NWAACC

The top-ranked Clackamas wrestling team sent its seniors off in style with an impressive 43-3 dual meet win over No. 14 Southwestern Oregon Thursday in their final match in their home gym.

Second-ranked Derek Mestrovich, Billy Goldsberry and Brett Frederickson scored falls and the team’s three other ranked wrestlers all scored lopsided wins as the Cougars won their 10^th dual meet of the season.

Clackamas, which moved to No. 1 after winning the national dual meet championships earlier in the month, are chasing the school’s first national title since 1971. They have a pair of open tournaments before the Region 18 tournament, Feb. 12, in Coos Bay

We had a great performance by our guys,” Clackamas coach Josh Rhoden said. “We had several of our back-up guys in the lineup and they showed the depth of our roster.”

SWOCC scored its lone win at 157 pounds when Zach Martin edged Daniel Nelson 9-3.

Tarrence Williams and Tyrell Fortune, both ranked No .1 and headed for Oregon State in the fall, had little trouble in winning their matches. Williams won 25-10 over Daniel Pruett, while Fortune won 13-6 over Justin Williams.

The Cougars had three regular starters – each ranked in the Top 5 nationally - out due to illness, but lost just one of those matches. The win moved Clackamas to 10-3 in dual meets, including three at the national dual meet championships, Jan. 8-9, in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

“We really showed what we can do at that tournament,” Rhoden said. “Our guys were all healthy and all peaking at the right time, and we beat some great teams.”

Clackamas beat schools ranked first, fifth and eighth in the tournament.

The Cougars will travel to the Regional Tournament with seven wrestlers out of 10 weights ranked in the Top 5 nationally.

The national tournament is Feb. 25-26, in Spokane, Wash.

RESULTS

125: Kegan Handlovic, Clackamas, def. Samuel Mercado, SWOCC, 12-6

133: Perry McAfee, Clackamas, def. Coby Horner, SWOCC, 7-4

141: Doby Randall, Clackamas, def. Craig Trask, SWOCC, 13-2

149: Billy Goldsberry, Clackamas, def. John Covey, by fall at :56 of first round

157: Zach Martin, SWOCC, def. Daniel Nelson, Clackamas, 9-3

165: Derek Mestrovich, Clackamas, def. Eli Garner,  SWOCC, by fall at 1:47 of third round

174: Tarrence Williams, Clackamas, def. Daniel Pruett, SWOCC, by major decision 25-10

184: Justin Martin, Clackamas, won by forfeit

197: Brett Fredericksen, Clackamas, def. Bo Younker, SWOCC, by fall at 1:06 of third round

285: Tyrell Fortune, Clackamas, def. Justin Williams, SWOCC, 13-6

TEAM SCORE: Clackamas 43, SWOCC 3

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Powered by tournament MVP Rebecca Haight of Longview, Wash., little-known Blue Mountain C.C. beat Mt. Hood 25-21 in a one-set playoff to win its first title since the formation of the NWAACC in 1983.

The Timberwolves won the playoff after dropping a five-set match to the Saints earlier in the afternoon, losing the fifth set 18-16.

Both schools had three players on the all-tournament first team: K.C. Schmit, Becky Kershner and Robyn Schirmer of Blue Mountain, and Kyra Speer, Rylie Engleson and Devan Belshe from Mt. Hood. BMCC's Dave Baty earned Coach of the Year honors.

The programs at Mt. Hood of Gresham and Chemeketa of Salem, who each won more than 30 matches last year, will look to return the NWAACC volleyball title to Oregon after a year off.

Mt. Hood reached the title match of the 16-team championship tournament last year, but lost in three games to Spokane, Wash.

The loss by an Oregon school has been rare as Mt. Hood, Chemeketa or Clackamas of Oregon City have won the title 10 times in the past 14 seasons.

This year’s NWAACC Tournament is scheduled to begin Nov. 18 at Mt. Hood.