Wrestlers compete at Culver Tournament

Sixteen teams, including the Outlaws, attended the Culver Tournament held Friday and Saturday, December 11-12.

Sisters had a good performance, but several fell short of placing in their weight class. The Outlaws did have two wrestlers that stood out.

Freshman Josh O'Brien (130 pounds) started the tourney with a match against senior JR Higgs, from Central Linn, and won with a 3-2 decision. O'Brien then had to face the No. 1 seed, sophomore Jesus Relano, from Culver, and was pinned for his first loss. Josh defeated junior TJ Kinniman, from Lowell, with a 6-5 decision and then beat senior Forrest Cox, from Enterprise, in an 8-3 decision.

O'Brien lost his next two matches for a sixth-place finish in the tournament.

First-year wrestler, junior Sterling Ryan, stood out at the 285 pounds weight class and, according to Coach Gene O'Brien, had an outstanding performance.

Ryan pinned senior Dylan Anderson, from Lakeview, in 1:47 and then went on to pin Nelson Hoaglin, from Madras, in 2:52. Ryan lost to Cameron Princena by a fall and then lost to Brendon Gibbins, from Reedsport, by a hand-and-arm throw. Sterling pinned Ty Canaday, from Central Linn, in the first round to earn a fifth-place finish.

"Overall, the team did very well, and I expect when we go to Summit for their tournament we will have a lot better placing," said Coach Gene O'Brien. "This is a first-year team and I believe that they are really going to upset a lot of teams by the time league is here."

Sisters will travel to Summit for a tournament on Saturday, December 19.