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Raiders strive to keep string alive By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN ASHLAND -- Southern Oregon University wrestling teams have finished among the top eight in 18 straight NAIA national tournaments. Mike Ritchey, 34, enters his fifth season as head coach believing the streak will continue. The Raiders were third last year. Prior to that, he directed them to fifth in 1996, sixth in '97 and seventh in '98. "I think we're a top-five program," says Ritchey. "We have some talented wrestlers and some young but inexperienced ones coming up. "It should be an interesting year. I hope we can finish in the top five and I would hope we win our league (the first-year Northwest Wrestling Conference) championship." The Raiders have five wrestlers ranked among the top four in their respective weights. Leading the way is Josh Morton, who won the national title at 157 pounds last year but is now at 165. Morton is off to a 5-2 start at his new weight. Both of his losses were to NCAA Division I opponents. He's ranked No. 1 in the NAIA. Morton finished fourth in the Pete Belcastro Southern Oregon Open at SOU Nov. 20. Juniors Devin Cole (285) and Dan Sturgell (184) finished fifth in their classes. "People obviously respect what Josh did last year, and they should," says Ritchey, referring to his No. 1 ranking. "He will expect to battle for another national championship, but it won't be easy with the jump he's made to 165. There will be some tough wrestlers in that division." Sturgell (5-2) is also ranked No. 1. He finished second there last year. "He's wrestled decent this fall, but he'll get better," says Ritchey. "He's a dedicated kid, and he works real hard. He'll be there for us at the end." Other top-four SOU wrestlers are Justin Thurman (third at 133), former Eagle Point star Brad Gray (third at 197) and Abe Haddon (fourth at 184). Thurman finished seventh at nationals last year at 133. "He's worked hard on his consistency from match to match," says Ritchey. "He's more of a tournament wrestler than a dual-match wrestler. "He should place somewhere in the top six in the nationals, and he has a good chance to win our conference." The defending national champion at 133, Beau Vest of Missouri Valley, is back, says Ritchey, as is his teammate, Luke Christian, No. 2 at 133. "That'll make it tough for Justin to break through at that weight," says Ritchey, "but he's capable." Gray, a three-year state placer for Eagle Point, has two-time national champion and top-rated Turk Lords of Montana State Northern to think about prior to the postseason. "That's the toughest weight class in all of NAIA," says Ritchey of 197. "To get in the top three would be huge for Brad. He's back and concentrating after a year off, and he's looking good." The Raiders will compete in the Las Vegas Invitational Dec. 3-4. "It's always a tough meet and tells us a lot about where we are, since the top NAIA teams are usually there," says Ritchey. "We'll know what we need to work on after this one." SOU's Ryan Schumann was the only Raider to win an individual title in the Southern Oregon Open. He will represent SOU at 174 in the Las Vegas tournament. Other SOU wrestlers scheduled to compete in the Las Vegas tournament are Chris Huntley and Nick Hurliman at 157, Nolan Harris and Jay Zachman at 125; Jeremy Wynia at 141, Luke Heuberger at 149, Morton at 165, Sturgell and Haddon at 184, Gray at 197 and Cole at 285. Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.