Southern Oregon University senior wrestler Tyler Cowger placed first at 149 pounds for the third year in a row Saturday, Feb. 18, at the NAIA Western Regional Qualifier in Redding, C salif. {{more}
Cowger, who will attempt to become SOU’s seventh fourth-time All-American, ran his win streak to 13 and his season record to 29-4 with little trouble.
He shut out his first three opponents – Eastern Oregon’s Jared Neiss (8-0), Menlo’s Jeff Uyesaka (16-0) and Embry-Riddle’s Anton King (4-0). In the finals, he took care of Embry-Riddle’s Jerod Booth, 6-2.
Tenth-ranked Southern Oregon fired on all cylinders to win the NAIA West Group Qualifier title behind Cowger and fellow regional champ Devin Poppen at 141 pounds, and six more top-three placers. SOU has won 14 regional titles since Mike Ritchey took over as head coach in 1995.
Cowger made his final home appearance at SOU Feb. 4 as No. 9 SOU dominated Eastern Oregon for a 37-9 dual victory in Ashland to close out the regular season.
The Raiders finished at 9-7 in duals – getting over the .500-mark for the 47th year in a row, though this was the first time in 12 years that the suspense lasted through the team’s final dual.
Cowger, SOU’s second-ranked 149-pounder who hadn’t lost at home since his freshman season, manhandled Jared Neiss for an 8-0 major decision in which he compiled nearly five minutes of riding time.
Also wrestling for Southern Oregon this year is redshirt senior Scottie Stockman, also at 149 pounds.
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Redshirt freshman 141-pounder Tyler Schilling was the lone winner for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the first seven bouts as first-year Coach Jon Sioredas’ Mustangs fall behind 23-3 on the road at Boise State before making a 13-point run, too little, too late, in a 23-16 Pac-12 loss.
Cal Poly finished its dual meet schedule with a 6-10 record, including a 1-4 Pac-12 mark.
Schilling, 8-11 so far this season, scored an 8-4 decision over Rami Haddadin. Schilling tallied a reversal and two-point near fall in the second period for a 7-3 lead and went on to post his eighth win.
His older brother, redshirt junior Colton Schilling, also a 141-pounder, was 12-8 through Jan. 21.
Cal Poly will next compete Sunday, Feb. 26, at the Pac 12 Championships at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif.
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Sophomore post Jordan Miller has averaged just under three points per game for Linn-Benton Community College’s women’s basketball team, with a high of eight points, appearing in 10 games.
Going into last weekend the Roadrunners were fourth out of nine teams in the Northwest Athletic Conference’s southern section at 6-6 in league, 13-11 overall.
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Junior Emily Marchbanks is pitching for the softball team at Newberry College in Newberry, S.C. after two years at Clackamas Community College, where she was named to the NWAC all-tournament team and the South Region first team after posting a 21-5 overall record and a 2.85 ERA last year.
Marchbanks has a 3-1 record and a 1.46 ERA for the Wolves, who are 8-3 overall. She recorded her third win on Sunday, Feb. 19, against Benedict College, allowing one hit in three innings as Newberry scored 21 runs on 16 hits in a 21-1 victory.
Newberry competes in the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Conference.