Story by Emily Volpert and Alison Lasher
Photo courtesy of Grant Yearbook
In recent years, the Grant High School wrestling team has had fewer students trying out for the sport each season.
Although there were officially 23 students who showed up for picture day, there were only 12 to 15 students who actually came to practice regularly. With one senior and one girl on the team, they were a small group. But new head coach Travis Bonneau said they had a lot of spirit.
Bonneau knows that there are plenty of kids at Grant who could wrestle. “Unfortunately, there is not a tradition of football players going out for wrestling,” he said.
Bonneau, who was the assistant coach at Grant last season, is no stranger to the wrestling program. He graduated from Grant in 1991. A year later, he was the freestyle national champion and an All American for Clackamas Community College.
He spent a few years coaching wrestling at Roosevelt High School before coming to Grant, where his new approach was welcomed by the team.“The new coaching staff has really improved our team,” says junior Luke Taylor.
Despite having such a small team, Bonneau chose to focus the season on staying positive and building good technique. As junior Quincy McGuire says: “Wrestling is a mental and physical sport. It’s all about strategy. You want to go in with your best moves, but it’s just like a chess game.”
Bonneau trained his wrestlers in technique constantly throughout the season. “We have learned a lot of new moves and it has made us all better,” Taylor said.
Juniors Luke Taylor and his brother, Zack, were named most inspirational wrestlers on the team due to their ability to step into leadership roles.
The most exciting meets of the season came when Grant beat tough opponents, such as Forest Grove, Franklin and Bonneau’s former team, Roosevelt. With their dual meet record at 6-7, the team had a strong showing for a squad of its size.
The team had two breakout freshmen this year, Henry Houghton and Dominique Penn. Houghton had no previous wrestling experience. But at the first meet of the season against Beaverton, Westview and Lincoln, he won all three varsity matches.
Penn, Bonneau says, is a “very consistent guy” when it comes to his wrestling ability. Both Houghton and Penn had injuries that took them out near the end of the season.
The team’s lone senior, Jordan Speer, was the only wrestler on the team to place well at the Portland Interscholastic League meet, where he took third place in his weight class. At the district meet, he placed sixth.
“We need more people to know about the team,” says Zack Taylor, “especially because our team is so small.”
Teams from other schools have upwards of 40 people wrestling for them. The Grant team was often mocked at meets for having such small numbers. “Next year, we need more people to give wrestling a chance,” says Quincy McGuire.
With a young team, experience will play a factor in next year’s meets as Grant returns a solid group. For Nash Casey, a sophomore, wrestling serves as a way to build confidence.
“It’s a great sport,” says sophomore Nash Casey, “The best feeling is when you see the look on your opponent’s face when the referee is raising your hand and not theirs.”
Season Stats
@ Beaverton L 12-48
@ Westview L 12-40
@ Milwaukie L 6-38
Lincoln W 40-33
@ Woodburn L 18-60
@ Roosevelt W 30-24
@ Putnam L 12-40
Parkrose W 37-36
Glencoe L 6-45
Lincoln W 37-12
@ Aloha L 6-32
Forest Grove W 33-32
Lakeridge W 31-10
Key Losses
Jordan Speer
Top Returners
Henry Houghton
Lorenzo Demiro
Nash Casey
Zach Taylor
Luke Taylor
Dominique Penn
