You can’t win five consecutive state wrestling titles. Thus, Mauro Michel’s mark of four in a row never will be broken.
Michel, a Stayton High senior, reached that rarified air of four straight with a dominating performance at the Class 4A state meet Feb. 26 at Cascade High in Turner.
Michel, wrestling at 132 pounds, won all four of his matches by pin, using just four seconds past four minutes in the four victories.
Michel, who competed at Cascade in his freshman and sophomore years, won his OSAA titles in four different weight classes – 106, 113 126 and 132. He compiled a record of 160-4 in his high school career and was 45-0 in his senior year.
“I’ve had that goal in mind ever since I started at Cascade,” Michel said. “I was really happy when I won it. It was one of the biggest goals for me and my family.”
Michel’s performance also helped Stayton turn in its best showing at state in at least 20 years. The Eagles finished sixth overall with 96 points, 15 more than host and rival Cascade. Stayton had finished fifth and Cascade second in the district meet in February.
“Finishing in sixth place at the state tournament was our best finish this century,” Eagles coach Stuart Peterson said. “I couldn’t find records beyond 2000.
“Mauro is a special talent and came into our program two years ago already a finished product. I am glad he was able to finish his career at Stayton where his older brothers competed and graduated. Mauro certainly had the most fun in the wrestling room this year and showed our younger wrestlers that putting in the time and hard work pays off.”
Michel also had challenging times in the weight room when he faced off with teammate Eli Howard, who wrestles a weight class up at 138.
“It was crazy working with Eli,” said Michel.
“When Eli and Mauro wrestled each other in practice the intensity of the room was elevated for sure,” Peterson said.
Michel hopes to wrestle in college and is considering Southern Oregon, Corban and Clackamas Community College. He says he is undecided, noting that he ‘s “still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life.”
Michel’s five teammates at state also entered the scoring column to help boost the Eagles’ efforts in the team race. Howard led the way with his second-place finish at 138.
Wyatt Hooper (120) advanced to the semifinals, ultimately losing the match for third place. Jason Ritchie (160) won three matches, including a win against the No. 2 seed in his opener, and wound up falling in the match for fifth, while Connor Hollenbeck was fifth at 170.
Also at the 4A meet, Cascade’s Lance VanHoose ran the table at 182 pounds to win his second state title, scoring 3 pins and downing his foe from Banks by a 12-2 count in the final. Teammate Blake Perlichek, also wrestling at 182, scored four wins and lost in the match for 3rd place as the Cougars dominated the weight class.
Brody Copple (106) won four matches, losing in the match for third. Payton Burlingame (113), Tucker Melton (220) and Teagen Allen (285) all won one match. Jason Hoffman (113) also participated for Cascade.
Regis, meanwhile, celebrated a highly successful first year of wrestling under coach Chris Bischoff with an eighth-place finish at the Class 2A-1A meet at Culver.
The Rams sent an upper-weight dominant crew of five wrestlers to Culver and all five scored. Thomas Bischoff led the way with a third-place finish at 170. Chris Bischoff lost in the match for third at 160, while Cameron Diacetis (three wins at 220), Mark Nusom (two wins at 182) and Noah Emch (one win at 195) contributed valuable team points.
