton and Zachary Keinonen, as well as placers Gavin Rangel (126), Gus Amerson (145) and Trae Frederick (145).
Keinonen will also be chasing history this winter. Keinonen could become the 49th wrestler in Oregon history, and the third from Newberg, to win four state championships.
Here is a look at some of the best boys wrestlers in Class 6A:
Returning state champions
106 pounds: Max Blanco, McNary, senior
After finishing third in 2022, Blanco was the No. 1 seed in the 106-pound bracket last winter. He made short work of his first three opponents — with two tech falls and one pin — before beating Brody Lybarger in overtime for the state title.
113 pounds: Jeremiah Wachsmuth, Clackamas, senior
The runner-up to Gage Singleton in 2022, Wachsmuth got his revenge in 2023, beating Singleton 6-2 for the state championship thanks to a couple of defensive scores coming via scrambles.
120 pounds: Isaac Hampton, Newberg, senior
After losing to Singleton for the 106-pound state championship two years ago, Hampton has now won two state championships in a row. Last year, he pinned his way through the state tournament, now allowing any matches to get past the second round.
126 pounds: Oscar Doces, West Linn, junior
One of West Linn’s secret weapons in its run to the team state championship last year, Doces won the state championship from the No. 3 seed. He needed to upset Newberg’s Gavin Rangel and Aloha’s Moises Lopez to do it, as 126 was stacked last year.
132 pounds: Zachary Keinonen, Newberg, senior
Three years in a row, Keinonen has been the No. 1 seed at the state tournament and come home with a gold medal. He won the state championship with an overtime win last year, and will be the favorite again this winter.
138 pounds: Owen Hull, Grants Pass, junior
After finishing sixth as a freshman, Hull was the top seed in the state tournament as a sophomore last year. He pinned his first two opponents before picking up three straight decisions. He beat Cleveland’s Logan Medford 2-1 in the finals.
145 pounds: Charles Spinning, West Linn, senior
As the No. 2 seed in the state tournament last year, Spinning was on a war path and a big part of the Lions’ team that won the team title. He pinned three of his four opponents, including a pinfall victory in the finals over Newberg’s Gus Amerson.
152 pounds: Henry Dillingham, West Linn, senior
The top seed as a junior, Dillingham pinned his first opponent and picked up three straight decisions to win the state championship. He beat South Medford’s Bridger Foss 5-4 in the finals.
Other wrestlers to watch
Brody Lybarger, Mountainside, junior
The No. 2 seed at 106 pounds last year, Lybarger pinned his first two opponents before beating Sandy’s Garrett Head in overtime in the semifinals. He lost to state champion Max Blanco in the finals in overtime.
Miguel Elenes, Westview, junior
The No. 8 seed at 106 pounds, Elenes lost in the quarterfinals to Blanco, then won four matches in a row to take third.
Gage Singleton, Roseburg, senior
A two-time state champion, Singleton lost to Wachsmuth in the 113-pound state championship match last year. The two have been wrestling for over a decade, and may be destined to do it at least once more this winter.
Elliot Mauck, Westview, junior
As a sophomore at 120 pounds, Mauck was the No. 2 seed and pinned his way to the state finals. He was pinned in the second round by Isaac Hampton.
Moises Lopez, Aloha, senior
The No. 1 seed at 126 pounds last year, Lopez picked up a major decision and two pinfall wins to get to the finals, where he lost 8-2 to Oscar Doces.
Gavin Rangel, Newberg, sophomore
As a freshman last year, Rangel was the No. 2 seed at 126 pounds. He lost 6-3 to eventual champion Doces in the semifinals, and finished third in the state tournament.
Maclain Culp, West Linn, sophomore
The unseeded freshman stood out in an already stacked 126-pound bracket last year, opening the tournament with a 5-4 win over No. 4 seed Colten Garges (Sheldon). He was pinned by Lopez in the semifinals and finished fourth in the tournament.
Andrey Cemev, Sprague, senior
As the No. 7 seed at 132 pounds last year, Cemev lost in the quarterfinals to runner-up Cade McAllister (Tigard) and ended up taking third place.
Gus Amerson, Newberg, junior
Amerson was the No. 1 seed at 145 pounds last year, pinning his way to the finals. But he got caught by Charles Spinning (West Linn) in the second round and was pinned.
Bridger Foss, South Medford, junior
The No. 3 seed at 152 pounds as a sophomore, Foss made it all the way to the state championship match. He lost 5-4 to West Linn’s Henry Dillingham.
Trae Frederick, Newberg, senior
The state runner-up at 145 in 2022, Frederick was upset by Foss in the semifinals last year at 152 pounds. He finished fourth in the tournament.
Lucas Gray, West Linn, junior
As a sophomore, Gray was the No. 8 seed at 160 pounds. He was pinned by eventual state champion Chase Dennis (Tigard) in the quarterfinals and then won his next three matches before finishing fourth.
Logan Sunnell, Tualatin, junior
As a sophomore at 182 pounds, Sunnell was the No. 5 seed in the state tournament. After an upset 14-4 win over Cleveland’s Joshua Sonnichsen in the quarterfinals, Sunnell lost in the semis to Westview’s Jason Cephus. He ended up finishing third in a 12-11 decision in the consolation finals.
Houstyn Lee-Perry, Liberty, senior
Known for his skills as the Falcons’ running back, Lee-Perry was the No. 5 seed at 195 pounds last year. He Lost to McDaniel’s Lane Shaffer in the quarterfinals then won three matches on the consolation side. He lost to Shaffer again, finishing fourth.
Carter Bennett, Forest Grove, junior
Last year, the sophomore Bennett was the No. 4 seed at the state tournament at 220 pounds. He lost in overtime to top-seeded Alex Decrozuic (South Salem) and finished fourth after losing 8-6 to West Linn’s Earl Ingle.
-- Nik Streng, nstreng@oregonian.com, @NikStreng
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