By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

On Saturday, Jan. 23, the Burns High School gymnasium will be teeming with more than 100 young wrestlers as the Hi Desert Mat Club hosts the Les Schwab Buckle Classic wrestling tournament.

Tournament organizers are expecting competitors from Roseburg, Pleasant Hill, Redmond, Bend, Prineville, Madras and Western Idaho, weather permitting.

This is the only tournament to be held in Burns this winter, and the wrestlers will be handsomely rewarded. Each weight class winner will receive a Montana Silversmiths belt buckle and every competitor will take home a medal.

The mat club

Started about 30 years ago, the Hi Desert Mat Club is still going strong with around 75 kids, aged 3 to 13, taking part this year.

The club is part of USA Wrestling, and is organized locally by a board of directors, who this year include president Lisa King, vice president Penny Peasley, secretary Laura Moulton, treasurer Lori Bailey and tournament director Geoff Robinson.

Coaches for the team this year include co-head coaches Dan Gonzales and Doug Gunderson, Mike Simpson, Jay Winn, Ed Moulton, Matt King, Darryl Williams, Kenny Peasley, Brad Barnes and Robinson.

The season usually begins in late October, once youth football is over, and wraps up with the state tournament in early February.

Although the club has remained viable, the main challenges the board faces are the use of a facility and borrowing mats. This year, the club split into two groups, with the more experienced wrestlers using the high school practice area, and the others practicing at the Burns Armory on mats borrowed from Hines Middle School. “But now junior high wrestling has started, so the mats have been moved to the gym at the schools district office building and that’s where they practice,” Bailey said.

King added that a mother of a wrestler is working on a grant so the club can purchase their own mats. “If we could find a permanent facility and buy our own mats, that would help a lot,” she said.

The club is open to all Harney County youth, and the board has also discussed the possibility of organizing a shuttle between Burns and Crane to ease the transportation load on Crane parents if their kids want to participate.

Wrestling success

With the Burns Hilanders having won eight consecutive 3A state wrestling titles, and the Crane Mustangs becoming an annual contender in the 1A ranks, it’s easy to see the connection between the mat club and the success at the high school level.

Robinson said the young kids idolize the high school team, and that spurs them on to join the mat club. The experience they gain on the mat at a young age then benefits the high school team. “It’s a huge impact on both teams,” Robinson said. “The wrestlers we’re working with now will be the ones taking over the high school team in a few years.”

King is also quick to point out that the commitment of parents is also a big part of Harney County’s wrestling success. Parents have to get their kids to practice every day, as well as drive to tournaments almost every weekend.

Les Schwab Buckle Classic

With the costs incurred of putting on a tournament, the board is extremely grateful for the local Les Schwab Tire Center stepping up to sponsor the event.

The club also raises funds with cookie dough sales, and  a drawing for a rifle (the winner’s name will be drawn the day of the tournament).

The board has been busy lining up everyone needed to put on a tournament, including two former Hilander wrestlers, John and Mike Schaff, and Dan Winn and Parker McKinley to serve as referees for the Peewee division matches. “If anyone wants to volunteer to help, we could still use them,” King said.

The tournament begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, and anyone interested in helping out may contact Lisa King at 541-573-2880.

•••

The Hi Desert Mat Club competed at the Madras tournament on Saturday, Jan. 16.
Individual results are as follows:

Peewee division
Kempton Richardson, 27 lbs. — 4th
Ethan Peasley, 40 lbs.  — 1st

Bantam division
Devin Dickie, 40 lbs. — 1st
Oliver Barnes, 40 lbs. — 2nd
Justin Winn, 50 lbs. — 1st
Ian Dawson, 50 lbs. — 5th
Mason Attleberger, 50 lbs. — 2nd
Anthony Moulton, 55 lbs. — 1st
Cameron Moore, 60 pounds — 1st
Harlen Gunderson, 60 lbs. — 2nd
Colby Bryant, 65 lbs. — 1st

Intermediate division
Parker Robinson, 65 lbs. — 1st
Garrett Goss-Bodily, 65 lbs. — 2nd
John Berry Rose, 65 lbs. — 2nd
Mick Winn, 70 lbs. — 3rd

Novice division
Evan Gunderson, 70 lbs. — 1st
Ryan Spurlock, 70 lbs. — 2nd
Jonathon Gonzalez, 80 lbs. — 2nd
Bryce Goss, 100 lbs. — 1st