LA GRANDE, Ore. – In a thrilling rivalry matchup, #6 Southern Oregon University came out on top in the annual Wagon Wheel dual, defeating #20 Eastern Oregon University with a commanding 37-7 scoreline. he Raiders showcased their depth and experience throughout the night, while the Mountaineers battled hard but ultimately couldn’t overcome SOU’s nationally ranked lineup.
Southern opened the dual strong, claiming the first two matches of the night. Kai Carson battled hard against No. 18 ranked Clark, but ultimately fell 20-13. EOU struck back in the third match of the night, where freshman Danny Guerrero earned an impressive 14-4 major decision over SOU’s Tim Lopez at 141 pounds. Guerrero was aggressive from the start, maintaining control and securing the win to put the Mountaineers on the scoreboard.
SOU claimed the next six matches in dominant format, with a combination of major decisions, technical falls, and pins to extend their lead. In the final bout of the night, redshirt junior #3 Nico Rodriguez closed out the dual on a high note for Eastern Oregon, grinding out a hard fought 4-2 decision over SOU’s Sebastian Echeverria in the heavyweight matchup.
Match Results:
125: Isaac Hampton (SOU) over #4 Jack Eylar (EOU), TF 3:49
133:#18 Dylan Clark (SOU) over Kai Carson (EOU), DEC 20-13
141: Danny Guerrero (EOU) over Tim Lopez (SOU), MD 14-4
149: #11 Kolton Malone (SOU) over Cole Cross (EOU), MD 13-3
157: #20 Avant Stepherson (SOU) over Carlos Valdez (EOU), TF 4:57
165: Cole Zoller (SOU) over John Rudebaugh (EOU), DEC 3-0
174: Jackson Potts (SOU) over Wylee Lindeen (EOU), TF 19-4
184: #8 Adrian Chavez-Morales (SOU) over Russel Noah (EOU), F 1:19
197: #3 Asher Ruchti (SOU) over Gabe Vasa (EOU), F 2:14
285: #3 Nico Rodriguez (EOU) over Sebastian Echeverria (SOU), DEC 4-2
Eastern Oregon will look to build on these performances as they move forward in the season. The Mounties will return to action on November 23rd as they head north for the Spokane Open.