2A standouts mix talent and desire.

Byline: JEFF SMITH The Register-Guard

THE YEARS from grade school to high school often reflect periods of change in a young man's life. Through it all, three dedicated seniors have had wrestling remain as an integral part of their development.

For Central Linn's Lee Fincher, his introduction to the sport came at the age of 4, and he hasn't left the mat since. He can't remember a winter weekend where he wasn't traveling somewhere with his dad, Les, to compete in a tournament.

For Monroe's Jake Howell, wrestling was the sport of choice in his family, and he gladly picked it up in the third grade. Since then, he has followed the lead of his older brother, Cody, who won a state title for the Dragons in 1998, and his father, Rod Howell, who is in his 11th year as Monroe's head wrestling coach.

And then there is Harrisburg's Robert Womack, who laughs when recalling the main reason he first began wrestling in the second grade.

`My parents looked at me and said, 'Hey, you have too much energy. Go here and do this and have fun,' ' Womack said.

The years of devotion to the sport have paid off for three of the best Class 2A wrestlers in Oregon, and now they find themselves in the homestretch of their prep careers.

They're alike in a lot of ways, in terms of their respect for the sport and their desire to succeed.

But Howell knows he's missing something that the other two have already accomplished.

"I want to be a state champion," Howell said.

He appears to be on his way toward having a chance at that goal as he's currently ranked second in the state at 152 pounds and sports an impressive 28-0 record. Fincher and Womack both captured their first state titles last season as juniors, and consider achieving anything less this season to be a disappointment.

Fincher is ranked No. 1 in the state at 119 pounds and has survived a two-week illness and a sore back to jump out to a 15-0 record. He admits that it's been a tough challenge to be the hunted rather than the hunter.

"When I'm the guy that they say can't be beat, it puts a lot of pressure on me," Fincher said. "It makes me wrestle a lot harder. Me being the target gives my opponents nothing to lose and everything to gain. I don't underestimate anybody."

Womack, the state's top-ranked 160-pounder, already has experienced the downside to being a defending state champion.

He tasted defeat for the first time on Jan. 11 in a match against Howell, who had moved up a weight class to wrestle Womack for the experience and walked away with an impressive 14-4 victory. It is the only blemish on Womack's 24-1 record.

"It was a big surprise to him," Harrisburg coach Josh Jones said. "He wasn't expecting that Jake would take it to him like that. He's the type of guy that sometimes needs to be humbled, and I think it lights that fire in him. It won't happen twice."

Womack, who admits to being fatigued that day, compared it to his junior season when he lost two weeks before the district meet, and then went on a tear that ended with him being crowned state champ.

"Last year, I only had that one loss, and it was a slap in the face that got me going," Womack said. "So hopefully it happens this year, too. It'd be a big letdown to win state my junior year and then get thrown around my senior year."

As Monroe coach Rod Howell watched his son knock off Womack in that match, he could tell that it instilled a new level of confidence in him.

"He has set his goals high and that win helped him a great deal," said Rod Howell, a 1978 Monroe graduate.

There has been only one prior state champion at Monroe: Cody Howell in 1998 at 140 pounds. So, the opportunity is there for the father to coach both of his sons to his alma mater's only individual wrestling titles.

"We live and breathe wrestling this time of year," Rod Howell said. "If anything, I think I'm harder on Jake because I expect a lot. I'm very proud of him."

The reality of ending his high school career hasn't yet hit Fincher, who has bypassed other team sports and focused solely on wrestling because of his desire to have a direct impact on the result.

"I hate to lose," Fincher said. "If I'm on a team sport, I could do everything right and could still lose. I'm not down with that. It's kind of mean, but with wrestling, I like to go out and just dominate everybody. I love that everything that happens is because of me."

Central Linn coach Mike Day said that Fincher's concentration on just one sport is "a one-of-a-kind situation" with talented athletes at small schools and he's been impressed with Fincher's willingness to fine-tune his skills.

"He has this determination to excel," Day said.

"For him to win state last year was a big monkey off his shoulders. Now I think the pressure is back on him to go out and defend his title."

That pressure will be there for all three seniors at the Feb. 14-15 District 2 meet at Jefferson High School, and the Feb. 21-22 state meet at Portland's Memorial Coliseum. But it's the type of pressure they've had years of experience to prepare for.

OREGON PREP WRESTLING POLL

The current top-ranked 2A/1A, 3A and 4A wrestlers in each weight class as compiled by Dr. Bill Bettis of Roseburg.

Class 2A/1A: 103 - James Moyses, Culver. 112 - Monte Nicholas, Nyssa. 119 - Lee Fincher, Central Linn. 125 - Austin Hines, Enterprise. 130 - Barry Johnson, Dayton. 135 - Earl Nolen, Scio. 140 - Brian Stills, Culver. 145 - Josh Fraijo, Colton. 152 - Luis Cisneros, Nyssa. 160 - Robert Womack, Harrisburg. 171 - Shane Hartzell, Riddle. 189 - Chris Kidby, Neah-Kah-Nie. 215 - Neil Oliver, Nyssa. 275 - Levi Chamberlain, Pine-Eagle.

Class 3A: 103 - Josh Williams, Banks. 112 - James Granger, Coquille. 119 - Matt Lang, Estacada. 125 - Travis Brekke, Banks. 130 - Ben Cate, Burns. 135 - Tanner Hofman, Burns. 140 - Joe Jacob, Tillamook. 145 - Seth Roy, Sherwood. 152 - Bobby Bonds, Baker. 160 - Talon Hofman, Burns. 171 - Tom Smith, Toledo. 189 - Darin Frey, Cascade. 215 - Jard Allison, North Bend. 275 - Tyrone Potter, Pleasant Hill.

Class 4A: 103 - Ryan Peterson, St. Helens. 112 - Ben Neasham, Crook County. 119 - Bryson Gutches, Crater. 125 - Joe Lucas, Glencoe. 130 - Mark Bradley, Newberg. 135 - Nick Cautrell, Churchill. 140 - Sean Santana, McNary. 145 - Jonathan Brookins, Century. 152 - Kyle Larson, Hermiston. 160 - Neal Beaudry, Newberg. 171 - Luke Hogle, Thurston. 189 - Chad Plaisted, Oregon City. 215 - Travis Gardner, Parkrose. 275 - Tyler Hartsteen, Hermiston.

- The Register-Guard

CAPTION(S):

Harrisburg's Robert Womack (left), Monroe's Jake Howell and Central Linn's Lee Fincher are all contenders for state wrestling titles. WAYNE EASTBURN / The Register-Guard Harrisburg coach Josh Jones says Robert Womack's loss to Jake Howell will light a fire under Womack. "Last year, I only had that one loss and it was a slap in the face that got me going. So hopefully it happens this year, too. It'd be a big letdown to win state my junior year and then get thrown around my senior year." ROBERT WOMACK Harrisburg senior wrestler