TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

PARK CITY, Kan. – Evan Potter took yet another step toward the top of the podium this week at the NAIA Championships, but for now, his title hopes are on hold.

The junior from Junction City, whose only previous loss this season was a medical forfeit, dropped a 4-1 decision Saturday in the 141-pound final to senior Hartwell Taylor of Saint Mary (Kan.) at Hartman Arena. Taylor took six shots from Potter but didn't allow him to finish any of them, taking defensive measures after a first-period takedown to hold on and top the bracket as a No. 15 seed.

Potter finished the season at 27-2, was Southern Oregon's first finalist in eight years and became the 29th three-time All-American in SOU program history, stealing three of his four wins at the tournament with third-period comebacks. He'd previously placed sixth as a freshman and third as a sophomore at 133 pounds. As a senior, he'll have a chance to become the Raiders' eighth four-timer.

The Raiders left the tournament in 11th place with three All-Americans, their best outcomes since 2017. Sixth-place senior Andrew Herrera (197 pounds) and eighth-place sophomore Alex Hernandez (174) were the others.

Both dropped their placing matches, but the unseeded Herrera won four consecutive consolation matches and eliminated three top-four seeds to secure his top-six status. On Saturday, he lost a consolation semifinal to No. 7 Malachi Karibo of Baker (Kan.) by major decision and the fifth-place match to Elijah Hynes of Missouri Valley, 4-2. He wrapped up his season at 27-11.

Hernandez, who finished at 32-10, outperformed his No. 9 seed at 174 fourth-consolation round win over No. 6 Braden Anderson of Ottawa (Kan.) on Friday. He went on to lose to the bracket's No. 2 seed, and on Saturday fell in a wild 11-10 decision to Menlo (Calif.)'s No. 13 seed, Maximus Zamora.

SOU's NAIA-record number of all-time All-America performances is up to 236.

The Raiders brought nine qualifiers to the tournament and accumulated 43 ½ team points. Grand View (Iowa), which won the championship for the 12th time in 13 years, scored 209 ½, 55 ½ more than second-place Life (Ga.).

141 – No. 1 Evan Potter (2nd place)
Thursday's Results
R1 – Potter dec. Domenico DiGena, Reinhardt, 3-2
R2 – Potter dec. No. 16 Thomas Williams, St. Thomas, 6-0
Friday's Results
Quarterfinals – Potter dec. No. 9 Bret Minor, Life, 6-5
Semifinals – Potter dec. No. 4 Nicholas Yancey, Campbellsville, 5-3
Saturday's Result
Championship – No. 15 Hartwell Taylor, Saint Mary, dec. Potter, 4-1

174 – No. 9 Alex Hernandez (8th place)
Thursday's Results
R1 – Hernandez dec. Brenden Parks, Missouri Valley, 13-6
R2 – No. 8 Cory Cannan, Lindsey Wilson, dec. Hernandez, 5-3
Consolation R2 – Hernandez major dec. Sam York, Indiana Tech, 14-4
Friday's Results
Consolation R3 – Hernandez dec. No. 16 Cade Gubler, MSU-Northern, 11-4
Consolation R4 – Hernandez dec. No. 6 Braden Anderson, Ottawa, 11-6
Consolation R5 – No. 2 Cole Smith, Cumberland, tech. fall Hernandez, 17-1
Saturday's Result
7th-place Match – No. 13 Maximus Zamora, Menlo, dec. Hernandez, 11-10

197 – Andrew Herrera (6th place)
Thursday's Results
R1 – No. 8 Garavous Kouekabakilaho, Grand View, dec. Herrera, 10-3
Consolation R1 – Bye
Consolation R2 – Herrera dec. No. 10 Ryker Blackburn, Saint Mary, 4-2
Friday's Results
Consolation R3 – Herrera injury def. No. 2 Demarco Lee, Life, 2:38
Consolation R4 – Herrera p. No. 4 Nathan Critchfield, Indiana Tech, 6:17
Consolation R5 – Herrera dec. No. 1 Bradley Antesberger, Doane, 4-1
Saturday's Results
Consolation Semifinals – No. 7 Malachi Karibo, Baker, major dec. Herrera, 14-1
5th-place Match – No. 12 Elijah Hynes, Missouri Valley, dec. Herrera, 4-2