Document text
- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us February 14, 2005 Raider wrestlers push season win-streak to 35 By Rich Rosenthal Tidings Correspondent The Southern Oregon University wrestling team extended its NAIA-record consecutive winning season streak to 35 by downing short-handed San Francisco State University 37-7 at McNeal Pavilion on Saturday night. The 10th-ranked Raiders (6-4) capped the regular-season slate on a four-dual win skein and won their 10th straight home tilt as a result of winning four of six bouts coupled with four Gator forfeits. The 17th-ranked NCAA Div. II Gators fell to 1-13. "It was a short night, but winning the dual and extending the streak is always nice," Raider coach Mike Ritchey said. "Our guys were ready to go and competed well and with good intensity, and that's exactly what we need this time of year." SOU set the tone with early victories from 125-pound sophomore Carl Green, who won his third straight dual-meet decision with a 9-5 outcome against Brian Watanabe, and redshirt-freshman Nick Ripsom, who improved to 13-12 on the season with a 7-2 decision over Gator junior Alek Butler. Southern, however, was unable to crack the nationally ranked Gator 1-2 punch of Donald Lockett and Pacifico Garcia. Lockett, a senior All-American ranked second among Div. II wrestlers at 141 pounds, racked up eight takedowns and improved to 34-5 with an 18-6 major decision of Dan Herb. Sixth-ranked Garcia (21-7) shot to a 6-2 lead after two periods against fellow junior Matt Holt and successfully countered two Holt near-takedowns in the third stanza en route to a 9-3 decision that staked SFSU to a brief 7-6 team score advantage. The Raiders, however, clinched the dual with subsequent wins from senior Rich Vigorito (157) and third-ranked junior Jimmy Grochowsky (165). Vigorito (22-6) used a three-point near-fall in charging to a 7-1 first-period lead against Jaime Alvarez. The Vancouver, Wash., product then secured an 18-9 major decision with a takedown with 10 seconds remaining. Top-ranked Raider junior David O'Brien tied a school record with his 16th consecutive season victory and extended his dual win streak to 21 straight by accepting a forfeit at 184. Southern Oregon now shoots for its 19th district title Saturday at the NAIA Western Regionals in Atherton, Calif. against fifth-ranked Embry-Riddle, Ariz., eighth-ranked Menlo, and Simon Fraser. Southern Oregon 37, San Francisco State 7 125-Carl Green (SOU) dec. Brian Watanabe, 9-5 133-Nick Ripsom (SOU) dec. Alek Butler, 7-2 141-Donald Lockett (SFS) major dec. Dan Herb, 18-6 149-Pacifico Garcia (SFS) dec. Matt Holt, 9-3 157-Rich Vigorito (SOU) major dec. Jaime Alvarez, 18-9 165-Jimmy Grochowsky (SOU) dec. Justin Switzler, 10-3 174-James Mannenbach (SOU) won by forfeit 184-David O'Brien (SOU) won by forfeit 197-Grant Thompson (SOU) won by forfeit 285-Jon Cravens (SOU) won by forfeit Raider men get share of league title The ninth-ranked Southern Oregon University men's basketball team clinched no worse than a share of the Cascade Conference regular-season championship by outlasting Eastern Oregon University 77-63 in La Grande on Saturday night. The Raiders (17-8, 14-3 CC), who last won the league crown in 1998-99, would earn the outright regular-season title and an automatic berth to the NAIA Div. II tournament by defeating defending national champion and 18th-ranked Oregon Tech (23-8, 13-4) next Saturday night in Ashland. Despite beating the ninth-place Mountaineers (4-20, 3-13) for the eighth time in as many meetings since 2001, the hosts provided SOU with anxious moments. Southern shot to a 7-0 lead but clung to a 33-31 halftime advantage and trailed 43-41 with 15 minutes left leading up to a crucial 10-0 Raider rally highlighted by five points from freshman wing Matt Cowell and four from All-American forward Shea Washington. SOU went on to lead by as many 16 in its fourth consecutive win. Washington collected 16 of his game-high 23 points in the second period, and he was joined in double-figures for scoring by junior Jeff Williams (14), junior Steve Farley (13), senior Brad Coen (13) and freshman Matt Cowell (11). Junior center Chad Fairbanks spearheaded Eastern's upset hopes by scoring 20 (14 in the first half) and accumulating a game-high nine rebounds. EOU outrebounded SOU 34-28, but the Raiders canned 11 of 23 3-point shots, including four by Coen and three from Farley, and went 24-for-44 from the field (55 percent). Tickets for next Saturday's Raider-OIT showdown will be available starting Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at McNeal Hall, with a limit of four per person. SOU students are asked to pick up their free tickets to the event during normal business hours at McNeal Hall today and Tuesday. The loser of the regular-season finale will serve as the No. 2 seed in the eight-team conference tournament and must either win all three playoff games or hope for an at-large berth based on national rankings in order to qualify for the 32-team NAIA tournament. Women may miss playoffs The Eastern Oregon University women's basketball team used a big second half to overcome Southern Oregon University 87-65 in La Grande on Saturday night. The fourth-straight Mountaineer win over their sister school dealt a crippling blow to fleeting Raider Cascade Conference playoff hopes. Last-place Southern (4-24, 3-14 CC) must defeat league-leading and 25th-ranked Oregon Tech in the regular-season finale on Saturday at McNeal Pavilion to have any hope of reaching the postseason for a 16th consecutive season. Eastern (17-6, 14-2) led by only four at halftime (38-34) but scored 12 of the first 15 points of the second half and was never seriously challenged. Sophomore forward Andi Peterson led the Raiders with 14 points, while senior guard Paula Pritchard canned four 3-pointers for a 12-point night. Freshman forward Krista Meeks scored eight and grabbed seven rebounds in the losing cause. The Mountaineers were led by Christie Weaver's 22 points. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Women's & Men's Slippers Ceramic Piggy Banks heloc libor rate Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weightloss Products Memory Foam Mattress afsa studentloans home equity loans teleconferencing W2 Forms fasa student loans Matchmaking & Dating Scripts African Safari Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation wholesale diamonds Currancy Exchange web conferencing Online Casinos Community Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams