Harrisburg Wrestling History
For over sixty years the Harrisburg Eagles wrestling team(s) have been putting high-quality wrestlers and teams on the mat. Celebrate with us the following individuals, coaches, teams, and events that have built up this highly successful program.
1961 - First Harrisburg State Placer, First Harrisburg State Champion - Ed Eneral
1970 / 1972 - First Harrisburg Wrestler to win Two State Championships - Jerry Skiles
1978 / 1979 / 1980 - First Harrisburg Wrestler to win Three State Championships - Rick Oshea
2003 - Desmond Bennett hired as head coach.
2007 - Desmond Bennett's first State Champion - Deven Dawson
2016 / 2017 / 2018 / 2019 - Harrisburg's first 4x State Champion - Dax Bennett
2022 - First female team wrestlers - Hannah Henderson, Rebecca Cook, Lillie Lee, Nahaya Thomas, Alyshia Daughs
2023 / 2024 Season - Oregon sanctions female high school wrestling
2024 - First boys team state title - John Henderson, Andrei Donayri, Luke Cheek, PJ Machacek, Jackson Peterman, Trayson Truesdell, Justin Hoyt, Isaac Talmadge, Nephi Heaken, Landen Hecht, Abe Noll, Devin Martin, Brody Buzzard, Maverick Taylor, Parker Hughes, Cooper Clark, Hunter Langham.
2024 - First female State Champions - Paxton Steele & Hannah Henderson
2024 - First female State Team Placers: 2nd Place - Gracie Williams, Paxton Steele, Lily Ridgley, Hannah Henderson
2024 - Coach of the Year - Desmond Bennett
2025 - First sisters to wrestle on high school team - Eden Ridgley & Lily Ridgley
2025 - First female wrestler to reach 100 wins - Gracie Williams
2025 - First female District Champion Team - Eden Ridgley, Gracie Williams, Paxton Steele, McKenzie Seals, Emma Raven, Lynda Seehafer, Lily Ridgley, Kenadee Hunter, Brighton Evans-Kinyon
2025 - Four consecutive District Team Championships for boys - at time, first ever Harrisburg High School sport to accomplish this feat.
2026 - Brody Buzzard - 4x State Champion
2026 - Second Boys team to win Team Championship.
2026 - First girl to 100 wins & 100 pins. Gracie Williams
2026 - First girls to complete four years of high school wrestling. Lily Ridgley & Gracie Williams
Boys Team Top Ten State Finishes
1960 - 10th
1970 - 4th
1972 - 4th
1974 - 9th
1975 - 5th
1977 - 4th
1978 - 7th
1979 - 6th
1980 - 9th
1982 - 4th
1995 - 7th
1996 - 5th
1997 - 9th
2006 - 5th
2007 - 6th
2008 - 8th
2014 - 10th
2015 - 8th
2016 - 5th
2017 - 5th
2018 - 4th
2019 - 3rd
2020 - 6th
2021 - 10th
2022 - 3rd
2023 - 3rd
2024 - 1st
2025 - 2nd
2026 - 1st
Girls Team Top Ten State Finishes
2024 - 2nd
2025 - 3rd
2026 - 2nd
Ricky is the best!
Hall of Fame
The following are teams and individuals that have become state champions, state placers and garner extra recognition
2024 - First Team State Title
John Henderson, Andrei Donayri, Luke Cheek,
PJ Machacek, Jackson Peterman, Trayson Truesdell,
Justin Hoyt, Isaac Talmadge, Nephi Heaken,
Landen Hecht, Abe Noll, Devin Martin,
Brody Buzzard, Maverick Taylor, Parker Hughes,
Cooper Clark, Hunter Langham.

Boys State Title Holders
1961 - Ed Eneral - 191
1963 - Mitch Lawson - HWT
1970 - Dave Tuckness - 98
1970 - Jerry Skiles - 191
1972 - Jerry Skiles - 191
1974 - Bob Cooley - 157
1977 - Doug Graham - 178
1978 - Rick Oshea - 157
1979 - Rick Oshea - 157
1980 - Rick Oshea - 157
1980 - Randy Oshea - 123
1981 - Randy Oshea - 136
1982 - Kevin Sims - 191
1982 - Jamie Briggs - HWT
1996 - Desmond Bennett - 185
1996 - Troy Bunnell - HWT
1998 - Skyler Dodson - 189
2002 - Robert Womack - 160
2007 - Deven Dawson - 125
2008 - Deven Dawson - 130
2008 - Anibal Vazquez - 171
2009 - Deven Dawson - 135
2015 - Shane Bearden - 145
2016 - Dax Bennett - 132
2017 - Chance Hendrickson - 113
2017 - Dax Bennett - 152
2018 - Dax Bennett - 182
2019 - Chance Hendrickson - 126
2019 - Dax Bennett - 170
2019 - Chandler Strauss - 182
2019 - Leithan Briggs - 195
2020 - Chandler Strauss - 195
2021 - Chandler Strauss - 170
2022 - Luke Cheek - 106
2023 - Luke Cheek - 113
2023 - Brody Buzzard - 145
2024 - Andrei Donayri - 106
2024 - Luke Cheek - 120
2024 - Brody Buzzard - 165
2025 - Brody Buzzard - 175
2026 - Andrei Donayri - 126
2026 - Brody Buzzard - 215
Boys State Placers
1969 - Dave Tuckness - 98 - 3rd, Chuck Kohlbeck - 168 - 3rd, Bob Pearce - HWT - 3rd
1970 - David Githens - 130 - 3rd, Mike Maahs - 136 - 3rd, Chuck Kohlbeck - 178 - 3rd
1972 - Scott Strouse - 98 - 3rd, 1972 - Rick Willis - 130 - 2nd
1973 - Dick Bailey - 168 - 2nd,
1974 - Jim Hoiland - 106 - 3rd
1975 - Doug Graham - 141 - 2nd, Bob Cooley - 157 -2nd
1977 - Scott McCleary - 123 - 3rd, Rick Oshea - 141 - 4th, Tom West - 148 - 4th,
Pat Ambrosek - 157 - 4th
1978 - Scott McCleary - 130 - 2nd, Pat Ambrosek - 191 - 2nd
1979 - Randy Oshea - 115 - 3rd, Todd Stroda - 130 - 2nd, Pat Ambrosek - 191 - 3rd
1982 - Gene Obrien - 157 - 3rd, Larry Lydon - 157 - 4th
1984 - Lacey Briggs - 178 - 2nd
1985 - Lacey Briggs - 167 - 3rd
1986 - Lacey Briggs - 191 - 2nd,
1988 - Larry Schied - 157 - 4th
1994 - Desmond Bennett - 141 - 3rd
1995 - Jimmy Moore - 134 - 4th, Desmond Bennett - 151 - 2nd, Jeremy Riley - 172 - 3rd, Troy Bunnell - HWT - 2nd
1996 - Skyler Dodson - 172 - 2nd
1997 - Jared Stewart - 126 - 2nd, Desmond Bennett - 171 - 3rd
1998 - Jason Haggard 112 - 4th, Waylong Wymore - 145 - 6th
1999 - Eric Bert - 103 - 4th, Jason Baker - 119 - 6th
2000 - Eric Bert - 112 - 5th, Justin Summerfield - 160 - 5th, Zach Moore - HWT - 6th
2001 - Eric Bert - 119 - 5th
2002 - Tyler Waldon - 112 - 4th, Eric Bert - 130 - 4th
2003 - Robert Womack - 160 - 2nd
2004 - JJ Maxon - 140 - 6th, Craig Musa - 160 - 6th
2006 - Levi Barden - 112 - 3rd, Deven Dawson - 119 - 3rd, Brock Bearden - 140 - 3rd,
JJ Maxon - 152 - 4th, Anibal Vazquez - 160 - 2nd, Luke Murphy - 171 - 4th
2007 - Tyler Davison - 130 - 6th, Travis Wood - 145 - 5th, Anibal Vazquez - 160 - 3rd
2008 - Travis Wood - 145 - 5th, Aaron Kost - 160 - 6th
2009 - Travis Wood - 160 - 4th
2010 - Mali Nickelson - 130 - 3rd, Payton Moore - 152 - 3rd
2011 - Colton Dawson - 140 - 4th, Payton Moore - 152 - 3rd
2012 - Josh Hendrickson - 132 - 4th, Clay McClure - 138 - 4th, Loren Traw - 182 - 5th
2013 - Shane Bearden - 138 - 5th, Josh Hendrickson - 145 - 5th
2014 - Justin Davison - 113 - 5th, Zak Winsted - 126 - 3rd, Shane Bearden - 145 - 5th
2015 - Justin Davison - 120 - 4th, Caleb Prater - 120 - 6th, Tommy Bennett - 220 - 5th
2016 - Chance Hendrickson - 106 - 4th, Grant Laiblin - 120 - 5th, Justin Davison - 126 - 3rd, Layten Briggs - 182 - 4th
2017 - Grant Laiblin - 132 - 3rd, Deven Contreras - 160 - 5th, Layten Briggs - 170 - 2nd
2018 - Russell Talmadge - 106 - 5th, Chance Hendrickson - 120 - 2nd,
Riley Suttles - 126 - 3rd, Chandler Strauss - 152 - 3rd, Mason Rouillard - 160 - 6th, Leithan Briggs - 170 - 2nd
2019 - Russel Talmadge - 106 - 5th, Brynden Bevins - 145 - 6th, Mason Rouillard - 152 - 5th
2020 - Russell Talmadge - 106 - 4th, Gabe Knox - 195 - 4th, Leithan Briggs - 220 - 2nd
2021 - Russell Talmadge - 113 - 2nd,
2022 - Curtis Talmadge - 126 - 2nd, Nephi Heakin - 132 - 2nd, Devin Martin - 152 - 4th, Bryce Chilgren - 170 - 4th
2023 - Curtis Talmadge - 126 - 2nd, Nephi Heakin - 145 - 3rd, Landen Hecht - 152 - 4th, Devin Martin - 160 - 4th, Bryce Chilgren - 195 - 2nd, Cooper Clark - 220 - 6th
2024 - John Henderson - 106 - 4th, PJ Machacek - 120 - 4th, Jackson Peterman - 126 - 2nd, Trayson Truesdell - 132 - 3rd, Justin Hoyt - 138 - 4th, Isaac Talmadge - 144 - 5th, Nephi Heakin - 144 - 2nd , Landen Hecht - 150 - 2nd, Devin Martin - 157 - 3rd,
Parker Hughes - 5th, Cooper Clark - 215 - 4th, Hunter Langham - 285 - 3rd
2025 - Brandon Henderson - 106 - 3rd, Braxton Henager - 113 - 3rd,
Andrei Donayri - 120 - 2nd, John Henderson - 120 - 3rd, Jackson Peterman - 132 - 2nd, Trayson Truesdell - 138 - 2nd, Justin Hoyt - 150 - 4th, Isaac Talmadge - 150 - 6th,
Hunter Langham - 285 - 2nd
2026 - Brandon Henderson - 106 - 2nd, Braxton Henager - 126 - 3rd,
John Henderson - 2nd - 132, Trayson Truesdell - 138 - 2nd, Levi Conley - 138 - 3rd, Jackson Peterson - 144 - 3rd
Girls State Title Holders
2024 - Paxton Steele - 110
2024 - Hannah Henderson - 155
2026 - Eden Ridgley - 100
2026 - Paxton Steele - 110
Girls State Placers
2024 - Gracie Williams - 105 - 3rd, Lily Ridgley - 120 - 4th
2025 - Eden Ridgley - 100 - 2nd, Gracie Williams - 105 - 3rd, Paxton Steele - 110 - 2nd,
Lily Ridgley - 130 - 5th
2026 - Gracie Williams - 105 - 2nd, Lily Ridgley - 145 - 3rd, Izabella Castleberry - 170 - 2nd

2024
Lily Hannah Gracie Paxton
Ridgley Henderson Williams Steele
Girls Career
100+ Wins
Girls Career
100+ Pins
