By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

SALEM, Ore.— McKay only had only sent one wrestler to the big dance last year under first-year Head Coach Troy Thomas.

But that changed when season-long drilling mates Andy Rubio (160) and Adam Dryden (170) qualified in the Top 2 of their respective weight classes.

Both Rubio and Dryden speak highly of each other’s talents to help them come competition time.

“He’s the best partner that I could ask for,” said Dryden.  “Him and I complement each other so well.  Our intensity, we’re always at 100-percent and he’s very skillful and he’s very funky.  He likes to get a little weird, which is fine by me because I always need to wrestle with someone who is different.”

“I just know that I train with the best wrestlers in Dryden,” said Rubio.  “He’s one of the best ranked wrestlers in the state.  That’s what gives me confidence when I go against other guys.”

Dryden and Rubio will represent McKay at the OSAA 6A State Championships at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland on February 25-27.

Thomas, now in his sophomore campaign, is happy with how his wrestlers have been answering the challenges of the season.

“It’s really satisfying and rewarding to see these kids hard work pay off because it’s the kids who did the hard work and they deserve all the credit and now it’s their time to shine,” started Thomas.  “They earned that ticket to state and they earned all the benefits that come with it.  Be up in Portland for the weekend and in front of 9,000 people.”

Now let’s see how these two wrestlers got to this point.

ANDY RUBIO, 160-POUND JUNIOR AND 2016 DISTRICT CHAMP

The emotions were high this past Saturday when Rubio became the first McKay wrestler to win a District Title in a few year in an 8-6 overtime thriller Saturday night.

“I still can’t believe I did it,” said a speechless Rubio.  “I can’t explain it.  I did it, I did it with the support by everybody because it’ll be selfish of me to say that I did it by myself.

“I did it for everyone that ever drilled with me, everyone that ever believed in me.  Everyone that ever helped me run with me, lift with me, everything that helped me prepared me for wrestling.”

The Journey for Rubio has been an emotional ride, but he knows that if he gives up, he’ll regret it for the rest of his life.

“It’s been very emotional,” started Rubio.  “A lot of times I’ve cried, a lot of times I’ve got angry and frustrated, but I just kept on going.  I just kept on going because I know that if I give up, I will regret it for the rest of my life.  I just couldn’t do that, I just kept on going.

“I read this quote before, it said ‘Rather be in pain right now and live the rest of your life as a Champion’.  And I’m doing that right now.  I’d rather be in pain and be a Champion later on in life.”

Though the ultimate goal is to win a State Title, Rubio is taking it one step at a time en route to place first and build from that.

“To place and next year it depends,” he said. “If I place this year at state, I’ll train for a state title next year.  But this year is about placing.”

ADAM DRYDEN, 170-POUND SENIOR.  2016 DISTRICT RUNNER-UP

The journey of one Adam Dryden was an interesting one to this point.

When he first came to the wrestling program at McKay, under a different coaching staff, he found himself unmotivated about the sport until the arrival of Coach Thomas in his junior year.

“It’s been interesting to say the least,” described Dryden on his journey.  “Last season when Troy and Tyler came in, something clicked for me.  It was, ‘I want to go to state’ and over the past two seasons, I’ve been working my butt off every single day in practice, or trying to at least.

“Some days are obviously going to be bad, some days are going to be great.  But just work hard in practice every day, coming home and just going to bed, its discipline.  It’s been interesting to say the least.”

Though he finished second at Districts, and he’ll be the first to admit that being first would’ve been nice, the runner-up finish has made him hungry to prove he’s better than his second-place finish.

“That’s been the number one thing, yeah second place is good, but I would’ve loved to get first,” Dryden said. “The old saying goes, ‘The Wolf Climbing The Hill Is Hungrier Than The Wolf On The Top’, and I’m definitely that wolf climbing up the hill.

“I really want to place at state; maybe not first, but at least sixth place.”

Both agree that there’s an honor to represent the Scots at State, to show the State of Oregon and the 6A Classification the McKay Way.

“It feels amazing,” said Rubio on representing the McKay Way at State.  “It feels really good to have the Royal Scot wrestling team on my back feels amazing,” “

“It’s just hard nose wrestling that’s kind of the McKay Way,” added Dryden. “I remember  when I went to a wrestling camp here while I was in eighth grade, Herrin was the Head Coach here,

“I think it was his last year here and he said that the McKay Way is Always tough nose, you never stop moving, you never stop going forward in wrestling and your constantly working your butt off.  That’s the way is the McKay Way to me,” concluded Dryden.

Jeremy McDonald is a professional sports journalist in the Salem/Portland area and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalist in Oregon with B.S. degrees from Southern Oregon University in Journalism (2011) and Health/PE (2013).  Got a story idea? Email him at jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com or on Twitter at @J_McDonald81