Menlo, Southern Oregon share inaugural CCC wrestling title
ASHLAND – The Cascade Collegiate Conference has only sponsored men’s wrestling for one season, but it has already crowned two team champions – and nearly a third after Saturday’s inaugural CCC Championships presented by U.S. Bank at Mountain Avenue Gym.
Menlo (Calif.) and Southern Oregon both earned a share of the title with 120 points apiece, but Providence (Mont.) was only one point back and Montana State-Northern was just three off in the eight-team NAIA Championships qualifier event.
The standings weren’t solidified until the final bout of the night: the heavyweight championship, which Providence’s 12th-ranked Matt Hopkins won by 10-4 decision over Menlo’s sixth-ranked Javier Gonzalez. If Hopkins would’ve added a bonus point, the result would have been a three-way tie for first; if Gonzalez would have won, the Oaks would’ve had the title for themselves.
Warner Pacific’s second-ranked Blake Cooper, the 165-pound champion, and Eastern Oregon’s second-ranked Drake Randall, the 157-pound champion, were voted Outstanding Wrestlers of the Tournament. Menlo’s Joey Martinez was chosen CCC Coach of the Year.
The top-three placers in each class were considered all-conference. In all, 41 automatic bids to the NAIA Championships were awarded throughout the day. Menlo, Providence and SOU led the way with eight apiece.
Menlo boasted two champions: second-ranked Mikel Perales at 125 and sixth-ranked Anthony Orozco (174). Terrill Sidner (149), Tyler Noon (184) and Gonzalez (285) were runners-up, and Ian Morken (133) and Bruce Valdez (184) swept the Oaks’ third-place matches.
SOU got titles from fourth-ranked Devin Poppen (141) and third-ranked Tanner Fischer (197), and Fischer’s championship tied the Raiders with Menlo for good. Trey Long (125) and Matt Peterson (133) pulled off early upsets for runner-up showings, and third-place Chandler Michael (149) joined them as an All-CCC performer.
Randy Keesler (184) and Hopkins (285) captured Providence’s titles. Adrian Lyons-Lopez (174) and Justin Harbison (285) helped the Argos go 2-3 in third-place matches.
MSU-Northern’s downfall was a 0-4 mark in the championship finals. Matt Weber (141), Andrew Bartel (165), Chris Nile (174) and Isaac Bartel (197) placed second, and Nick Kunz (125) and Brandon Weber (157) took third.
Baylen Cooper gave Warner Pacific a second title at 149 and was the only unranked wrestler to pull off the feat. Along with Randall, Eastern Oregon produced a second winner in Blake McNall (133).
Team Scores – T-1. Menlo (Calif.) 120, T-1. Southern Oregon 120, 3. Providence (Mont.) 119, 4. Montana State-Northern 117, 5. Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 98.5, 6. Eastern Oregon 76, 7. Warner Pacific 39.5, 8. Simpson (Calif.) 11.5
Outstanding Wrestlers of the Tournament – Blake Cooper, Warner Pacific; Drake Randall, Eastern Oregon
Coach of the Year – Joey Martinez, Menlo
1st-Place Matches
125 – #2 Mikel Perales, Menlo, dec. Trey Long, SOU, 10-6.
133 – #20 Blake McNall, EOU, dec. #19 Matt Peterson, SOU, 9-7.
141 – #4 Devin Poppen, SOU, dec. #5 Matt Weber, MSUN, 12-9.
149 – Baylen Cooper, WPU, dec. #16 Terrill Sidner, Menlo, 7-5.
157 – #2 Drake Randall, EOU, p. #6 James Williams, ERAU, 3:00
165 – #2 Blake Cooper, WPU, p. #6 Andrew Bartel, MSUN, 3:59.
174 – #6 Anthony Orozco, Menlo, dec. Chris Nile, MSUN, 5-4.
184 – #7 Randy Keesler, Providence, dec. Tyler Noon, Menlo, 13-6.
197 – #3 Tanner Fischer, SOU, dec. #6 Isaac Bartel, MSUN, 4-1.
285 – #12 Matt Hopkins, Providence, dec. #6 Javier Gonzalez, Menlo, 10-4.
3rd-Place Matches
125 – #13 Nick Kunz, MSUN, wins by forfeit over #14 Chandler Strand, ERAU.
133 – #11 Ian Morken, Menlo, dec. Landon Bailey, MSUN, 5-3.
141 – David Salazar, ERAU, dec. #16 Andrew Ramirez, SOU, 8-6.
149 – #7 Chandler Michael, SOU, dec. Joseph Alexander, Simpson, 5-3.
157 – #8 Brandon Weber, MSUN, dec. Casey Dobson, Providence, 2-1.
165 – #20 Taylor Owens, ERAU, p. Josh Beckler, Providence, 1:35.
174 – #4 Adrian Lyons-Lopez, Providence, dec. Kody Davis, ERAU, 8-1.
184 – #17 Bruce Valdez, Menlo, dec. Steeler French, MSUN, 7-6.
197 – #12 Eric Fan, EOU, p. #8 John Hensley, Providence, 1:07.
285 – Justin Harbison, Providence, p. Zane Wardwell, SOU, 147.
NAIA Championship Automatic Qualifiers
125 – Mikel Perales, Menlo (1st); Trey Long, SOU (2nd); Nick Kunz, MSUN (3rd); Chandler Strand, ERAU (4th); Mhar Caballa, EOU (5th)
133 – Blake McNall, EOU (1st); Matt Peterson, SOU (2nd); Ian Morken, Menlo (3rd); Landon Bailey, MSUN (4th)
141 – Devin Poppen, SOU (1st); Matt Weber, MSUN (2nd); David Salazar, ERAU (3rd); Andrew Ramirez, SOU (4th)
149 – Baylen Cooper, WPU (1st); Terrill Sidner, Menlo (2nd); Chandler Michael, SOU (3rd); Joseph Alexander, Simpson (4th)
157 – Drake Randall, EOU (1st); James Williams, ERAU (2nd); Brandon Weber, MSUN (3rd); Casey Dobson, Providence (4th); Hunter Hodges, SOU (5th)
165 – Blake Cooper, WPU (1st); Andrew Bartel, MSUN (2nd); Taylor Owens, ERAU (3rd)
174 – Anthony Orozco, Menlo (1st); Chris Nile, MSUN (2nd); Adrian Lyons-Lopez (3rd)
184 – Randy Keesler, Providence (1st); Tyler Noon, Menlo (2nd); Bruce Valdez, Menlo (3rd); Steeler French, MSUN (4th)
197 – Tanner Fischer, SOU (1st); Isaac Bartel, MSUN (2nd); Eric Fan, EOU (3rd); John Hensley, Providence (4th); Jovan Villalobos, Menlo (5th); Alejandro Sandoval, SOU (6th)
285 – Matt Hopkins, Providence (1st); Javier Gonzalez, Menlo (2nd); Justin Harbison, Providence (3rd)