Crook County rules at Adrian Irwin tourney - Bend Bulletin

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By staff report / The BulletinPublished: December 18. 2011 4:00AM PST

Cowboys win 23-team event at Mountain View High

Solidifying its position as a Class 4A state wrestling title contender this season, Crook County won the 23-team Adrian Irwin Memorial Tournament at Mountain View on Saturday as 14 of the Cowboys' 26 entrants placed.

Crook County recorded 345 points and was followed by Cascade (265.5 points), Redmond (218.5), Eagle Point (217) and Pendleton (213.5).

“Last year and this year we've really started to become an upper-tier tournament,” said tournament director Les Combs, Mountain View's coach. “We're not Reser's (Tournament of Champions in Hillsboro) or the Oregon Coast Classic (in North Bend), but I'll put us up against any other tournament in the state right now.”

The tournament, which raises money for a scholarship in the name of Adrian Irwin, a former Redmond and Mountain View wrestler who drowned at Lake Shasta in 1997, boasted 32-man brackets at each weight.

Locally, Bend finished eighth (140.5 points), host Mountain View came in ninth (139), Madras ended the day 12th (120.5), La Pine finished 14th (103), Sisters came in 21st (14) and Gilchrist took 22nd (10).

Crook County senior Mc- Kennan Buckner went 5-0 to win the 120-pound bracket and teammate Collbran Meeker, a freshman, recorded five wins at 126 pounds to win that weight class. Mason Harris added a runner-up finish at 195 pounds for the Cowboys and Tyler Rockwood and Trayton Libolt placed third at 160 and 106 pounds, respectively.

“We're rolling along pretty good,” said Crook County coach Jake Huffman, whose team is at the Lebanon Tournament Tuesday and Wednesday. “Once we get everybody healthy and in the lineup at the same time we should be pretty fun to watch.”

Buckner, a 2010 state champion who missed the 2011 state tournament with an injury, looked especially strong, according to Huffman, pinning all five of his opponents.

Chance Lindquist paced Redmond with a tournament win at 138 pounds. The Panthers had four finalists Saturday. Ty George (126 pounds), Ryan Haney (132) and Jacob Brietling (285) all placed second.

Bend High finished in the top 10 on the strength of four placers. Gavin Gerdes took second at 170 pounds, Kenny Dailey (195 pounds) and Nico Spring (126 pounds) each placed fourth, and Willy Abt finished fifth (160).

The host Cougars had a pair of wrestlers place. J.T. Ayers took second at 113 pounds and Forrest Samples finished fifth at 152 pounds.

For Madras, senior Travis Williams was one of four Central Oregon champions, winning the 220-pound weight class. Miguel Vasquez added a third-place finish for the White Buffaloes at 138 pounds.

La Pine had two placers in Garrett Searcy (182 pounds) and Chad Van Cleave (220), both of whom ended the day with a win in the third-place match.

“That's a good solid tournament,” Hawk coach Gary Slater said. “You place there, it's quality.”