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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

2026 - Gracie Williams - 145
2026 - Lily Ridgley - 139

2026 - Gracie Williams - 114
2026 - Lily Ridgley - 106

 

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