Boise State captures Pac-10 Championship title, qualifies seven for nationals

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John Fuller (Themat.com)
03/03/2002


CORVALLIS, OR - The Pac-10 Championships held this weekend at Gil Coliseum on the campus of Oregon State University determined 43 qualifiers for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships set for March 21-23 in Albany, N.Y. The top four place winners in each weight class earn a position at the NCAA championships, along with three wildcards.    In a team race that went back and forth between Oregon and Boise State throughout the weekend, Boise State University prevailed scoring a total of 123 team points to capture the team title, qualifying seven wrestlers for the NCAA Division I National Championships, and crowning two champions. Oregon, in their run at the title amassed 115.5 team points for a second place finish, qualified seven for nationals, and crowned three champions.     The tournament was full of surprises and upsets from the start. Arizona State, defending Pac-10 Champions and favorite to win this year's team race, suffered two major upsets in the quarter finals, with top seeded David Douglas falling 5-4 to unseeded Jesse Brock of Boise State at 133 pounds, and top seeded Rocky Smart giving up an overtime pin to Jeremiah Jarvis of UC-Davis. Qualifying just five of ten wrestlers, the Sundevils came in third in the team scoring with 103.5 points and crowing one champion.    Rounding out the top five team finishers were Oregon State with 83.5 points, 5 qualifiers, and three champions, as well as Cal-Poly with 73.5 team points, 3 qualifiers, and one champion.    Finals round action wrapped up Sunday night beginning at the 125-pound weight class. With the team title on the line, Oregon's third seeded Shaun Williams narrowed the team race with a sound 10-4 win over top seeded Ben VomBaur of Boise State.    In the battle of the unseeded wrestlers, Boise State widened that gap again at 133 pounds where unseeded Jesse Brock of Boise State handed unseeded Efren Ceballos of Cal-Bakersfield an 8-3 loss.    Boise State's Collin Robertson widened the team gap even further scoring a finals fall over Matt Gentry of Stanford at 141 pounds. Oregon makes a move back toward the top at 157 with second seeded Tony Overstake winning a 10-7 decision over unseeded Jeremiah Jarvis of Cal-Davis, followed by another Duck win at 165 with top seeded Eugene Harris winning a close 3-2 decision over Burt Pierson of UC-Davis.    Host Oregon State would claim titles at both the 174- and 184-pound weight classes, with Nathan Coy earning a 7-3 decision over second second seed Steve Strange of Cal-Poly, and second seeded Isaac Weber winning a 3-2 overtime decision over top seeded Jeremy Wilson of Portland State.    Continuing a disappointing tournament performance, Arizona State's top seeded wrestlers would both drop losses in the last two matches of the night. Sundevil's Erick Gladish lost a close 8-7 decision to third seeded David Schenk of Cal-Poly, while Kellan Fluckiger lost a 2-1 decision by riding time to second seeded Jason Cooley of Oregon State.    The Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament was awarded to 141-pound Eric Larkin of Arizona State, while 149-pound Thomas Juarez of Cal-Bakersfield took home the award for the most pins in the least amount of time.    Team Scores & Number of Qualifiers  123/7 - Boise State   115.5.5/7 - Oregon  103.5/5 - Arizona State  83.5/5 - Oregon State  73.5/3 - Cal-Poly  56/3 - Cal-Davis  50.5/4 - Stanford  43/2 - Cal-Bakersfield  31.5/2 - Portland State  29/2 - Cal-Fullerton      Medal Round Results  125 Pounds  1st - #3 seed Shaun Williams, UO dec. #1 seed Ben VomBaur, BSU, 10-4  3rd - Nathan Peterson, SU maj dec.  Michael Delaney, OSU, 12-2  5th - #4 seed Matt Sanchez, CSUB maj dec. #2 seed Mike Simpson, ASU, 14-6    133 Pounds  1st - Jesse Brock, BSU dec. Efren Ceballos, CSUB, 8-3   3rd - #1 seed David Douglas, ASU dec. #4 seed Urijah Faber, UCD, 9-4  5th - #2 seed Jason Harless, UO dec. #3 seed Nathan Navarro, OSU, 8-4    141 Pounds  1st - #1 seed Eric Larkin, ASU maj dec. Brian Watson, UO , 11-1  3rd - #2 seed Cedric Haymon, CPU dec. Brad Metzler, SU, 7-3  5th - #4 seed Gabe Vigil, BSU fall Ryan Meloche, CSUB, 5:37    149 Pounds  1st - #1 seed Collin Robertson, BSU fall #2 seed Matt Gentry, SU, 4:53  3rd - #3 seeded Thomas Juarez, CSUB dec. #4 seed Casey Hunt, UO, 2-1  5th - Matt Cox, CPU fall Evan Larkin, ASU, 4:26    157 Pounds  1st - #2 seed Tony Overstake, UO dec. Jeremiah Jarvis, UCD, 10-7   3rd - Mitch Morgan, BSU fall #3 seed Levi Weikel-Magden, SU, 4:25  5th - #1 seed Rocky Smart, ASU maj dec. Leo Sanchez, CSUF, 11-1    165 Pounds  1st - #1 seed Eugene Harris, UO dec. #2 seed Burt Pierson, UCD, 3-2   3rd - Nick Frost, ASU dec. #3 seed Chris Carlino, CSUF, 12-7  5th - #4 seed Brody Barrios, CPU dec. Jed Pennell, OSU, 10-3    174 Pounds  1st - #1 seed Nathan Coy, OSU dec.  #2 seed Steve Strange, CPU, 7-3   3rd - Shane Webster, OU dec. #3 seed Pat Owens, BSU, 13-4  5th - Mike Font, UCD win by injury default over #4 seed Quinn Collett, PSU     184 Pounds  1st - #2 seed Isaac Weber, OSU dec. #1 seed Jeremy Wilson, PSU, 3-2 OT  3rd - #4 seed Tony D'Amico, BSU dec. Rowdy Lundgreen, CSUF, 5:10  5th - Will Carr, ASU win by disqualification of #3 seed Charles Sandlin, CPU    197 Pounds  1st - #3 seed David Schenk, CPU dec. #1 seed Erik Gladish, ASU, 8-7  3rd - #2 seed Jason Lovell, OSU dec. Randy Davidson, PSU, 5-2  5th - Jacob McGinnis, BSU dec. Jake Leair, UO, 10-4    285 Pounds  1st - #2 seed Jason Cooley, OSU dec. #1 seed Kellan Fluckiger, ASU, 2-1   3rd - #3 seed Eric Webb, UO dec. #4 seed Boe Rushton, BSU, 8-4  5th - Clint Walbeck, CPU dec. Flynn Flicker, UCD, 2-1