Community, Sports Zone

Pleasant Hill places second at district wrestling meet

Representing the Billies at state, from left, will be Isabelle Rodolf, Preston Nibblett, Ethan Litson, Asher Ruchti, Blaine Rodolf, Jacob Pray and Rowan Von Ortloff. TOM PAGE

Pleasant Hill finished second to Scio in the district wrestling tourney Saturday at Harrisburg and qualified seven grapplers for the state 3A tourney Feb. 16-17 in Portland.
”They wrestled well and had a good tournament,” said coach Dahn Nikitins, who was named the district coach of the year.
The Billies qualified seven for state by advancing four wrestlers to the finals and having three others place third.
”It’s nice to bring the numbers back to what we had years ago,” said Nikitins. ”We have good kids and I’m proud of them.”
Freshman Asher Ruchti (126) and senior Blaine Rodolf (132) gave P-Hill a pair of district champions.
Ruchti won a 5-4 decision in the finals, taking a 2-1 lead with a first-round takedown then extending it to 5-3 with a second period escape and reversal.
Rodolf pinned his way to the title, nailing all three opponents including a 4:23 pin in the finals.
Freshman Isabelle Rodolf reached the finals at 106 pounds, as did junior Jacob Pray at 138.
Isabelle Rodolf reached the finals with a 5:21 pin while Pray advanced to the finals with 3:31 and 1:07 pins before dropping 9-11 decision to a Jefferson opponent.
Pray trailed 3-6 after the first round, but tied the match 7-7 with a third period takedown and 9-9 with an escape before giving up the deciding takedown.
Preston Nibblett (106), Ethan Litson (113) and Rowan Von Ortloff (152) earned trips to state by placing third.
Litson won a pair of matches by pins including one in 5:38 in the battle for third.
Von Ortloff reached the semis with a pair of pins, then used pins in the consolation semis in 43 seconds and in the battle for third in 30 seconds to finish third.
Samuel Baker took fifth at 126 pounds, Thomas Bardgett took fourth at 132, Grant Hardy was sixth at 145, Logan Parrish was fourth at 152 and Kellen Parrish was fourth at 195.
Logan Parrish recorded a pair of pins.

Instagram

 

View this profile on Instagram

 

The Chronicle (@thechronicle1909) • Instagram photos and videos