ATHERTON, Calif. – Upper weights came through big again for the Southern Oregon University wrestling team, nailing down three straight pins to secure the Raiders' 28-12 win Friday night at 18^th-ranked Menlo.

The seventh-ranked Raiders led 10-9 when top-ranked Brock Gutches (Central Point, Ore./Crater) (174 pounds), 14^th-ranked Jacob Abrams (The Dalles, Ore./The Dalles-Wahtonka) (184) and top-ranked Taylor Johnson (Redmond, Ore./Redmond) (197) won by fall consecutively.

SOU moved to 7-3 overall, thereby securing its 44^th consecutive winning season.

"We wrestled well," SOU coach Mike Ritchey said. "We need to intensify in the weights we lost, but overall it was good practice for regionals."

Gutches, who is 21-3 and still perfect in dual action, got to Paul Bracamonte in 1:43. Abrams pinned Tim Hollowell in 4:00 to improve to 11-8. Johnson, who took care of Martin Gonzalez in 5:08, is now 6-0 in duals with four pins and a technical fall and 11-4 overall.

Travis Patrick (Castle Rock, Wash./Castle Rock) (157) added bonus points, 12-3 against Sam Duchene, for his 10^th victory of the year, while Trevor Hancock (Pendleton, Ore./Pendleton) (133) and Tyler Cowger (Sweet Home, Ore./Sweet Home) (149) both earned decisions.

Twelfth-ranked Troy Lakin (125), 15^th-ranked Steele Escobedo (141), top-ranked Eric Lopez (165) and Scott Brasil (285) accounted for Menlo's points.

The Raiders swept the season series, having defeated the Oaks 30-18 earlier this season in Ashland.

They'll head tomorrow to the California Collegiate Open with wrestling beginning at 9 a.m.

SOU 28, MENLO 12
125 – Troy Lakin, Menlo, dec. Jacob Stigall (Hubbard, Ore./North Marion), SOU, 5-4.
133 – Trevor Hancock (Pendleton, Ore./Pendleton), SOU, dec. Edgar Paez, Menlo, 7-5.
141 – Steele Escobedo, Menlo, dec. Johnathon Gay (Clovis, Calif./Clovis), SOU, 9-6.
149 – Tyler Cowger (Sweet Home, Ore./Sweet Home), SOU, dec. Jason Ladd, Menlo, 7-3.
157 – Travis Patrick (Castle Rock, Wash./Castle Rock), SOU, maj. dec. Sam Duchene, Menlo, 12-3.
165 – Eric Lopez, Menlo, dec. Garrett Urrutia (Lebanon, Ore./Lebanon), SOU, 6-1.
174 – Brock Gutches (Central Point, Ore./Crater), SOU, p. Paul Bracamonte, Menlo, 1:43.
184 – Jacob Abrams (The Dalles, Ore./The Dalles-Wahtonka), SOU, p. Tim Hollowell, Menlo, 4:00.
197 – Taylor Johnson (Redmond, Ore./Redmond), SOU, p. Martin Gonzalez, Menlo, 5:08.
285 – Scott Brasil, Menlo, dec. Clayton Burtis (Colton, Ore./Colton), SOU, 3-2.