Photos by Brandon McMullen and Darbie Kemper

The Burns Hilander wrestling team captured the 2024-25 OSAA state championship held at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, on Thursday-Friday, Feb. 27-28, edging out Harrisburg 234 to 191.5 points. BHS finished with eight individual state champions: Kale Cornell (126), Easton Kemper (190), Liam Shepherd (106), Canon Winn (132), Cannon Kemper (150), and Joe Weil (215). On the girls side, freshmen Hadley Gunderson (115) and Megan Weil (190) both came home state champions. See results and more photos on page 10.

Kemper and Cornell finish high school career as four-time state champions!

The BHS wrestling team claimed their 13th team 3A state championship, led by four-time state champions Kale Cornell (126) and Easton Kemper (190), at the OSAA/OnPoint State Championships held at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland on Thursday-Friday, Feb. 27-28. The Hilanders also had four other wrestlers take home individual titles with Liam Shepherd (106), Canon Winn (132), Joe Weil (215), and two-time champion Cannon Kemper (150).

Not to be outshined by the boys, freshmen Hadley Gunderson (115) and Megan Weil (190) won their first 4A/3A/2A/1A individual titles, finishing a perfect 8-0 in the tournament. The two wrestlers helped the Burns girls wrestling team to a seventh place finish. The girls tied with St. Helens, who scored 54.5 points with six wrestlers. 

Daniel Simpson (113) wrestled to a fourth place finish, Lucian Miller (114) and Jasper SkunkCap (157) finished fifth at state, while Tyson Breshears (190) took home sixth place.

Results for both teams are as follows:

Burns Girls

115 — Champ. Round 1 – Hadley Gunderson (43-5) won by fall (Fall 2:56)

Quarterfinal – won by tech fall (TF-1.5 4:00 (17-0)

Semifinal – won by forfeit (For.)

1st Place Match – won by decision over Emmalee Brissette (43-6) (Oakridge) (Dec 9-7)

190 — Champ. Round 1 – Megan Weil (32-2) won by fall (Fall 0:26)

Quarterfinal – won by fall (Fall 0:46)

Semifinal – won by major decision (MD 11-0)

1st Place Match – won by decision over Maddie Armstrong (43-8) (La Grande) (Dec 7-0)

•••

Burns Boys

106 — Champ. Round 1 – Liam Shepherd (32-12) won by fall (Fall 0:46)

Quarterfinal – won by major decision (MD 19-6)

Semifinal – won by fall (Fall 0:29)

1st Place Match – won by fall over Jose Jimenez (33-11) (Nyssa) (Fall 2:35)

113 — Champ. Round 1 – Daniel Simpson (32-12) won by decision over (Dec 10-4)

Quarterfinal – lost by decision (Dec 5-4)

Cons. Round 2 – won by tech fall (TF-1.5 3:00 (16-0)

Cons. Round 3 – won by decision (Dec 9-3)

Cons. Semi – won by decision (Dec 6-5)

3rd Place Match – lost by decision to Braxton Henager (33-14) (Harrisburg) (Dec 5-4)

120 — Champ. Round 1 – Hayden Cornell (26-10) received a bye 

Quarterfinal – lost by decision (Dec 9-5)

Cons. Round 2 – won by fall (Fall 3:36)

Cons. Round 3 – lost by decision to Gianni Gervasi (25-13) (Rogue River Boys) (Dec 9-7)

126 — Champ. Round 1 – Henry Barnes (25-12) lost by fall (Fall 1:54)

Cons. Round 1 – received a bye

Cons. Round 2 – lost by major decision to Carter Van Meter (37-21) (Sisters) (MD 17-6)

126 — Champ. Round 1 – Kale Cornell (36-5) received a bye

Quarterfinal – won by fall (Fall 1:41)

Semifinal – won by tech fall (TF-1.5 3:55 (16-0))

1st Place Match – won by fall over Lyosha Mitchell (38-13) (Creswell) (Fall 1:08)

132 — Champ. Round 1 – Canon Winn (32-6) won by fall over (Fall 1:06)

Quarterfinal – won by fall (Fall 2:57)

Semifinal – won by major decision (MD 15-5)

1st Place Match – won by major decision over Jackson Peterman (45-11) (Harrisburg) (MD 14-6)

132 — Champ. Round 1 – Trask Lardy (17-15) won by fall (Fall 1:15)

Quarterfinal – lost by fall (Fall 1:34)

Cons. Round 2 – won by fall (Fall 2:24)

Cons. Round 3 – lost by fall to Uriah Young (20-15) (Douglas) (Fall 0:36)

144 — Champ. Round 1 – Preston Hill (23-13) received a bye

Quarterfinal – lost by fall (Fall 4:26)

Cons. Round 2 – won by fall (Fall 2:56)

Cons. Round 3 – lost by tech fall to Lucian Miller (16-9) (Burns) (TF-1.5 4:12 (15-0))

144 — Champ. Round 1 – Lucian Miller (16-9) won by fall (Fall 2:00)

Quarterfinal – lost by tech fall (TF-1.5 5:38 (20-4))

Cons. Round 2 – won by decision (Dec 9-4)

Cons. Round 3 – won by tech fall (TF-1.5 4:12 (15-0))

Cons. Semi – lost by fall (Fall 0:24)

5th Place Match – won by fall over Keaton Mattinen (32-14) (Rainier) (Fall 5:31)

150 — Champ. Round 1 – Cannon Kemper (32-6) won by fall (Fall 0:31)

Quarterfinal – won by fall (Fall 1:45)

Semifinal – won by fall (Fall 1:39)

1st Place Match – won by fall over Devin Huston (28-5) (Willamina) (Fall 3:16)

157 — Champ. Round 1 – Jasper SkunkCap (23-15) lost by fall (Fall 5:14)

Cons. Round 1 – received a bye 

Cons. Round 2 – won by decision (Dec 6-1)

Cons. Round 3 – won by major decision (MD 14-5)

Cons. Semi – lost by decision (Dec 13-10)

5th Place Match – won by fall over Luke Baker (34-18) (Nyssa) (Fall 3:09)

190 — Champ. Round 1 – Easton Kemper (36-4) received a bye 

Quarterfinal – won by fall (Fall 0:40)

Semifinal – won by fall (Fall 1:38)

1st Place Match – won by fall over Wyatt Cox (27-6) (Vale) (Fall 0:54)

190 — Champ. Round 1 – Tyson Breshears (15-10) lost by fall (Fall 1:15)

Cons. Round 1 – received a bye 

Cons. Round 2 – won by fall (Fall 2:07)

Cons. Round 3 – won by fall (Fall 1:57)

Cons. Semi – lost by decision (Dec 13-7)

5th Place Match – lost by fall to Landon Risseeuw (27-10) (Willamina) (Fall 0:30)

215 — Champ. Round 1 – Joe Weil (36-4) received a bye

Quarterfinal – won by fall (Fall 1:13)

Semifinal – won by fall (Fall 1:13)

1st Place Match – won by decision over Jacob Mann (46-4) (Siuslaw/Mapleton) (Dec 4-0)

285 — Champ. Round 1 – Eyon Mitchell (16-10) won by fall (Fall 0:59)

Quarterfinal – lost by fall (Fall 2:14)

Cons. Round 2 – lost by fall to Zane Clemmer (38-6) (Elmira) (Fall 1:45)