LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon men’s wrestling team kicked off the 2025-26 season at home this weekend, hosting the Mountaineer Duals. The Mounties battled through a tough opening slate, falling in hard-fought duals to NJCAA No. 5 Clackamas Community College (31-18) and No. 11 North Idaho College (34-15) before closing out the day with a dominant 40-9 win over Westcliff University. Eastern Oregon showcased several standout performances throughout the day, with multiple wrestlers posting perfect or winning records across the three duals.
Match #1 Clackamas 31, Eastern Oregon 18
Eastern Oregon opened its season against 6x NJCAA National Champion Clackamas Community College and kept the dual competitive from start to finish. Kai Carson led the charge with a 5-3 decision victory, kicking off what would become a perfect 3-0 day for the standout sophomore. Carlos Valdez added a first-period fall, with a pin in just 3:27, while Daniel Guerrero turned in a clutch defensive win, securing a 3-0 victory at 5:07. Nicolas Rodriguez rounded out the Mounties’ total with a sudden-victory decision, as EOU battled one of the nation’s best programs in a hard-fought 31-18 defeat.
Match #2 North Idaho 34, Eastern Oregon 15
Eastern faced one of the nation’s top NJCAA programs, 14x National Champ North Idaho, where the Mounties battled through several close bouts. Kai Carson once again provided early momentum, pinning his opponent in just 46 seconds. John Rudgebaugh notched a hard-fought 3-0 decision victory, while Carlos Valdez added another pin in 4:36. Despite a final score of 34-15, the Mounties demonstrated depth and determination against one of the toughest NJCAA lineups in the country.
Match #3 Westcliff 9, Eastern Oregon 40
The Mounties closed their day in commanding fashion, earning eight bout victories to secure their first dual win of the season. Kai Carson continued his hot streak, recording another first-period pin in just 1:39 to cap his undefeated weekend. Russell Noah (fall, 1:33), John Rudgebaugh (fall, 4:34), and Erik Larwin (fall, 4:38) each added pins to extend the lead. Daniel Guerrero and Gabe Vasa each added decision victories, while Carlos Valdez earned a major decision (14-6). The Mounties cruised to a 40-9 team win to close out the Mountaineer Duals.
Despite the 1-2 dual record, the Mounties displayed strength, resilience, and early-season promise against top-tier competition. Mountie Wrestling will return for another exciting day of action tomorrow, Sunday, November 2, hosting the Mountaineer Open inside the EOU Fieldhouse.