![The teams prepare to start another play with just a few minutes left in the first half. The Lions were in the lead at halftime with a score of 27-0. At half time, the team went back to the locker rooms. “[We ate] orange slices,” Malos said. “[Then] our team came out and got the win.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2385-1200x800.jpg)
![At the bottom of the third inning, the Lions are still scoreless. Rowe stands at home plate, preparing to bat, while Vandenbrink stands off to the side as the next batter up. Despite having the bases loaded, the team was unable to score any runs. “It’s just the beginning of the season. We’re just going to be playing out best by June, [and] that’s where champions are,” Rowe said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_3077-1200x900.jpg)
Seven wrestlers qualified for the State Tournament held on Feb. 24. The top performer, in his first appearance at state was Tyler Chay, junior, in the 160 lb. weight class. He finished in second place, after winning matches against athletes from Southridge, West Salem and the number one seed, Forest Grove, to advance to the final round.
“Forest Grove was definitely my hardest win,” Chay said.
In the final round, he was pitted against the number two seed of 16 wrestlers in his class, Boomer Fleming an athlete from Redmond. In the second round, Chay was pinned, losing the match to Fleming.
“Going into the final round I was pretty nervous, but I’m really looking forward to next year,” Chay said. “When I started high school, my brother [Toney] and I set a goal of us both becoming state wrestling champs.”
Since Tyler placed second this year, he is already closer to a championship than his brother Toney who placed third at state last year.
In the 170 lb. class, Ryan Harman, senior, easily rolled over competitors from North Medford and West Salem to advance to the semifinal round where he lost to the number one seed, making him third.
Ryan’s younger brother, freshman Timothy Harmon, advanced to the quarterfinals in the 138 lb. class, but there he fell to a wrestler from Roseburg.
Competing in the 132 lb. class were Michael Skoczylas and Braden Krellwitz, seniors. Skoczylas lost in the first round to the number two seed, Devon Reynolds from McNary. Krellwitz advanced to the semifinal round, but unfortunately, he too was unable to defeat Reynolds, who ended up winning their weight class. Krellwitz finished third in the class.
Trevor Eisle, senior, qualified for the 145 lb. class but was defeated in the first round.
The last athlete the Lions sent to State was Ethan Staley, freshman, in the 106 lb. class. Staley had a good showing for his first regional tournament, winning his first match at 0:53, but was knocked out in the next round.
As a team, West Linn finished 10th in state, ahead of league rivals Lake Oswego and Clackamas.
