COMPLETE SOU RESULTS

ATHERTON, Calif. – The Southern Oregon University wrestling team didn't take lightly to Great Falls (Mont.) ending its run of four straight NAIA Western Region Qualifying Tournament titles in 2013.

On Saturday, the seventh-ranked Raiders delivered payback in an uncommon underdog role and took back the region. Nine individuals placed in the top four of their respective classes to make them eligible for the upcoming NAIA National Championships in the process, and one wild card gave SOU a total of 10 qualifiers.

With Jacob Stigall (Hubbard, Ore./North Marion) (125 pounds), Brock Gutches (Central Point, Ore./Crater) (174) and Jacob Abrams (The Dalles, Ore./The Dalles-Wahtonka) (184) claiming individual titles, SOU accumulated 147 points to outdo fourth-ranked Great Falls' 127.5. Sixth-ranked Montana State-Northern was third with 109.5 ahead of Menlo (93), Simpson (92.5) and Embry-Riddle, Ariz. (91.5).

SOU's Mike Ritchey was named the Western Region Coach of the Year.

"I feel (the Raiders) rose to the occasion in a very tough region," Ritchey said. "The tourney is quality and I think we surprised some people."

The top-ranked Gutches took care of his third straight regional championship, winning by 10-3 decision against Embry-Riddle's Jose Cruz in the semifinals and by fall in 2:13 against Simpson's Brady Beamon for the title. His record jumped to 28-3.

Abrams was on the winning end of an injury default against teammate Tucker Van Matre (Kodiak, Alaska/Kodiak) in the 184-pound final. Van Matre had to win twice – by decision over Embry-Riddle's Brandon Foster and major decision over Great Falls' Kamron Jackson – to qualify for the first time since his freshman season, and Abrams had a bye before his major decision over Embry-Riddle's Jon Wiley in the semifinals to qualify for the second straight year.

Taylor Johnson (Redmond, Ore./Redmond), who won the region last season, conceded to MSU-Northern's Toby Cheff by injury default in the 197-pound final after a first-round pin of Simpson's Christian White and a major decision against MSU-Northern's Garrett DeMers. Cheff and Johnson haven't wrestled this season and will likely be the top two seeds at the NAIA Championships.

Stigall is one of five Raiders who qualified for the first time. Seeded No. 2 at 125, he pinned all three of his opponents: Simpson's Ty Young (2:45), Great Falls' Luke Schlosser (6:40) and Embry-Riddle's Sean Silva (3:23), giving him a team-best 22 points.

Placing third for the Raiders were Trevor Hancock (Pendleton, Ore./Pendleton) (133), Tyler Cowger (Sweet Home, Ore./Sweet Home) (149) and Clayton Burtis (Colton, Ore./Colton) (285), while Garrett Urrutia (Lebanon, Ore./Lebanon) took fourth. Hancock and Cowger won by decision in their third-place matches and Burtis won by default, and Urrutia only needed to win once. Johnathon Gay (Clovis, Calif./Clovis) was the wild card at 141 pounds.

They'll all be at the NAIA Championships and March 6-8 in Topeka, Kan.

Johnathon Gay (Clovis, Calif./Clovis) and Brock Crocker (Sweet Home, Ore./Sweet Home) contributed with sixth-place finishes.

Great Falls and Menlo both qualified seven individuals. MSU-Northern got in six and had four champions.