By: Josh McDermott, SOU Sports Information Director
CORVALLIS – Southern Oregon's upperweights won four straight matches against NCAA Division I opponent Air Force, but that was all the Raiders got in a 23-14 loss at Oregon State's Gill Coliseum.
Top-ranked Brock Gutches (Central Point, Ore./Crater) (174 pounds) and Jacob Abrams (The Dalles, Ore./The Dalles-Wahtonka) (184) both picked up major decisions for the Raiders before top-ranked Taylor Johnson (Redmond, Ore./Redmond) (197) and Clayton Burtis (Colton, Ore./Colton) (285) finished off the night with decisions.
Air Force, the 31st-best team in the NCAA according to InterMat Wrestling, improved to 8-2 in dual matches and won for the first time in four attempts in the series, getting over the hump with six straight wins to start the night. Natrelle Demison (149) had the contest's only pin, while Joshua Kreimier (157) and Josh Martinez (125) added bonus points with major decisions.
Gutches, who defeated Scott Reilly 12-1, went to 19-3 on the season. Johnson, who won 7-2 against Parker Hines, is now 5-0 in dual matches.
Abrams won his match 14-4 over Daniel Barringer and Burtis held on for a 2-1 decision against Cody Davis.
The Raiders will be back in action Sunday at the Clackamas Community College Open tournament in Oregon City.
AIR FORCE 23, SOU 14
125 – Josh Martinez, AF, maj. dec. Jacob Stigall (Hubbard, Ore./North Marion), SOU, 11-1.
133 – Carter McElhany, AF, dec. Trevor Hancock (Pendleton, Ore./Pendleton), SOU, 7-4.
141 – David Walker, AF, dec. Johnathon Gay (Clovis, Calif./Clovis), SOU, 6-0.
149 – Natrelle Demison, AF, p. Tyler Cowger (Sweet Home, Ore./Sweet Home), SOU, 6:07.
157 – Joshua Kreimier, AF, maj. dec. Travis Patrick (Castle Rock, Wash./Castle Rock), SOU, 12-3.
165 – Joseph Baucke, AF, dec. Garrett Urrutia (Lebanon, Ore./Lebanon), SOU, 3-0.
174 – Brock Gutches (Central Point, Ore./Crater), SOU, maj. dec. Scott Reilly, AF, 12-1.
184 – Jacob Abrams (The Dalles, Ore./The Dalles-Wahtonka), SOU, maj. dec. Daniel Barringer, AF, 14-4.
197 – Taylor Johnson (Redmond, Ore./Redmond), SOU, de. Parker Hines, AF, 7-2.
285 – Clayton Burtis (Colton, Ore./Colton), SOU, dec. Cody Davis, AF, 2-1.
