TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

WICHITA, Kan. – For the first time since 2019, the Southern Oregon University men's wrestling team will have representation on the All-America podium thanks to first-year Raiders Aaron Gandara and Evan Potter.

With three straight consolation wins apiece in their NAIA Championships debuts, Gandara and Potter clinched top-eight finishes on Day 1 of the tournament Friday at Hartman Arena. Gandara, the No. 10 seed at 157 pounds, and Potter, an unseeded 133-pound freshman who stayed alive with back-to-back upsets, will continue their runs at 8 a.m. Pacific Time on Saturday.

Four-time national qualifier Justin Coon (133 pounds) and three-time qualifier Pancho Barrera (125) were both eliminated.

As a team the Raiders stand in 21st place with 16 ½ points. Grand View (Iowa), seeking its 10th championship in 11 years, has a 33 ½-point lead atop the standings with 123 ½.

Gandara, a sophomore from Somerton, Ariz., continued to defy expectations after taking a Cascade Conference title as a No. 7 seed two weeks ago. He shut out Waldorf (Iowa)'s Jalon Strong 6-0 in a Round of 32 matchup and nearly knocked off No. 7 seed Derrick Smallwood of Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) in an 8-7 decision. He overpowered his first two consolation-bracket opponents – scoring an 11-0 major decision over Vanguard (Calif.)'s Adam Valdez and a 15-0 technical fall over Arizona Christian's Carlo Castagnaro – before edging Menlo (Calif.)'s Abraham Del Toro, whom he pinned in the CCC semifinals, in an 8-7 decision to end the day.

Gandara's next opponent is No. 11 seed James Williams of Embry-Riddle (Ariz.), another opponent he upset at the CCC Championships. He'll bring a 27-10 record to the matchup.

Potter upped his team-best win total to 31 by turning in one of the biggest upsets of the day in the "blood" round against No. 2 seed Matt Robertson of Saint Ambrose (Iowa). After opening in the Round of 32 with a 9-1 bonus-point win against Ottawa (Kan.)'s Diago Hernandez, Potter was sent to the consolation bracket by No. 4 seed Carson Taylor of Grand View in a 6-0 decision. He made a swift recovery, first dominating Reinhardt (Ga.)'s Ivan Arguello, 15-3, then outlasting No. 11 seed Taylor Vasquez of Morningside (Iowa) for a 13-10 triumph. That set up his matchup with Robertson, whom Potter shut down for a 4-1 win.

Potter will meet another seeded foe to open Saturday in No. 8 Keshawn Laws of Cumberland (Ga.), the same wrestler who ended Coon's run.

Barrera banked one win before bowing out. He defeated Morningside's Evan Shell, 9-2, before dropping his next to matches, 9-7 to No. 3 Justin Portillo of Grand View and 4-2 to Shay Horton of Thomas More (Ky.).

Coon, the No. 10 seed at 133 who was a win away from All-America status last year, lost 15-7 to Wayland Baptist (Texas)'s Alex Pena and 7-2 to Laws.

COMPLETE SOU RESULTS
125 – Pancho Barrera
Round 1 – Barrera dec. Evan Shell, Morningside, 3-2.
Round 2 – No. 3 Justin Portillo, Grand View, dec. Barrera, 9-7.
Consolation R2 – Shay Horton, Thomas More, dec. Barrera, 4-2.

133 – No. 10 Justin Coon
Round 1 – Alex Pena, Wayland Baptist, major dec. Coon, 15-7.
Consolation R1 – Bye.
Consolation R2 – No. 8 Keshawn Laws, Cumberland, dec. Coon, 7-2.

133 – Evan Potter
Round 1 – Potter major dec. Diago Hernandez, Ottawa, 9-1.
Round 2 – No. 4 Carson Taylor, Grand View, dec. Potter, 6-0.
Consolation R2 – Potter major dec. Ivan Arguello, Reinhardt, 15-3.
Consolation R3 – Potter dec. No. 11 Taylor Vasquez, Morningside, 13-10.
Consolation R4 – Potter dec. No. 2 Matt Robertson, Saint Ambrose, 4-1.

157 – No. 10 Aaron Gandara
Round 1 – Gandara dec. Jalon Strong, Waldorf, 6-0.
Round 2 – No. 7 Derrick Smallwood, Lindsey Wilson, dec. Gandara, 8-7.
Consolation R2 – Gandara major dec. Adam Valdez, Vanguard, 11-0.
Consolation R3 – Gandara tech. fall Carlo Castagnaro, Arizona Christian, 15-0.
Consolation R4 – Gandara dec. Abraham Del Toro, Menlo, 8-7.