Nyssa wrestlers go national
Thursday, April 22, 2004 1:42 PM PDT
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Nyssa High School wrestlers Braden Bair (left) and Nick Hartley (right) traveled to Dover, Delaware to take part in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Bruit Scholastic Duals. |
Tricia Alvarez Argus Observer
NYSSA
A pair of Nyssa High School wrestlers took a long, but exciting trip, to Dover, Del. to take part in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Bruit Scholastic Duals March 31 through April 5.
Nick Hartley and Braden Bair, both sophomores and members of the Nyssa wrestling team, made the journey as part of a 14-member team to represent the state of Oregon.
In order for the boys to make the Oregon team, they had to be underclassmen and they had to place first in their weight class at a qualifying tournament in Salem.
The boys started out at the Boise airport and traveled to Portland to meet the rest of their team. From there they stopped off in Denver, before it was on to
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Baltimore and then by car to Dover.
"When we finally arrived in Dover, we checked into our motel. We had practice that evening and then went to weigh-ins," Hartley said.
The weigh-ins went off smoothly with Bair in the 189-pound weight class and Hartley weighing in at 140-pounds. The next few days were filled with wrestling matches against tough opponents.
The duals were compiled of 20+ teams from many different states.
"The wrestlers from Pennsylvania were tough," Hartley said.
Pennsylvania is a "wrestling state" according to Nyssa head coach Luke Cleaver.
Each of the states have different criteria for selecting their wrestling teams. Some automatically send their state champions but not Oregon. The OSAA says that there has to be a qualifying tournament in the state of Oregon.
During the multiple days of wrestling, Bair went 3-6 and Hartley finished 1-7, but wrestling was not the only new experiences for the boys from Nyssa.
"We had a lot of fun. We were a team right from the start. One of the kids I met and became friends with was Andy Jackson from Portland," Hartley said.
All in all it was a great experience for both boys.
"I definently want to go again. I cannot wait until next year," Hartley said. " The best part of the trip was getting to know the other kids."
Tricia Alvarez is a sports reporter for the Argus Observer. She can be contacted at (541) 889-5387, or by e-mail, TriciaA@argusobserver.com. Story ideas are always welcomed.
