LEBANON - Amy Bloom was in the fifth grade when she decided she wanted to wrestle.

Now a Lebanon High School freshman, she had seen her cousin, Ryan Bloom, compete for the Warriors and was interested in the sport.

Soon enough, she joined the local mat club. Her parents - Jim and Debbie Bloom - hesitated, but went along.

"I just wanted to try it and I liked it," she said. "My dad didn't think I'd like it, but they supported me through it."

Four years later, she's a national champion and Lebanon's top wrestler at 103 pounds.

Bloom won her weight class in a national tournament in Michigan in March.

Not surprisingly, many of her current Lebanon teammates knew about her before she arrived for the first day of wrestling practice.

Bloom proved herself early in the high school season.

She finished second in the Warriors' first tournament, at Crescent City, Calif.

A few weeks later, she won a tournament at Cascade in Turner.

"For a freshman it's impressive. For a girl, it's double impressive," said Lebanon coach Jim Vandehey.

Bloom, who excels in the classroom, has an 11-4 record. She's ranked 26th in the 4A 103 class according to one set of state rankings.

"She's not very muscular, but she has a lot of skill," said junior teammate Derek Olson, the Warriors' first-string competitors at 130 pounds.

Bloom, who ran cross country to get in shape for wrestling, said she had no expectations for herself. It was pretty simple.

"I go out there and give it my all," she said.

Bloom's goal … "just do my best."

Bloom isn't the first Lebanon girl to have success under Vandehey, in his eighth year as the Warriors' head coach and ninth with the program.

Shoni Plagmann was the first girl to qualify for Oregon's high school state tournament, at 112 pounds in 2001.

Only a few other girls have made state since then.

Bloom said her teammates have treated her like anyone else, just the way she hoped it would be.

"They didn't seem to bother," she said of joining the te am.

Added Vandehey: "Girls on our team are fine, and the boys are protective."

Though Bloom realizes there are some outside the program - mainly other coaches and opponents - who criticize her because of her sex.

"Some don't think I can win," she said.

But her approach remains the same. She just proves them wrong by winning.

Vandehey said Bloom works as hard or harder than everybody else in the Lebanon wrestling room, which has earned their respect - "absolutely everybody," he added.

Several of the boys she competes with in practice agree. She's just one of the "guys."

Freshman 112-pounder Tyler Henry said he notices Bloom's work ethic.

"She never slacks off. She works 100 percent," he said.

Bloom's best competition for the 103-pound varsity spot has come from fellow freshman Robert Duran.

Duran said the two help each other by trading ideas on moves.

"She's a good teacher," he said. "If I'm not doing something right, she'll show me how to do it."

Duran said Bloom is also a good listener, willing to accept criticism and suggestions from teammates.

Vandehey said Bloom - competing at 95 pounds - makes up for her lack of muscle with technique and hard work.

The heavier weight the more muscle boys have, which makes the 103-pound class the perfect spot for Bloom.

Vandehey said he works Bloom as hard as anyone else. She doesn't complain about strenuous workouts and has no problem getting the job done.

"She's just like a champion," Vandehey said. "You're excited to have a kid like that."

By Jesse Sowa

Albany Democrat-Herald