By Luke Andrews
Members of the Crater wrestling program unveiled a show of support for suspended coach Greg Haga today in the second day of the state wrestling tournament.
The team and staff designed shirts that read: “It’s not just a sport, it’s a family” on the front. On the back, some shirts read: “TEAM HAGA” while another had the acronym: “Honor Attitude Greatness Allegiance.”
Haga was suspended two years by the Oregon School Activities Association earlier this month after allowing an ineligible wrestler to compete under an assumed name at a tournament in Hawaii.
In his 20-plus years of service, Haga has led Crater to state titles in 1993, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Crater’s Jeremy Artoff — who advanced to tonight’s semifinals with a 6-1 victory over third-seeded Bryce Reisnaur of Hillsboro in the quarterfinals this morning — said the entire team has been on an emotional ride this season.
“We are definitely wrestling for coach Haga,” Artoff said.
Kenny Fahndrich, a senior who also is in to the semifinals, said Crater dedicated the state and district tournaments to Haga.
“He’s our coach, and we love him,” Fahndrich said. “He’s pretty much like our second dad. It’s really emotional and sad that that happaned. I’m a senior, this is my last year. I’m never going to be able to be coached by him again.
“This tournament is for him. We’re not just doing it for us and our families, but for coach Haga. He’s the one that keeps us going. When we are down, we think of coach Haga … what he would do, what he would say to us, and we get it done. He’s our motivational speaker in our mind.”
Fahndrich said he’s the designated go-between for Haga and the team. He calls Haga after nearly every round to provide updates.
“Coach Haga isn’t just a coach, he’s part of our family,” Fahndrich said.
Denny Walters, a longtime assistant to Haga, has the led Comets since the suspension.
“I’ve been to enough of these,” Walters said. “I love having Greg by my side, this is my 17th year with him. It’s a little different, but you still have job to do.”
***
Speaking of Fahndrich, he displayed a little extra emotion after his 4-2 quarterfinal win against Hermiston’s Ben Millard, clapping and yelling his way off the mat.
The top-seeded Fahndrich understood Millard may be his stiffest test.
Millard pinned his first opponent in 43 seconds and took Fahndrich to double overtime at the Reser’s Tournament of Champions this season.
“That was a really big match,” Fahndrich said. “He’s probably one of my toughest opponents in this weight bracket. It was make or break for me.”
Fahndrich trailed 2-0 early against Millard but connected on a move he and his teammates dubbed “The Claw” to tie the match. It was intially perfected by Crater’s Brock Gutches, Fahndrich said, and they practiced it often in advance of the state tournament.
Fahndrich described the move as “coming around the arm and head and grabbing the other side of the neck and underneath the crotch,” then lifting the opponent and driving them to the mat.
The acrobatic move paid dividends on Friday. Fahndrich will face Lebanon’s Joel Arranda in the semifinals tonight.
A third-place finisher last season, Fahndrich narrowly avoided an upset in his opening-round match Thursday by defeating Glencoe’s Trevor Mannen 11-10.
“Unseeded wrestlers, they have nothing to lose,” Fahndrich said. “They are coming to take you out. Being No. 1, everyone’s on a headhunt for you. You just have to go all out every time.”
***
Phoenix’s Ryan Tourville needed every second of his quarterfinal match to defeat Skyline Conference foe Quayde Fisher of Illinois Valley. Tourville won 11-10 when he turned Fisher right at the buzzer for two points and the win.
Tourville defeated Fisher 10-6 at the Skyline district meet last week but was not happy with his performance on Friday.
“I just felt like I wrestled pretty bad,” Tourville said. “It shouldn’t have been that close. Some parts when I was trying moves, I didn’t give it my all, and that’s when he capitalized.”
Tourville, the fourth seed, trailed 10-7 early in the third period after surrendering three back points to the third-seeded Fisher. His reversal cut it to 10-9, setting up his narrow escape.
“I’ve wrestled too wrong to lose like that,” Tourville said. “I was thinking that I’ve already beat him, I should be able to beat him again.”
