The Southern Oregon wrestling team returns to Cedar Falls, Iowa and the National Dual Meet Championships this weekend - looking to defend last year's National Championship.
The Raiders enter the 16-team tournament as the No. 5 seed - based on their No. 5 national ranking.
Southern Oregon (7-3) will open against ninth-ranked Lindenwood Saturday at 9 a.m. (CST). Last year at the National Duals, the same two teams put on the show of the tournament in the championship dual. Southern Oregon ended up taking the National Dual Championship after the two teams ended up tied after 10 matches and had to go to the fifth tiebreaker - which was near-falls - to decided the title. Lindenwood got their revenge by besting for Raiders for the NAIA National Championship later in the season.
“I like it,” SOU head coach
Mike Ritchey said, referring to facing Lindenwood in the opening round. “No sense waiting around and I'm sure they are just as excited as we are.”
The Raiders come into the Championships finally near full strength. After struggling through the first few weeks of the season, SOU put a consistent lineup out on the mat in December and are starting to come together as a team.
“The core of the team is finally coming together,” Ritchey said. “This is a focal point of our season. We want to peak for this and gear up for what it takes to win it all.”
Sophomore 125-pounder
Mitchell Lofstedt (Roseburg, Ore./Roseburg) will be a key for the Raiders at the National Duals. Lofstedt has jumped out with a 22-5 record and 13 of those victories have come by pin. The SOU record for pins in a season is 20, held by Mitchell's late father and SOU Hall of Famer Brent.
“He's gotta start us off right,” Ritchey said. “And he's capable of going out and getting us some bonus points and that is key to winning duals.”
Defending National Champion
Chris Platt (Eagle Point, Ore./Eagle Point) (184) has also returned to the Raider lineup and is 7-2 with four pins over the last month.
Live video of the National Duals can be found on www.souraiders.com.
