PORTLAND — Led by an individual state title, Elgin placed fifth in the team standings at the OSAA Class 2A/1A boys wrestling state tournament Friday, Feb. 23, at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland.

The Huskies ended the two days of wrestling with 63 points. Union/Cove, scoring 18 points, tied with Pine Eagle for 21st. After scoring three points, Imbler placed 34th.

After a 37-4 season, Elgin’s Ty McLaughlin returns to Elgin a state champion. Wrestling in the 175-pound class, McLaughlin started his push toward a state title with a major 11-1 decision victory over Oakridge’s Noah Whitney. In the semifinals, McLaughlin won by pin over Willamina’s Bodhi Baller at the 3 minute, 52 second mark of the match. Wrestling for the title, McLaughlin pinned Clatskanie’s Taylor Crawford at the 5:43 mark for the championship.

Two Elgin teammates came close to matching McLaughlin, with Landyn Fincher and Gen Wintersteen picking up second-place finishes. Fincher, in one of the closest matches of the day, saw Illinois Valley’ James Conn take a closely contested 6-5 decision in the battle for first place at 106 pounds.

At 157 pounds, Wintersteen wrestled his way to the championship match, falling by pin to Oakridge’s Kayden Tiller in the final.

Union/Cove’s lone wrestler in the state tournament, Sam Platz, placed second at 165 pounds. Battling his way to the finals, Platz fell by pin to Camas Valley’s Owen Koegler with 5:56 showing on the clock.

For Imbler, both Evan Burns (106 pounds) and Anthony Pallis (150 pounds) wrestled in the consolation round after falling in the quarterfinals.