OSU wrestlers split pair of dual meets, Oscar Wood gets two pins
December 12, 1998
Oregon State split a pair of wrestling dual meets with nationally ranked opponents and top-ranked 149-pounder Oscar Wood got a pair of pins on a swing through California on Saturday. The 10th-ranked Beavers lost at 19th-ranked Cal State-Bakersfield 22-16, then took a 24-16 victory at 23rd-ranked Fresno State as they tuned up for Sundays home dual against second-ranked Minnesota.
Following the win, the Beavers (2-1 overall, 1-1 Pacific-10) hurried to catch their flight home to continue a grueling weekend. Theyll meet Minnesota (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten) Sunday at noon in Gill Coliseum, then finish their action for 1998 when they wrestle Cal Poly on Monday at 7:30 p.m. in Gill Coliseum.
"At Cal State-Bakersfield (1-0, 1-0), we just didnt wrestle," OSU head coach Joe Wells said. "We didnt go after people. We went out and stood around and were warned for stalling. Thats not the same team I saw last weekend (in a second-place finish at the 43-team Cliff Keen Las Vegas Classic).
"At Fresno (1-1, 0-0 Western Athletic), even the matches we lost, we were outwrestling them. We were going after them and scoring points - it was encouraging to see the turnaround."
Wood ran his record to 10-0 with a pair of first-round pins. He flattened 12th-ranked Mike Mendoza of CSUB in just 55 seconds, then needed only 1:18 to finish off Darrick Duran of FSU.
"He didnt have a chance to make any mistakes," Wells said of Woods quick pins, his fifth and sixth of the year. "He just knocked them down and pinned them."
Another highly-ranked Beaver suffered his first loss of the season. Shane Zajac, ranked sixth at 197 pounds, took a 5-3 overtime win over ninth-ranked Raphael Davis of CSUB, then wrestled another overtime and lost 10-8 to unranked Demetrist Huff of FSU.
"The first match was lethargic," Wells said of Zajacs day. "The second match, there was a lot of action, and Shane had an opportunity. He took him right to his back, then let him off the hook."
The Beavers got three pins to key the victory over Fresno State. In addition to Wood, fifth-ranked heavyweight Mat Orndorff thumped the Bulldogs Jess Workman in 2:01 and 184-pounder Isaac Weber flattened Michael Mellor in 6:39.
Wells thought Saturdays meets let the Beavers shake away the cobwebs from a hectic Finals Week schedule before Sundays meet with the Golden Gophers.
"Theres no question about that," Wells said. "Were excited about the opportunity. Minnesota has a great squad and were excited about wrestling them."
NO. 19 CAL STATE-BAKERSFIELD 22, NO. 10 OREGON STATE 16
(Amateur Wrestling News national rankings in parentheses)
157 - (15) Eric Jorgensen, OSU, dec. Nathan Vasquez, CSUB, 9-6. 165 - Andy Varner, CSUB, tech. fall over Isaac Wood, OSU, 7:00 (15-0). 174 - Ian Nelms, CSUB, dec. Clint Wilson, OSU, 7-6. 184 - Lionel Halsey, CSUB, major dec. Isaac Weber, OSU, 9-0. 197 - (6) Shane Zajac, OSU, dec. (9) Raphael Davis, CSUB, 5-3 (OT). HWT - (1) Stephen Neal, CSUB, major dec. Jason Cooley, OSU, 12-4. 125 - Moses Delfin, CSUB, dec. Nathan Navarro, OSU, 5-2. 133 - Ben Richards, OSU, major dec. Brad Hull, CSUB, 12-4. 141 - Jonathon Archuleta, CSUB, dec. Shane Cunanan, OSU, 10-4. 149 - (1) Oscar Wood, OSU, pinned (12) Mike Mendoza, CSUB, 0:55.
NO. 10 OREGON STATE 24, NO. 23 FRESNO STATE 16
(Amateur Wrestling News national rankings in parentheses)
157 - Tim Cornish, FSU, dec. (15) Eric Jorgensen, OSU, 5-3. 165 - Isaac Wood, OSU, dec. Brian DeCarli, FSU, 6-2. 174 - Clint Wilson, OSU, dec. Dan Jackson, FSU, 4-2. 184 - Isaac Weber, OSU, pinned Michael Mellor, FSU, 6:39. 197 - Demetrist Huff, FSU, dec. (6) Shane Zajac, 10-8 (OT). HWT - (5) Mat Orndorff, OSU, pinned Jess Workman, FSU, 2:01. 125 - (2) Stephen Abas, FSU, dec. Nathan Navarro, OSU, 13-2. 133 - Paris Ruiz, FSU, dec. Ben Richards, OSU, 7-4. 141 - Jonte Davis, FSU, dec. Shane Cunanan, OSU, 8-4. 149 - (1) Oscar Wood, OSU, pinned Darrick Duran, FSU, 1:18.
