Head coach Keith Spataro was named 2006 Western Regional Co-Coach of the Year along with SOU's Mike Ritchey. Embry-Riddle's Hayden Harrison was named the competition's Most Outstanding Wrestler after the No. 3 seed defeated Menlo's Kyle Bickford for the 157 title. Southern Oregon's Jimmy Grochowsky, the NAIA's top-ranked wrestler at 165 pounds, was named the region's Wrestler of the Year.
Simon Fraser of British Columbia was a distant fourth with 23 points. The title was Menlo's second after clinching the 2004 Western Regional. The Oaks finished second a year ago in an event they hosted.
Top-seeded Paez downed Embry-Riddle's Micaiah Watkins (maj. dec. 10-1) before defeating teammate and second-seed Pablo Sanchez, 4-1, for the 133 title. Sanchez was an earlier 8-3 victor against Southern Oregon's Barry Johnson.
Garcia secured his title courtesy of a 6-2 win against second-seeded Gordo Villaescusa of Embry-Riddle. Garcia, ranked No. 3 nationally at 141 pounds, opened with a 16-2 major decision over Embry-Riddle's Jason Mendez.
At 125, Menlo freshman Mike Rodriguez opened his day with a 4-3 upset of Embry-Riddle's Richard Byrd, ranked third nationally by the NAIA. Rodriguez then fell to Southern Oregon's Trevor Lofstedt in the final, 6-4.
Top-seeded Bickford received a bye to open the 157 bracket before losing to Harrison, who began his day with a fall of the Oaks' Robert Davis at the two-minute, 58-second mark. It was the second-consecutive runner-up finish for Bickford while Davis settled for third.
Senior Jesse Vasquez fell to Southern Oregon's Rick Story in his opening match but rebounded with a 20-5 technical fall against Embry-Riddle's Danny Eller in the third-place bout.
Top-seeded Tyrell Blanche of Menlo pinned Southern Oregon's Abe Ewing at 1:34 in his 197-pound opening bout before dropping the title match to Simon Fraser's Rozbeh Banihashimi. Blanche captured last season's 197-pound title.
Menlo senior heavyweight Ben Flores, ranked third nationally, fell to top-seeded and No. 1 Mikahil Abdul-Latif of Simon Fraser in the championship bout, 21-7. Flores defeated Southern Oregon's Taylor Wilkerson to begin the day. Wilkerson pinned Menlo's Nick Berry at 1:40 in the third-place bout.
Menlo freshman Andrew Cunha settled for third place at 149 after losing an opening-round match to Embry-Riddle's Eli Arismendez, 11-2.
At 165, Menlo's Stephen Towne lost a 3-1 opening-round decision to Grochowsky before Southern Oregon's James Mannenbach handed him a 7-4 defeat in the third-place bout.
Menlo didn't enter a wrestler at 174.
The Oaks complete their season March 3-4 at the NAIA National Championships in Sioux City, Iowa. Menlo was the 2004 national runner-up.
Men's Wrestling Result
2006 NAIA Western Regional Championships
Embry-Riddle University; Prescott, Ariz.
Feb. 19, 2006
Team Scores
1. Menlo College (82 Points)
2. Southern Oregon University (81 Points)
3. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (80 Points)
4. Simon Fraser University (23 Points)
Most Outstanding Wrestler
Hayden Harrison (Embry Riddle University)
2006 Wrestler of the Year
Jimmy Grochowsky (Southern Oregon University)
2006 Coach of the Year
Keith Spataro (Menlo College) and Mike Ritchey (Southern Oregon University)
Individual Placements
125
1. Trevor Lofstedt (Southern Oregon University)
2. Michael Rodriguez (Menlo College)
3. Frank Villaescusa (Embry Riddle University)
4. Junior Valladolid (Southern Oregon University)
133
1. Alfonso Paez (Menlo College)
2. Pablo Sanchez (Menlo College)
3. Barry Johnson (Southern Oregon University)
4. Micaiah Watkins (Embry Riddle University)
141
1. Joe Garcia (Menlo College)
2. Gordo Villaescusa (Embry Riddle University)
3. Jason Mendez (Embry Riddle University)
4. Matt Holt (Southern Oregon University)
149
1. Eli Arismendez (Embry Riddle University)
2. Jimmy Ulrey (Southern Oregon University)
3. Andrew Cunha (Menlo College)
157
1. Hayden Harrison (Embry Riddle University)
2. Kyle Bickford (Menlo College)
3. Robert Davis (Menlo College)
165
1. Jimmy Grochowsky (Southern Oregon University)
2. Calvin DeVault (Embry Riddle University)
3. James Mannenbach (Southern Oregon University)
4. Stephan Towne (Menlo College)
174
1. David O'Brien (Southern Oregon University)
2. Josh Fitzgerald (Southern Oregon University)
3. Nick Walden (Embry Riddle University)
184
1. Joffre Lander (Embry Riddle University)
2. Rick Story (Southern Oregon University)
3. Jesse Vasquez (Menlo College)
4. Danny Eller (Embry Riddle University)
197
1. Rozbeh Banihashimi (Simon Fraser University)
2. Tyrell Blanche (Menlo College)
3. Bob Charlton (Embry Riddle University)
4. Abe Ewing (Southern Oregon University)
HWT
1. Mikahil Abdul-Latif (Simon Fraser University)
2. Ben Flores (Menlo College)
3. Taylor Wilkerson (Southern Oregon University)
4. Nick Berry (Menlo College)
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now