Saucedo earns second trip to state

Photo By: Garrett RudolphJorge Saucedo
Woodburn senior Jorge Saucedo scores a last-second escape to win his semifinal match at the Mid-Willamette Conference tournament on Saturday.
ALBANY — After a one-year hiatus, Woodburn senior Jorge Saucedo is headed back to the Class 5A state wrestling tournament.
 
The 112-pounder wrestled two of the closest matches at the entire Mid-Willamette Conference district tournament, held Friday and Saturday at West Albany High School.
 
Saucedo was one of six district placers and three state qualifiers for the Bulldogs, who placed sixth out of seven teams at the tournament.
 
In his semifinal match, Saucedo and Brady Andersen, from Dallas, battled through nearly three full scoreless rounds before Saucedo scored a point on an escape in the final seconds of the third round, winning the match, 1-0.
 
In the finals, going up against No. 1 seed Gerardo Linarez, from West Albany, Saucedo overcame a late deficit to take a lead. Yet, Linarez rebounded and scored a controversial point in the final seconds to send the match into overtime.
 
In overtime, Linarez was able to capture the district championship, 10-8.
 
“(Saucedo) really wanted to beat that guy,” said Woodburn coach Cruz Urbina.
 
“Everybody probably counted him out, for having a chance to win. ... There wasn’t too many other people that thought we had a chance of getting the upset. (Linarez) is a tough kid and we took him to the last second, where we thought we’d won by one point. But we’re getting ready for the state meet, and I’d like to get him a high placing up there.”
 
Also qualifying for the Class 5A state tournament for Woodburn were Omar Martinez (130) and Michael Martinez, who both placed third.
 
“(Omar) wrestled like he wanted a trip (to the state tournament),” said Urbina. “He was not going to be denied. He went out there and got some near fall points, got some switches. He didn’t do anything stupid. It was already in his books that he was going to be one on that trip. ... After watching his brother win, (Michael) wasn’t going to be denied either. He went out and got a tremendous lead and just closed it out and got the pin.”
 
Other placers for Woodburn were Joey Kalugin, who took fourth at 140, Anatoly Kuzmin, who took fifth at 145, and Nick Kojin, who took sixth at 189.
 
“If you told me two days earlier that we did that, I would take it in a heartbeat,” said Woodburn coach Cruz Urbina. Compared to last season, when the Bulldogs went 0-7 in duals and had just one district placer and zero wrestlers advance to the semifinals, Urbina was pleased with how far the team made it. Woodburn finished the league season with a 3-4 record in duals, in addition to the six district placers, and four semifinalists.
 
Among other local schools, Gervais will send three wrestlers to the Class 3A state tournament.
 
Sam Martin placed second at 171 to advance to the state tournament, while Mac Martin (189) and Omar Cruz (160) both placed third.
 
Gervais featured nine placers at the District 1 tournament, including Iban Gomez (fourth, 103), Alma Flores (fifth, 112), Anthony Castaneda (fourth, 140), Edgar Rojas (fourth, 145), Juan Rodriguez (fourth, 145) and Richard Santos  (fourth, 152).
 
The state tournament will be held at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland beginning Thursday.

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