Kody Johns takes second at District

Kody Johns was the only Sisters wrestler to place high enough to advance to the State Wrestling Championships that will be held Thursday through Saturday, February 16-18 in Salem.

Johns (103 pounds) lost in the championship round to Chris Farris of Sweet Home.

“Kody entered districts as the number-one seed,” said Coach Tony Cosby. “Kody had beat Farris so decisively (8-1) at home that we thought this match would be pretty easy. He went up early in the match and took a 4-0 lead. Farris started the second period down and got a reversal and closed the score to 4-3.”

Cosby told The Nugget that Johns overpowered Farris throughout the match but in the third period Farris took Johns down and put him on his back to take an 8-4 lead. Johns escaped and reversed Farris to close the lead to 8-7 and the period ended.

“It was a heartbreaker,” said Cosby. “Kody dominated the entire time. If he would have had another 10 seconds he would have won.”

Three other Outlaws wrestlers placed at Districts: Jake Kleint (160 pounds), Nick Head (130 pounds) and Riley Gilmore (112 pounds).

Kleint took fourth place and won three matches to get to the consolation finals.

“Jake wrestled really great and I’m pleased with his effort,” said Cosby. “He was taking kids down well and he was so close to making it to state.”

Head pinned Symon Powlison of North Marion in 1:53 in his final match to take fifth place.

Gilmore finished in sixth place.

“Riley’s (Gilmore) last match was very frustrating,” said Cosby. “Riley was up 13-9 close to the end of the third period and wrestling very well. All of a sudden his opponent reaches behind, grabs his head and reverses him, puts him on his back and scores five points to win by decision 14-13.”

Cosby and Johns will head to state this coming weekend.

“Kody’s just a freshman and we don’t have any high expectations,” the coach said. “If we go and he places we’ll be ecstatic and if he loses and just wrestles well then that’s okay too.”