Quick Start Keys SF State Gators Victory Over Menlo on Senior Night
SAN FRANCISCO - Buoyed by victories in its first four bouts, the San Francisco State wrestling team closed the books on its 2010-11 home schedule Thursday with an uplifting 24-9 decision over Menlo College in a non-conference dual meet inside the Main Gymnasium.
The Gators jumped out to a 15-0 lead and never looked back, raising their record to 5-8 on the season, while the NAIA-affiliated Oaks slip to 1-9-1 overall.
Isaiah Jimenez got things rolling for SF State with a 9-4 triumph over Carlos Soto as the evening's festivities commenced with the 165-pound weight class. Jimenez registered four takedowns, including three in the first period, while adding a point for riding time to give the Purple and Gold a 3-0 advantage on the team scoreboard.
The Gators quickly stretched the margin to 9-0, courtesy of Gene Choi's pin of Greg Alvarez at 174. Clinging to a 4-2 lead entering the second period, Choi quickly took control of the bout with a reversal and a 2-point near fall, before dispatching his Oaks adversary at the 4:34 mark.
At 184, Zach Jimenez yielded a mere second-period escape in a 6-1 conquest over Hanna Malak, while Karam Basra posted his second straight dual-meet win with a hard-fought 7-5 decision over Ali Bannout in the ensuing match at 197. Things looked good for Basra after recording a takedown and 3-point near fall in the first period. However, Bannout's furious rally knotted the score at 5-5 in the third period, before Basra posted an escape and riding time to eke out the win.
SF State appeared to be in cruise control at this juncture, but the Oaks' captured the next three bouts at heavyweight, 125 and 133. In addition, the Gators were penalized one team point for unsportsmanlike conduct and, suddenly, Menlo was back in contention at 14-9.
However, any hopes of an Oaks comeback were soon dashed as SF State responded with three wins of its own in the remaining trio of bouts.
At 141, Naveed Bagheri broke open a tight 3-2 encounter against Christian Martinez, recording a pair of 2-point near falls in the third period as well as riding time to pull away for an 8-2 triumph. Thurdsay's win was Bagheri's second of the season against the Menlo grappler as the Gator junior also came away with a 4-2 decision at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 21.
Meanwhile, Matt Thomas found himself in a high-scoring affair against Justin Atkinson at 149, notching three takedowns and two reversals in the third period en route to a 17-8 victory by major decision.
Shortly thereafter, Josh Nolan emerged triumphant in his final regular-season home meet for the Purple and Gold with a 8-1 decision over Mike Lopez at 157 to account for the meet's final outcome.
Prior to the match, the Gators recognized their six seniors in Pierre Bondoc, Brian Tharp Josh Nolan, Zach Sesar, Gene Choi and Zach Johnson in a ceremony to highlight Senior Night activities.
Bondoc battled Jason Moorhouse, the NAIA's No. 1 wrestler at 125, but came out on the short end of a 3-1 score, while Tharp was edged by Eric Garcia, 6-4, at 133.
SF State closes out its 2010-11 regular-season slate on Sunday, Feb. 13, when it travels south to tackle Division I opponent Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, starting at 1 p.m.
SF State 24, Menlo 9
165 - Isaiah Jimenez (SF State) dec. Carlos Soto, 9-4
174 - Gene Choi (SF State) pinned Greg Alvarez, 4:34
184 - Zach Jimenez (SF State) dec. Hanna Malak, 6-1
197 - Karam Basra (SF State) dec. Ali Bannout, 7-5
285 - Lenny Romero (M) dec. Anthony Gonzalez, 11-4
125 - Jason Moorhouse (M) dec. Pierre Bondoc, 3-1
133 - Eric Garcia (M) dec. Brian Tharp, 6-4
141 - Naveed Bagheri (SF State) dec. Christian Martinez, 8-2
149 - Matt Thomas (SF State) major dec. Mike Lopez, 17-8
157 - Josh Nolan (SF State) dec. Mike Lopez, 8-1
SF State Gator Duo Victorious at Menlo Invite
SF State Second in Team Standings
ATHERTON, Calif. - San Francisco State's Naveed Bagheri (141) and Isaiah Jimenez (165) captured individual championships in their respective weight classes on Sunday to lead the Gator wrestling team at the Menlo Invitational in Haynes-Prim Pavilion on the campus of Menlo College.
As a team, SF State placed second with 86 points, trailing only Cal State Bakersfield, which finished atop the standings with 103.5 points, while Southern Oregon took third with 65.5 points.
The Gators also received a second-place performance from Pierre Bondoc (125), while Isaiah Hurtado (125), Brian Tharp (133), Dylan Phillipy (141), Gene Choi (174) and Andrew Reggi (197) each took third. Rounding the list of placers for the Purple and Gold was Zach Johnson (174) and Anthony Gonzalez (285), who both finished fourth.
Bagheri began the day with a pair of victories over two Central College adversaries, notching a 17-1 triumph by technical fall over Carlos Hernandez before coming away with a 11-2 major decision over Alex Wright. The SF State junior soon dispatched Kurtis Giberson of Simon Fraser with a second-period in the semifinals, followed by a tight 3-1 decision over Menlo's Christian Martinez in the championship bout. Earlier in the season, Bagheri also emerged victorious over Martinez at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 21.
Jimenez started strong as well, posting a 17-2 win by technical fall over Reid Imerman of Central College before defeating Simon Fraser's Max Arcand by a 6-2 count in the second round. The Gator sophomore then cruised to his second tournament crown of the season, dispatching Travis Olson of Menlo, 11-4, in the semifinals, followed by a convincing 17-6 major decision over Simon Fraser's Brock Lamb in the title match.
Bondoc, meanwhile, quickly advanced in his bracket, opening with a tough 4-2 decision over John Garza of Embry-Riddle before tagging Central College's Justin Marx with a 17-2 defeat by technical fall. The SF State senior then squared off against fellow teammate Hurtado in the semifinals, gutting out a tight 7-5 decision after Hurtado opened with a 12-9 win over Jordan Lowe of Southern Oregon and a pin of Menlo's Drake Medeiros at 4:45. Bondoc's momentum was soon derailed, however, as Jason Moorehouse of Menlo prevailed by a 7-3 score in the championship match.
Conversely, Hurtado regrouped with two wins in the consolation draw, shutting out Simon Fraser's Skylor Davis by technical fall, 15-0, followed by an 8-2 triumph over Miguel Camparone of Division I Cal State Bakersfield in the third-place bout.
In other third-place action, Tharp was victorious by a 9-3 count over another Division I opponent Jake Tannebaum of Cal Poly, while Phillipy pasted Simon Fraser's Giberson with a 14-0 win by major decision. In addition, Choi battled another teammate in Johnson, coming away with a 6-2 decision, while Reggi ended the day with a bang after pinning Dan Gordon of Central College at 6:33.
The Gators, who are ranked 19th in the latest NCAA Division II polls, will be back in action next weekend, Jan. 8-9, when they travel to the Hawkeye State for the prestigious NWCA National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Three SF State Gators Capture Titles at SF State's JC Invitational
SAN FRANCISCO - Three San Francisco State wrestlers claimed individual championships on Sunday at the 2010 California Community College Invitational hosted by the Gators inside SF State's Main Gymnasium. Dylan Barrales took home the crown in the 133-pound weight class, Dylan Phillipy raced to the title at 141, while Andrew Reggi completed an undefeated run through the 197-pound bracket.
In addition, the Gators received a second-place result from Isaiah Hurtado in the 125-pound division, while A.J. Simon came up just short in his two bouts at 165.
Despite having just five wrestlers compete in the field, SF State placed third in the team standings with 37 points, just behind Sacramento City College (52 pts.) and Sierra College (39 pts.), while Shasta College (28 pts.) and NAIA member Menlo College (21 pts.) rounded out the top five.
In all, the Gators ended an impressive day with seven pins and also notched three victories by major decision and another by technical fall.
After pinning two SCC opponents, Daniel Rodriguez and Adam Blank, Barrales secured the 133-lb. championship with a 7-4 decision over Ralph Rioja of Skyline College in the finals.
Phillipy was dominant in his bracket as well, pinning Paul Kellam of San Joaquin Delta College and Santa Rosa JC's Shane Kenihan in his opening matches, before tagging Anthony Vega of SCC with an 18-1 defeat by technical fall in the semifinals. Then in the championship bout, Phillipy shut out SCC's Tyler Diamond, 8-0, for the major decision victory.
Meanwhile after receiving a pair of byes, Reggi pinned Mike Montes of SCC in his first match of the day and soon followed with a 16-3 triumph by major decision over Menlo's Ben Yura. Reggi subsequently secured SF State's third crown of the day with another major decision victory after dispatching Jordan Williams by an 11-2 count in the finals.
The Gators return to the mat on Saturday, Nov. 20, when travel to Southern California for the Fullerton Open at Titan Gym on the campus of Cal State Fullerton.
2010 California Community College Invitational
Nov. 14, 2010
SF State Results
125 - Isaiah Hurtado (3-1, Second Place)
Won by major decision over Drake Medeiros (Menlo), 16-6
Won by fall over Eric Dowd (Sierra JC), 1:24
Won by fall over Edgar Paez (Modesto JC), 5:30
Championship: Lost by decision to Bryden Lazaro (Menlo), 8-1
133 - Dylan Barrales (3-0, First Place)
Won by fall over Daniel Rodriguez (Sacramento CC), 4:25
Won by fall over Adam Blank (Sacramento CC), 2:57
Championship: Won by decision over Ralph Rioja (Skyline JC), 7-4
141 - Dylan Phillipy (4-0, First Place)
Won by fall over Paul Kellam (Delta JC), 4:55
Won by fall over Shane Kenihan (Santa Rosa JC),
Won by technical fall over Anthony Vega (Sacramento CC), 18-1
Championship: Won by major decision over Tyler Diamond (Sacramento CC), 8-0
165 - A.J. Simon (0-2)
Lost by decision to Marco Orozco (Sacramento CC), 6-4
Lost by decision to Thomas Marquez (Modesto JC), 7-5
197 - Andrew Reggi (3-0, First Place)
Won by fall over Mike Montes (Sacramento CC), 0:49
Won by major decision over Ben Yura (Menlo), 16-3
Championship: Won by major decision over Jordan Williams (Sierra JC), 11-2
SF State Wrestlers Shine at Mike Clock Open; Jimenez Claims Title at 165
FOREST GROVE, Ore. - Isaiah Jimenez captured the individual title in the 165-pound weight class on Sunday to lead the San Francisco State wrestling team at the Mike Clock Open, hosted by Pacific University. Overall, the Gators enjoyed a highly successful day in their 2010-11 season-opening meet as 12 grapplers placed in nine of the 10 weight divisions.
In addition to Jimenez's crown, SF State received a pair of second-place performances from Naveed Bagheri (141) and Anthony Gonzalez (285), while Pierre Bondoc (125), Brian Tharp (133), Dylan Phillipy (141) and Matt Thomas (149) took third in their respective classes.
The list of Gator placers also included Zach Johnson (4th - 174), Gene Choi (4th - 184), Isaiah Hurtado (5th - 125), Andrew Reggi (5th - 197) and A.J. Simon (6th - 165).
Jimenez scored a 20-6 victory by major decision in his opening bout over Spencer Phillips of Simon Fraser, before defeating another SFU competitor Max Arcand, 6-3, in the semifinals. Then in the championship match, Jimenez gutted out a 3-1 decision over Tyler Storey of Highline College for his first collegiate title.
At 141, Bagheri opened with a pin of Dean Powell of Yakima Valley CC in the waning moments of the first period at 2:50, followed by a 16-0 technical fall victory over Simon Fraser's Raj Rai. In his next two bouts, Bagheri squared off against a pair of wrestlers from Division I Oregon State, notching a 15-5 victory by major decision over Nick Schlager before coming just short in a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Michael Mangrum in the title match.
In the heavyweight division, Gonzalez received a forfeit in his opening bout, before emerging with a 7-4 decision over Highline's David Lopez in the semifinals. Gonzalez's title hopes were derailed, however, after suffering a first-period fall against Clackamas CC's Tyrell Fortune in the championship match.
Meanwhile, Tharp (133) and Thomas (149) each posted five victories on the day. In their third-place bouts, Tharp came away with a first-period pin of Simon Fraser's Curtis Gibberson at 2:16, while Thomas registered a 12-1 major decision over Oregon State's Jay Tovey.
In the other third-place matches for SF State, Bondoc (125) outlasted Kegan Handlovic of Clackamas CC, 11-10, while Phillipy (141) emerged triumphant with a 7-2 decision over YVCC's Nick Burnham.
The Gators return to the mat on Saturday, Nov. 13, when they play host to their annual alumni meet at 11 a.m. in the Main Gymnasium.
SF State's Franklin Finishes Sixth at NCAA DII Championships
OMAHA, Neb. - San Francisco State heavyweight Steve Franklin (Middletown, Calif./Santa Rosa JC) finished in sixth place on Saturday after posting a 1-2 mark on the second day of competition at the 2010 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships at Sapp Fieldhouse on the University of Nebraska-Omaha campus.
Franklin opened with his team-leading 14th pin of the year, dispatching Pittsburgh-Johnstown's Christopher Dempsey with 54 seconds elapsed in the first period of the consolation quarterfinals. The Gator senior experienced a reversal of fortune in the ensuing match, however, as Dustin Finn of Central Oklahoma came up with a victory by fall at the 2:18 mark. Then in the fifth-place bout, Franklin dropped a close 5-3 decision to Western State's Charlie Alexander.
Despite the two losses, Franklin (31-12) earned All-America honors for the second-year in a row, as the top eight placers in each weight class receive such distinction. SF State now has 82 wrestling All-Americans in program history, including 56 during head coach Lars Jensen's 27-year tenure.
Franklin also concluded his illustrious Gator career with 33 pins, which is one shy of Matt Blevin's standard of 34 for the most in school history, while his 86 overall victories is tied for sixth all-time.
In the team standings, SF State finished in 26th place with 12 points, while host school Nebraska-Omaha won its second consecutive national title and fifth overall with 131 points, comfortably ahead of Augustana-SD (72 pts.), Nebraska-Kearney (67 pts.), Upper Iowa (67 pts.) and Wisconsin-Parkside, which rounded out the top five.
Five SF State Wrestlers Headed to Nationals; Bagheri Defends RMAC Title at 133
ALAMOSA, Colo. - Five San Francisco State wrestlers earned a spot in the national championships on Saturday after finishing in the top three of their respective weight classes at the 2010 NCAA Division II Super Regional 4/Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships at Plachy Hall on the campus of Adams State College.
Representing the Gators at the 2010 NCAA Division II Championships will be Naveed Bagheri (133 lbs.), Josh Nolan (149 lbs.), Zach Jimenez (184 lbs.), Vince Bordi (197 lbs.) and Steve Franklin (285 lbs.) as SF State matched last year's total of five national qualifiers. The Division II Championships will be contested in two weeks on March 12-13 in Omaha, Neb.
As a team, the Gators improved upon their fifth-place standing from a year ago, finishing fourth with 88.5 points, just six points behind third-place Fort Hays State. Western State captured the top spot with 121.5 points, while Nebraska-Kearney was the runner-up with 102 points.
Bagheri, who was the RMAC Freshman of the Year in 2008-09, successfully defended his individual title in the 133-pound weight class, posting a 3-0 mark to raise his overall record to 23-2 on the season. The top seed in his division, Bagheri opened the day with a 12-2 triumph by major decision over No. 8 Chris Rubalcaba of Mesa State followed by a 4-2 decision over Fort Hay State's fifth-seeded Travis Kuhn. The Los Gatos, Calif., native then eked out a 1-0 victory in the finals over No. 2 seed Todd Wilcox of Grand Canyon to retain the crown.
SF State also received a trio of second-place finishes from Jimenez, Bordi and Franklin. Jimenez, seeded sixth at 184, surprised No. 3 Torben Walters of host Adams State in overtime, 3-1, in his opening bout of the day before recording another upset, 5-4, over Fort Hays State's Chance Rencountre in the semis. Jimenez's title hopes were derailed in finals, however, when he experienced a pin at the hands of top-seeded Charlie Pipher of Western State at the 4:50 mark.
Bordi, the No. 3 seed at 197, started strong with a pin of Fort Hays State's sixth-seeded Steven Kyler with 1:03 elapsed in the third period, followed by a 6-4 decision over No. 2 Kyle Sand of Adams State. However, the Manteca, Calif., product was unable to keep the momentum going in the championship bout, dropping an 8-2 decision to Western State's top-seeded Donovan MacMahill.
The No. 2 seed at heavyweight, Franklin earned his third straight trip to the national championships with a 3-1 mark, including two pins in his first three bouts. The Gator senior opened with a victory by fall over Richard Hernandez of Grand Canyon with 23 seconds gone by in the third period before posting a 10-2 win by major decision over Mesa State's seventh-seeded Trevor Stapp. After pinning New Mexico Highlands' No. 3 seed Jesse Boggs at the 5:49 mark in the semis, Franklin came up short in the championship match, dropping a 6-2 decision to top-seeded Charlie Alexander of Western State. Despite the setback, Franklin moved to 28-9 on the season and climbed into second place on SF State's all-time list with 32 career pins.
Meanwhile at 149, Nolan punched his ticket to the national meet for the second time in his career after going 4-0 in the wrestlebacks to capture third place. After losing by fall in his opening main draw bout, the No. 4 seed Nolan earned an 8-1 decision over Grand Canyon's Daniel Rubio to ignite his run in the consolation bracket. The Gator junior kept things going with a 7-3 victory over ninth-seeded Austin Cordova of Colorado Mines before edging Fort Hays State's sixth-seeded Levi Younkin, 3-2. Nolan then turned the tables in the third-place bout with a pin at 1:05 against No. 5 Tyler Juby of Mesa State, his opponent in the main bracket.
Rounding the placers for SF State were Ben Lockett (141) and Gene Choi (174), who both finished in sixth place.
In addition to earning spots in the national championship meet, Bagheri, Nolan, Jimenez, Bordi and Franklin each received All-RMAC honors by virtue of their finishes as well.
NCAA Division II Super Regional 4/RMAC Championships
February 27, 2010
Alamosa, Colo.
SF State Results
125 - Pierre Bondoc (0-2)
Lost by fall to [5] Chad Lousberg (Colorado Mines), 2:45
Wrestlebacks: Lost by decision to [6] Madison Gambrell (Grand Canyon), 10-4
133 - [1] Naveed Bagheri (3-0, First Place)
Won by major decision over [8] Chris Rubalcaba (Mesa State), 12-2
Won by decision over [5] Travis Kuhn (Fort Hays State), 4-2
Finals: Won by decision over [2] Todd Wilcox (Grand Canyon), 1-0
141 - [3] Ben Lockett (1-3, Sixth Place)
Won by decision over [6] Kyle Wilson (Grand Canyon), 9-4
Lost by decision to [2] Andre Harrison (Fort Hays State), 4-1
Wrestlebacks: Lost by decision to [5] Jimmy Savala (Chadron State), 3-1
Lost by technical fall to [4] Jesse Snider (Colorado Mines), 16-1
149 - [4] Josh Nolan (4-1, Third Place)
Lost by fall to [5] Tyler Juby (Mesa State), 0:41
Wrestlebacks: Won by decision over Daniel Rubio (Grand Canyon), 8-1
Won by decision over [9] Austin Cordova (Colorado Mines), 7-3
Won by decision over [6] Levi Younkin (Fort Hays State), 3-2
Third-Place Match: Won by fall over [5] Tyler Juby (Mesa State), 1:05
157 - Isaiah Jimenez (1-2)
Won by fall over Chris McWhorter (CSU-Pueblo), 3:24
Lost by fall to [2] Kyle Francis (Western State), 4:57
Wrestlebacks: Lost by decision to Brian Easterling (Chadron State), 3-1
165 - Markham Bertron (0-2)
Lost by fall to [2] Taylor May (Nebraska-Kearney), 1:06
Wrestlebacks: Lost by fall to [4] Jordan Larsen (Colorado Mines), 5:47
174 - [4] Gene Choi (1-3, Sixth Place)
Lost by major decision to [5] Daniel Garay (Grand Canyon), 12-4
Wrestlebacks: Won by decision over [8] Andrew Laiminger (Mesa State), 8-2
Lost by decision to [2] Shawn Kuhlman (Fort Hays State), 3-0
Lost by decision to [5] Daniel Garay (Grand Canyon), 6-3
184 - [6] Zach Jimenez (2-1, Second Place)
Won by decision over [3] Torben Walters (Adams State), 3-1, SV1
Won by decision over [2] Chance Rencountre (Fort Hays State), 5-4
Finals: Lost by fall to [1] Charlie Pipher (Western State), 4:50
197 - [3] Vince Bordi (2-1, Second Place)
Won by fall over [6] Steven Kyler (Fort Hays State), 6:03
Won by decision over [2] Kyle Sand (Adams State), 6-4
Finals: Lost by decision to [1] Donovan MacMahill (Western State), 8-2
285 - [2] Steve Franklin (3-1, Second Place)
Won by fall over Richard Hernandez (Grand Canyon), 5:37
Won by major decision over Trevor Stapp (Mesa State), 10-2
Won by fall over [3] Jesse Boggs (N.M. Highlands), 5:49
Finals: Lost by decision to [1] Charlie Alexander (Western State), 6-2
SF State Gators Knock Off Menlo in Dual-Meet Finale, 22-15
ATHERTON, Calif. - The 19th-ranked San Francisco State wrestling team closed out its 2009-10 dual-meet schedule on an upbeat note with a 22-15 triumph over host Menlo College at Haynes-Prim Pavilion Thursday night in Atherton, Calif. With the victory, the Gators finish 5-9 overall, while the Oaks slip to 3-13 on the season.
SF State raced to a 22-3 lead after taking five of the first six bouts. Gene Choi got things rolling with a 6-2 decision in the 174-pound weight class, while Zach Jimenez followed with his third major decision of the season after dispatching Sean Weeks, 13-4, at 184.
Shortly thereafter, Vince Bordi, ranked eighth at 197 in the latest NCAA Division II poll, duplicated the feat with a 16-6 triumph over Hanna Malak for his 19th win of the year, setting a single-season high for the Gator senior in the process. Then No. 8 Steve Franklin won by forfeit at heavyweight to extend the visitors' advantage to 17-0.
Menlo finally dented the scoreboard with a 6-5 victory at 125 after Jason Moorehouse earned a point for riding time against Pierre Bondoc. However, third-ranked Naveed Bagheri gave SF State five additional points with his team-leading eighth technical fall of the year at 133, disposing of Drake Medeiros with 13 seconds elapsed in the third period for his 20th win of the season in 22 starts to stretch the Gators' margin to 22-3.
The Oaks took the final four matches of the night at 141, 149, 157 and 165 to provide the final outcome at 22-15. SF State hung tough, however, dropping three of those four bouts by a combined five points.
The Gators will now have two weeks to prepare for the NCAA Division II Super Regional 4/Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 27, in Alamosa, Colo., on the campus of Adams State College.
SF State 22, Menlo College 15
At Atherton, Calif.
174 - Gene Choi (SF State) dec. Mike Cavanaugh (M), 6-2
184 - Zach Jimenez (SF State) maj. dec. Sean Weeks, 13-4
197 - Vince Bordi (SF State) maj. dec. Hanna Malak (M), 16-6
285 - #8 Steve Franklin (SF State) won by forfeit
125 - Jason Moorehouse (M) dec. Pierre Bondoc (SF State), 6-5
133 - #3 Naveed Bagheri (SF State) tech. fall Drake Medeiros (M), 5:47
141 - Christian Martinez (M) dec. #4 Ben Lockett (SF State), 2-0
149 - Cody Gibson (M) dec. Aaron Wilson (SF State), 9-4
157 - Josh Emmett (M) dec. Isaiah Jimenez (SF State), 2-1
165 - Adrian Gonzales (M) dec. Ian Wrenn (SF State), 7-5
Four SF State Wrestlers Ranked in Latest NCAA Division II Poll
EDMOND, Okla. - A total of four San Francisco State wrestlers received national rankings in the fifth NCAA Division II poll of the regular season, as released Wednesday by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association. Three Gators, Naveed Bagheri (3rd - 133 lbs.), Ben Lockett (4th - 141 lbs.) and Steve Franklin (8th - 285 lbs.) maintained their positions from the previous poll, while Vince Bordi (197 lbs.) cracked the rankings for the first time this season, landing in the eighth spot as well.
Bagheri has been white-hot of late, winning 19 straight bouts after a season-opening loss against Stanford on Nov. 25. The Los Gatos, Calif., native captured his second tournament title of the season at the California Collegiates on Jan. 30, where he earned Most Outstanding Wrestler honors after outscoring four opponents by a combined score of 63-4. For his performance, Bagheri was also named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Wrestler of the Week. Last month, he was also victorious at the Menlo Invitational on Jan. 3 and was the lone SF State competitor to post a 3-0 record at the prestigious NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, Jan. 9-10.
Lockett has compiled an 18-9 record thus far in 2009-10 and is coming off a third-place finish at the California Collegiates. He currently leads the team with 94 takedowns and 246 points in his 27 matches. In addition, Lockett now has 389 takedowns and 945 points for his career, which rank second and fourth, respectively, on the school's all-time charts. The San Francisco product has also moved into seventh place in SF State history with 164 career escapes.
Franklin successfully defended his heavyweight title at the California Collegiates where posted a 4-0 record, including three victories over Division I wrestlers to extend his winning streak to 12 bouts. With his effort, the Middletown, Calif., product has 24 wins and 11 pins to his credit this season, both tops on the squad. In addition, Franklin now has 30 pins for his career, which ties Morris Johnson for second place in school history, just four behind Matt Blevin's standard of 34.
Bordi, meanwhile, is coming off a second-place showing at the California Collegiates and has placed in two other tournaments during the 2009-10 campaign, winning the Fullerton Open on Nov. 21, while finishing second at the Menlo Invitational on Jan. 3. The Manteca, Calif., native sports a 17-11 record so far this year and ranks second on the team with 38 escapes.
SF State slipped to 19th in the team poll with 22 points, just ahead of fellow Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference member Grand Canyon (11 pts.). Defending national champion Nebraska-Omaha retained its unanimous No. 1 stature, receiving all eight first-place votes for a total of 160 points, while Newberry (S.C.), Upper Iowa, Pittsburgh-Johnstown and Wisconsin-Parkside rounded out the top five.
The Gators will be back in action this week when they travel to UC Davis for a non-conference dual meet on Friday, Feb. 5, beginning at 7 p.m.
SF State Gators Come up Short in Final Home Duals
SAN FRANCISCO - In its final two home dual meets of the 2009-10 campaign, the 18th-ranked San Francisco State wrestling team dropped a pair of tough decisions on Friday, falling to Division I Cal State Bakersfield, 25-15, before suffering a 17-15 setback at the hands of Cal Baptist, which entered the week with a No. 7 ranking in the latest NAIA poll. With the results, the Gators dip to 4-8 on the season in dual-meet competition, the Roadrunners move to 5-5, while the Lancers raise their record to 9-4 overall.
Despite the 10-point margin in the opener against CSUB, SF State captured four bouts and came up short in three others by a combined five points. However, the Gators experienced two early pins, falling behind 19-0 after the first four encounters of the afternoon.
After Steve Franklin got the Gators on the scoreboard with a 7-3 decision over David Morgan in the heavyweight division, the Runners promptly responded with a win at 125 to restore their 19-point cushion at 22-3. Shortly thereafter, SF State mounted a rally as Naveed Bagheri received a forfeit at 133, Ben Lockett posted a 16-6 major decision over Erik Martinez at 141, while Josh Nolan squeaked past John Cardenas by a 3-2 count at 149 to bring the host school to within seven at 22-15. However, the deficit proved too large to overcome as CSUB added a victory at 157 to provide for the final score.
In the nightcap, the Gators and Cal Baptist each posted five wins, but SF State was unable to counter the Lancers' major decisions at 125 and 149 in the two-point loss.
The Gators also got off to another slow start as Cal Baptist built a 9-0 advantage on the strength of three straight victories at 165, 174 and 184. Vince Bordi broke the SF State drought with a 9-3 decision over David Dill at 197, while Franklin notched his team-leading 20th win with a 7-0 shutout of Dylan Berg in the heavyweight class to narrow the gap to 9-6.
The Gator momentum was briefly interrupted as the Lancers' Sam Fragoza registered a key 16-8 triumph at 125, putting the visitors up 13-6. Moments later, Bagheri got the home team rolling once again with a 2-0 blanking of Chauncey Phillips at 133, earning a first-period takedown en route to his 15th consecutive victory, while Lockett pulled away for a 9-4 decision over Johnny Rojas at 141, which trimmed the deficit to one at 13-12.
SF State was unable to gain the upper hand, however, as Benny Garcia's 12-4 major decision at 149 put Cal Baptist in the driver's seat at 17-12. Then in the final bout of the day, Isaiah Jimenez posted a 4-0 decision over Nikko Cataline at 157 to account for the 17-15 outcome.
Prior to their tilt with the Lancers, the Gators recognized their eight seniors, Markham Bertron, Vince Bordi, Lucas Duckwall, Steve Franklin, Ben Lockett, Jamil Smart, Aaron Wilson and Ian Wrenn in a pre-match ceremony.
SF State will be back in action on Saturday when it plays host to the 34th Annual California Collegiate Invitational in the Main Gymnasium. A total of 12 schools will be represented at the tournament, which is slated to get underway at 9 a.m.
Cal State Bakersfield 25, SF State 15
165 - Joey Granata (B) fall Ian Wrenn (SF State), 4:48
174 - Trevor Hall (B) fall Markham Bertron (SF State), 1:08
184 - Mike Larson (B) dec. Zach Jimenez (SF State), 3-2
197 - Riley Orozco (B) maj. dec. Vince Bordi (SF State), 11-3
285 - Steve Franklin (SF State) dec. David Morgan (B), 7-3
125 - Michael Comparan (B) dec. Ricky Bernal (SF State), 6-4
133 - Naveed Bagheri (SF State) won by forfeit
141 - Ben Lockett (SF State) maj. dec. Erik Martinez (B), 16-6
149 - Josh Nolan (SF State) dec. John Cardenas (B), 3-2
157 - Andrew Balch (B) dec. Isaiah Jimenez (SF State), 2-0
Cal Baptist 17, SF State 15
165 - Preston Brown (CBU) dec. Ian Wrenn (SF State), 7-0
174 - Lamar Reed (CBU) dec. Gene Choi (SF State), 3-2
184 - Enock Francois (CBU) dec. Zach Jimenez (SF State), 7-3
197 - Vince Bordi (SF State) dec. David Dill (CBU), 9-3
285 - Steve Franklin (SF State) dec. Dylan Berg (CBU), 7-0
125 - Sam Fragoza (CBU) maj. dec. Pierre Bondoc (SF State), 16-8
133 - Naveed Bagheri (SF State) dec. Chauncey Philipps (CBU), 2-0
141 - Ben Lockett (SF State) dec. Johnny Rojas (CBU), 9-4
149 - Benny Garcia (CBU) maj. dec. Josh Nolan (SF State), 12-4
157 - Isaiah Jimenez (SF State) dec. Nikko Cataline (CBU), 4-1
SF State Gators Finish with 3-0 Record at Grand Canyon Duals
PHOENIX - The 18th-ranked San Francisco State wrestling team posted three victories on Saturday in the Grand Canyon Duals at Antelope Gymnasium. The Gators defeated fellow Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference member Colorado School of Mines, 27-10, before dispatching Embry-Riddle, 32-10, in a non-conference tilt. The Gators then capped off their perfect day with a 25-16 triumph over RMAC foe and host school Grand Canyon, which entered the week with a No. 19 ranking. With its performance, SF State raises its dual meet record to 4-6 on the season and 2-0 in RMAC competition.
Individually, Naveed Bagheri, Ben Lockett, Josh Nolan, Vince Bordi and Steve Franklin each went 3-0, while Gene Choi and Zach Jimenez won two matches apiece. In all, the Gators won 20 of their 30 bouts on the day.
Franklin, ranked eighth at heavyweight in the latest NCAA Division II poll, recorded two wins by fall, pinning Embry-Riddle's Johnny Perez in the first period at 2:41, before duplicating the feat against Richard Hernandez of Grand Canyon in the second period at 3:42. Earlier in his first match, the SF State senior came away with a 7-0 shutout of CSM's Bryan Stansbury and now leads the squad with 18 victories and nine pins.
Bagheri, ranked third at 133 pounds, started strong with a pin of CSM's Kyle McMinn at the 2:08 mark, before receiving a forfeit against Embry-Riddle. Bagheri (13-1) then extended his winning streak to 13 matches by outlasting seventh-ranked Todd Wilcox of Grand Canyon, 10-8.
The Gators' other ranked wrestler, No. 4 Ben Lockett, emerged triumphant in his opening bout with a 10-5 decision over CSM's Dylan Lewis, before registering an 8-4 victory over Mitchell Newcomer of Embry-Riddle. Lockett (12-8) then completed his sweep with a win over Grand Canyon's Kyle Wilson by an identical 8-4 count.
Bordi (14-9), meanwhile, put the finishing touches on a solid afternoon with a pin of Grand Canyon's Adam Barnett at the 2:51 mark for his first win of the season by fall.
Elsewhere, Nolan and Zach Jimenez came away with two major decisions apiece, while Markham Bertron rounded out the list of winners with a major decision victory of his own, breezing past Matt Hamilton of Embry-Riddle, 15-1, in his lone appearance of the day.
SF State returns to the mat on Friday, Jan. 29, when it takes on Cal State Bakersfield (1 p.m.) and Cal Baptist (3 p.m.) in the Main Gymnasium. The Gators will then play host to the 34th annual California Collegiate Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 30, beginning at 9 a.m.
Grand Canyon Duals
At Phoenix, Ariz.
#18 SF State 27, Colorado School of Mines 10
133 - #3 Naveed Bagheri (SF State) pinned Kyle McMinn (CSM), 2:08
141 - #4 Ben Lockett (SF State) dec. Dylan Lewis (CSM), 10-5
149 - Josh Nolan (SF State) maj. dec. Austin Cordova (CSM), 17-6
157 - Travis Wokash (CSM) dec. Isaiah Jimenez (SF State), 10-7
165 - Jordan Larsen (CSM) dec. Ian Wrenn (SF State), 7-1
174 - Gene Choi (SF State) dec. Ryan Swanson (CSM), 10-7
184 - Zach Jimenez (SF State) maj. dec. Brandon Sheldon (CSM), 18-3
197 - Vince Bordi (SF State) dec. Brennen Knerr (CSM), 4-2
285 - #8 Steve Franklin (SF State) dec. Bryan Stansbury (CSM), 7-0
125 - Chad Lousberg (CSM) maj. dec. Pierre Bondoc (SF State), 14-0
#18 SF State 32, Embry-Riddle 10
133 - #3 Naveed Bagheri (SF State) won by forfeit
141 - #4 Ben Lockett (SF State) dec. Mitchell Newcomer (ER), 8-4
149 - Josh Nolan (SF State) dec. Ryan Luu (ER), 7-6
157 - Trace Billet (ER) dec. Isaiah Jimenez (SF State), 10-8
165 - #3 Tyler Chang (ER) maj. dec. Ian Wrenn (SF State), 14-3
174 - Markham Bertron (SF State) maj. dec. Matt Hamilton (ER), 15-1
184 - Zach Jimenez (SF State) maj. dec. Matt Skinner (ER), 14-4
197 - Vince Bordi (SF State) won by forfeit
285 - #8 Steve Franklin (SF State) pinned Johnny Perez (ER), 2:41
125 - John Garza (ER) dec. Ricky Bernal (SF State), 7-4
#18 SF State 25, #19 Grand Canyon 16
133 - #3 Naveed Bagheri (SF State) dec. #7 Todd Wilcox (GCU), 10-8
141 - #4 Ben Lockett (SF State) dec. Kyle Wilson (GCU), 8-4
149 - Josh Nolan (SF State) maj. dec. Daniel Rubio (GCU), 12-4
157 - Stephen Towne (GCU) dec. Isaiah Jimenez (SF State), 6-3
165 - #7 Victor Carazo (GCU) maj. dec. Ian Wrenn (SF State), 10-1
174 - Gene Choi (SF State) dec. Daniel Garay (GCU), 6-3
184 - Ryan Becerra (GCU) dec. Zach Jimenez (SF State), 10-4
197 - Vince Bordi (SF State) pinned Adam Barnett (GCU), 2:51
285 - #8 Steve Franklin (SF State) pinned Richard Hernandez (GCU), 3:42
125 - Madison Gambrell (GCU) dec. Pierre Bondoc (SF State), 5-2
SF State Gator Wrestling Trio Still Ranked in NCAA Division II Poll
EDMOND, Okla. - Three San Francisco State wrestlers retained their national rankings in the fourth NCAA Division II poll of the regular season, as released Wednesday by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association. Sophomore Naveed Bagheri (Los Gatos, Calif./West Valley College) held on to the No. 3 position at 133 pounds, senior Ben Lockett (San Francisco/George Washington HS) landed in the fourth spot at 141, while fellow classmate Steve Franklin (Middletown, Calif./Santa Rosa JC) was ranked eighth at 285.
Bagheri (10-1) extended his winning streak to 10 matches after receiving a forfeit in the Gators' last outing against Cal Poly on Jan. 14. He was the lone Gator to post a 3-0 record at the prestigious NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, Jan. 9-10, defeating two opponents by major decision. Bagheri opened with a 13-4 triumph over Shane McQuade of then-No. 9 St. Cloud State, before downing Mercyhurst's David Bolger. He then capped off his perfect day with a 6-2 decision over Laramie Shaffer of then-No. 8 Augustana (S.D.). Earlier in the month, Bagheri captured the individual title in his weight class at the Menlo Invitational on Jan. 3, outscoring four wrestlers by a combined score of 56-1.
Lockett, who tumbled three spots after earning the top ranking in the first three regular-season polls, is off to a 9-8 start this year, leading the team with 48 takedowns and 137 points in his 17 matches. Lockett now has 343 takedowns and 936 points for his career, which ranks third and fifth, respectively, on the school's all-time charts. He has also moved into seventh place in SF State history with 159 career escapes. Recently, Lockett went 2-1 at the NWCA National Duals, including a 7-1 decision over Gabe Suarez of St. Cloud State.
Meanwhile, Franklin also slid a couple of notches after receiving a No. 6 ranking in the first three polls of the season. He tops the squad with 15 wins, including a 5-3 sudden victory over Jim Powers of Division I Cal Poly last Thursday. At the NWCA National Duals, he racked up a 2-1 mark, highlighted by his team-best seventh pin of the year against Mercyhurst's Fred Hale. Franklin has placed in two tournaments as well, finishing second at the Menlo Invitational while turning in a third-place showing at the Fullerton Open on Nov. 21.
SF State slipped to 18th in the team poll with 24 points, edging out Grand Canyon (19th, 15 pts.) and Central Missouri (20th, 13 pts.). Defending national champion Nebraska-Omaha maintained its unanimous No. 1 ranking, receiving all eight first-place votes for a total of 160 points, while Newberry (S.C.), Pittsburgh-Johnstown, Minnesota State and Gannon (Pa.) rounded out the top five.
The Gators, under head coach Lars Jensen, return to the mat this weekend when they travel to the desert for the Grand Canyon Duals on Saturday, Jan. 23, in Phoenix, Ariz. SF State will take on its first two Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opponents of the year, Colorado Mines and host Grand Canyon, sandwiched around a non-conference clash with Embry-Riddle.
Cal Poly Defeats SF State, 32-9
SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco State wrestling team resumed its busy January schedule on Thursday, dropping a 32-9 decision to Division I Cal Poly in a non-conference dual meet at the Main Gymnasium. With the loss, the Gators slip to 1-6 on the season, while the Mustangs raise their record to 5-2 overall.
SF State tallied the first six points of the match when sophomore Naveed Bagheri received at forfeit in the 133-pound weight class.
However, Cal Poly quickly set the tone for the rest of the evening with four consecutive victories by technical fall at 141, 149, 157 and 165, building an insurmountable 20-6 lead and never looking back.
Things were much closer in the remaining bouts as junior transfer Gene Choi came up short against the Mustangs' Steven Vasquez by a 4-1 count at 174, while freshman Zach Jimenez experienced a similar fate, dropping a 5-2 decision to Kelan Bragg at 184. Jimenez pulled to within 3-2 in the third period after earning an escape and a penalty point; however, Bragg was able to seal the win with a takedown in the closing seconds.
Vince Bordi was also engaged in a tight battle with Ryan Smith at 197 before ultimately succumbing, 10-7. The Gator senior found himself in a 7-7 stalemate early in the third period before his Mustang adversary registered a takedown and riding time point to escape with the win.
Shortly thereafter, senior Steve Franklin halted Cal Poly's string of seven straight wins with a thrilling 5-3 sudden victory in the heavyweight division. Trailing 3-1 in the third period, Franklin recorded an escape and earned a point off of riding time to force overtime. Then in the extra session, the Middletown native ended the suspense with an early takedown to cement his team-leading 15th victory of the year.
Leading 29-9 in the team score, the Mustangs tacked on an additional three points with a win at 125 to give the match its final score.
SF State will have the next eight days off before traveling to Phoenix, Ariz., for the Grand Canyon Duals on Saturday, Jan. 23. The Gators are scheduled to wrestle three teams, Colorado School of Mines (9 a.m.), Embry-Riddle (11 a.m.) and host Grand Canyon University (1 p.m.).
Cal Poly 32, SF State 9
At SF State
133 - Naveed Bagheri (SF State) received forfeit
141 - Filip Novachkov (CP) tech. fall Jamil Smart (SF State), 18-2
149 - Nick Fisher (CP) tech. fall Aaron Wilson (SF State), 20-4
157 - Geoff Doss (CP) tech. fall Isaiah Jimenez (SF State), 19-2
165 - Travis Rasmussen (CP) tech. fall Ian Wrenn (SF State), 22-7
174 - Steven Vasquez (CP) dec. Gene Choi (SF State), 4-1
184 - Kelan Bragg (CP) dec. Zach Jimenez (SF State), 6-2
197 - Ryan Smith (CP) dec. Vince Bordi (SF State), 10-7
285 - Steve Franklin (SF State) dec. Jim Powers (CP), 5-3 SV
125 - Micah Ferguson (CP) dec. Pierre Bondoc (SF State), 6-1
SF State Gators Finish 1-2 at NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals; Bagheri Goes 3-0
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The 17th-ranked San Francisco State wrestling team went 1-2 on Saturday at the prestigious NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals presented by Hibiclens on the University of Northern Iowa campus. The Gators opened with a 22-10 defeat at the hands of No. 8 St. Cloud State before knocking off Mercyhurst, 27-11, in the first round of the consolation bracket. SF State was unable to advance in the backdraw, however, falling to eighth-ranked Augustana (S.D.) by a 25-6 count in the second round.
Sophomore Naveed Bagheri, ranked No. 3 at 133 pounds in the latest NWCA Division II poll, won all three of his bouts, including two victories by major decision, while seniors Ben Lockett (No. 1 - 141) and Steve Franklin (No. 6 - 285), went 2-1 on the day.
The Gators jumped out to a 10-3 advantage in their opener against St. Cloud State, winning three of their first four matches. Bagheri posted a convincing 13-4 triumph over the Huskies' Shane McQuade, Lockett came away with a 7-1 decision over Gabe Suarez, while junior Josh Nolan soon followed with a 5-1 victory over Alex Kontz at 149 in his first appearance since Dec. 4. However, SF State was unable to extend its lead, as St. Cloud State claimed the final six encounters to pull away for the win.
The Gators also got off to a fast start against Mercyhurst, building an 11-0 cushion after taking the first three bouts. Junior Pierre Bondoc posted his first victory by major decision this season with a 10-0 blanking of the Lakers' John Worthington at 125, Bagheri then dispatched David Bolger by a 10-2 score, while Lockett survived a close shave against Lance Pitcel, 11-10. Mercyhurst stormed back to take the next three matches, including wins by top-ranked Jordan Shields and Andy Lamancusa at 149 and 157, respectively.
SF State (1-5) rose to the occasion, however, capturing the remaining four bouts to earn its first dual-meet victory of the season. Junior transfer Gene Choi put the Gators ahead to stay with a 6-1 decision over Pat Leahy at 174, while freshman Zach Jimenez disposed of Eric Lundgren by a 9-4 count at 184. Moments later, senior Vince Bordi registered a 9-0 major decision over Chris Nocchi at 197, while Franklin posted his team-leading seventh pin of the year, winning by fall in the second period over Fred Hale at the 4:21 mark.
The Gators were unable to sustain their momentum in their second-round consolation match against Augustana, as the Vikings took eight of 10 matches. Bagheri capped off a perfect day with a 6-2 decision over Laramie Shaffer for his ninth straight victory, while Franklin recorded his team-best 14th win of the season with a 4-0 shutout of Lance Peters. Elsewhere, Lockett dropped a hard-fought 1-0 decision to Jay Sherer in a battle of the top-two ranked wrestlers in Division II, while Bondoc experienced a similar fate in a tough 2-1 defeat to Al Meger.
SF State returns to the mat on Thursday, Jan. 14, when it plays host to Division I Cal Poly in the Main Gymnasium. Starting time is set for 5 p.m.
NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals
First Round
No. 9 St. Cloud State 22, No. 17 SF State 10
125 - Trent Herold (SCSU) dec. Pierre Bondoc (SF State), 6-4
133 - #3 Naveed Bagheri (SF State maj. dec. Shane McQuade (SCSU), 13-1
141 - #1 Ben Lockett (SF State) dec. Gabe Suarez (SCSU), 7-1
149 - Josh Nolan (SF State) dec. Alex Kontz (SCSU), 5-1
157 - #5 John Sundgren (SCSU) dec. Isaiah Jimenez (SF State), 11-4
165 - #3 Tad Merritt (SCSU) maj. dec. Zach Sesar (SF State), 17-4
174 - Shamus O'Grady (SCSU) dec. Gene Choi (SF State), 7-6
184 - Derek Skala (SCSU) dec. Zach Jimenez (SF State), 5-2
197 - #5 Lucas Munkelwitz (SCSU) dec. Vince Bordi (SF State), 5-3
285 - #8 Jake Kahnke (SCSU) dec. #6 Steve Franklin (SF State), 6-1
Consolation First Round
No. 17 SF State 27, Mercyhurst 11
125 - Pierre Bondoc (SF State) maj. dec. John Worthington (M), 10-0
133 - #3 Naveed Bagheri (SF State) maj. dec. David Bolger (M), 10-2
141 - #1 Ben Lockett (SF State) dec. Lance Pitcel (M), 11-10
149 - #1 Jordan Shields (M) dec. Josh Nolan (SF State), 5-3
157 - #1 Andy Lamancusa (M) maj. dec. Isaiah Jimenez (SF State), 14-4
165 - Josh Shields (M) maj. dec. Zach Sesar (SF State), 8-0
174 - Gene Choi (SF State) dec. Pat Leahy (M), 6-1
184 - Zach Jimenez (SF State) dec. Eric Lundgren (M), 9-4
197 - Vince Bordi (SF State) maj. dec. Chris Nocchi (M), 9-0
285 - #6 Steve Franklin (SF State) pinned Fred Hale (M), 4:21
Consolation Second Round
No. 8 Augustana (S.D.) 25, No. 17 SF State 6
125 - Al Meger (A) dec. Pierre Bondoc (SF State), 2-1
133 - #3 Naveed Bagheri (SF State) dec. Laramie Shaffer (A), 6-2
141 - #2 Jay Sherer (A) dec. #1 Ben Lockett (SF State), 1-0
149 - Nate Herda (A) maj. dec. Josh Nolan (SF State), 15-4
157 - #7 Marcus Edgington (A) dec. Isaiah Jimenez (SF State), 6-2
165 - Kyle Svendsen (A) dec. Zach Sesar (SF State), 7-3
174 - Carl Serck (A) dec. Gene Choi (SF State), 9-3
184 - Luke Heine (A) dec. Zach Jimenez (SF State), 7-5
197 - #2 Ty Copsey (A) dec. Vince Bordi (SF State), 4-2
285 - #6 Steve Franklin (SF State) dec. Lance Peters (A), 4-0
San Francisco State's Bagheri Claims Title at Menlo Invitational
ATHERTON, Calif. - Sophomore Naveed Bagheri captured the individual championship in the 133-pound division on Sunday to lead the San Francisco State wrestling team at the Menlo Invitational in Atherton, Calif. Bagheri (4-0) dominated his weight class, defeating four opponents by a combined score of 56-1, posting three victories by technical fall, en route to the title. For his efforts, Bagheri was named the tournament's most outstanding wrestler.
The Gators placed second in the 15-team field with 65 points behind champion Southern Oregon, which finished with 116 points.
Bagheri dispatched Pacific (Ore.) University's Andrew Wolfe 16-1 in his opening bout and then shut out Jeremy Mazon of Embry-Riddle 16-0 in the second round. In the semifinals, he notched an identical 16-0 blanking of Southern Oregon's Brian Jacob before earning an 8-0 major decision over another Embry-Riddle competitor, Jacob Chang, in the championship match.
SF State also received a pair of runner-up performances from seniors Vince Bordi (197) and Steve Franklin (285), while freshman Zach Jimenez (184) finished fourth.
Bordi opened with an 11-3 major decision over Ron Nue of Pacific, advancing to the finals with a 7-2 triumph over Cumberland's Eric Metlzer in the semis. Bordi's title quest came up short, however, as Ron Lee of Southern Oregon eked out a narrow 3-1 win in the finals.
Franklin, meanwhile, survived a pair of tough battles in his first two matches, slipping past Oklahoma City's Corey Johnson by a 3-1 count before edging Ali Al-Rekabi of Simon Fraser 9-8 in the semifinals. Franklin could not duplicate his success in the championship bouts, however, as he came up on the wrong side of a 10-6 score against Arjan Bhullar of Burnaby Mountain Wrestling Club.
Other highlights from Sunday's action included a victory by fall for senior Markham Bertron (174) against C.J. Hauser of Central Florida in the opening round, while Jimenez recorded Gators' second pin of the afternoon against Cumberland's Kyle Studer in his second-round match.
SF State will be back in action next weekend when it heads back to the Midwest for the prestigious NWCA National Duals, Jan. 9-10, on the University of Northern Iowa campus.
Menlo Invitational
At Atherton, Calif.
SF State Results
125 - Pierre Bondoc (2-2)
Won by decision over Chris Armedariz (UC Davis), 7-2
Won by decision over John Garza (Embry-Riddle), 11-9
Lost by fall to Mitchell Hofstedt (Southern Oregon), 2:19
Consolation: Lost by fall to Alex Chinicosta (UCF), 1:40
133 - Naveed Bagheri (4-0), First Place
Won by technical fall over Andrew Wolfe (Pacific, Ore.), 16-1
Won by technical fall over Jeremy Mazon (Embry-Riddle), 16-0
Won by technical fall over Brian Jacob (Southern Oregon), 16-0
Championship: Won by major decision over Jacob Chang (Embry-Riddle), 8-0
133 - Ricky Bernal (0-2)
Lost by decision to Cameron Ream (Oklahoma City), 11-4
Consolation: Lost by decision to Jose Pinal (San Jose State), 4-0
133 - Julian Perez (2-2)
Lost by fall to Steve DeAugustino (UCF), 1:29
Consolation: Won by technical fall over J.J. Lum (Simon Fraser), 16-0
Won by technical fall over Bryce Dicus (Oklahoma City), 17-0
Lost by fall to Jeremy Mazon (Embry-Riddle), 2:51
141 - Brian Tharp (1-2)
Lost by decision to Raj Virdi (Simon Fraser), 5-2
Consolation: Won by fall over D.J. Frazier (UCF), 0:34
Lost by decision to Christian Martinez (Menlo), 10-3
149 - Aaron Wilson (0-2)
Lost by decision to Cody Gibson (Menlo), 8-3
Consolation: Lost by decision to Neil Birt (Cumberland), 9-4
157 - Ian Wrenn (2-2)
Won by decision over Michael Cappus (Simon Fraser), 9-3
Lost by decision to Tyler Chang (Embry-Riddle), 7-0
Consolation: Won by decision over Kenny Hyland (Pacific, Ore.), 10-2
Lost by decision to Nik Turner (Oklahoma City), 6-0
165 - Zach Sesar (2-2)
Lost by decision to Nick Christian (UCF), 3-1
Consolation: Won by technical fall over Jug Gill (Simon Fraser), 15-0
Won by decision over Sean Weeks (Menlo), 8-5
Lost by fall to Mark Meyer (Oklahoma City), 2:25
174 - Gene Choi (2-2)
Lost by technical fall to Austin Vanderford (Southern Oregon), 19-3
Consolation: Won by decision over Lucas Duckwall (SF State), 6-0
Won by major decision over Matt Skinner (Embry-Riddle), 12-1
Lost by decision to Josh Esparza (UC Davis), 6-4
174 - Lucas Duckwall (0-2)
Lost by major decision to Josh Esparza (UC Davis), 14-5
Consolation: Lost by decision to Gene Choi (SF State), 6-0
174 - Markham Bertron (1-2)
Won by fall over C.J. Hauser (UCF), 6:53
Lost by decision to Pano Dreves (Simon Fraser), 3-2
Consolation: Lost by forfeit to Matt Skinner (Embry-Riddle)
184 - Zach Jimenez (3-2), Fourth Place
Won by decision over Graham Smith (UCF), 7-2
Won by fall over Kyle Studer (Cumberland), 2:59
Lost by decision to Clete Hanson (Simon Fraser), 8-1
Consolation: Won by decision over Levi Morgan (Southern Oregon), 11-7
Lost by decision to Zummar Archer (UCF), 12-7
197 - Vince Bordi (2-1), Second Place
Won by major decision over Ron Nue (Pacific, Ore.), 11-3
Won by decision over Eric Metzler (Cumberland), 7-2
Championship: Lost by decision to Ron Lee (Southern Oregon), 3-1
285 - Steve Franklin (2-1), Second Place
Won by decision over Corey Johnson (Oklahoma City), 3-1
Won by decision over Ali Al-Rekabi (Simon Fraser), 9-8
Championship: Lost by decision to Arjan Bhullar (Burnaby Mountain WC), 10-6
285 - Karam Basra (0-2)
Lost by fall to Arjan Bhullar (Burnaby Mountain WC), 5:40
Consolation: Lost by fall to Jonathan Perez (Embry-Riddle), 4:53
San Francisco State Gator Trio Still Ranked in NCAA Division II Poll
EDMOND, Okla. - Three San Francisco State wrestlers retained their national rankings in the second NCAA Division II poll of the regular season, as announced Wednesday by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association. Senior Ben Lockett (San Francisco/George Washington HS) held on to the No. 1 spot at 141 pounds, while sophomore Naveed Bagheri (133) (Los Gatos, Calif./West Valley College) and senior Steve Franklin (285) (Middletown, Calif./Santa Rosa JC) were still ranked third and sixth in their respective weight classes.
Lockett, who earned a top ranking in the first regular season poll on Dec. 2, is off to a 7-6 start this season, leading the team with 41 takedowns and 120 points in his 13 matches. Lockett now has 336 takedowns and 919 points for his career, which ranks fourth and fifth, respectively, on the school's all-time charts. He also moved into seventh place recently with 157 career escapes.
Franklin, who was also ranked sixth in the first poll two weeks ago, tops the squad with a 10-4 record, including a victory by fall in his last outing on Dec. 11 against Cal Baptist's Alex Evers. Franklin now leads the team with six pins on the year, giving him 25 for his career, which ranks third in program history.
Meanwhile, Bagheri (2-1) was the Gators' lone double winner in a pair of dual meets last weekend, registering a 17-0 win by technical fall against Armando Gonzalez of Division I Cal State Fullerton before posting a 14-4 major decision over Cal Baptist's Johnny Rojas.
SF State is currently 17th in the team poll with 37 points, slipping two spots after it was picked 15th in the first regular season rankings on Dec. 2. Defending national champion Nebraska-Omaha maintained its unanimous No. 1 ranking, receiving all eight first-place votes for a total of 160 points, while Newberry (S.C.), Nebraska-Kearney, Pittsburgh-Johnstown and Central Oklahoma rounded out the top five.
The Gators return to the mat in two weeks when they travel to Evanston, Ill., for the prestigious Midlands Championships, Dec. 29-30, at Welsh-Ryan Arena on the campus of Northwestern University.
San Francisco Gators Fall to Stanford in Home Opener
SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco State wrestling team picked up three individual victories on Wednesday, but it wasn't enough as visiting Stanford claimed a 27-12 triumph to spoil the Gators' 2009-10 home opener in the Main Gymnasium. With the win, the Cardinal, which shut out Menlo College 46-0 earlier in the evening, raised its record to 5-1 on the season, while SF State (0-1) dropped its first dual meet of the regular season.
The Gators broke out of the gates quickly when senior Steve Franklin gave the home team a 3-0 edge with a 5-1 decision over Dylan Rush in the heavyweight division. Franklin recorded a key third-period reversal en route to the victory, improving his overall record to 7-1 on the year.
Stanford rebounded to take a 6-3 lead after a pair of close decisions in the 125- and 133-pound weight classes. Then at 141, senior Ben Lockett put SF State back on top, 9-6, with a first-period pin of Bret Baumbach at the 2:32 mark. Lockett's win was his second by fall this season as he raised his record to 5-2 overall.
However, the Gators were unable to build on that momentum as the Cardinal captured the next five bouts to build an insurmountable 27-9 advantage.
SF State tacked on three points in the final encounter of the night after senior Vince Bordi outlasted Richard Kessler, 3-2, in a spirited affair at 197. Bordi, who earned the 197-pound title at the Fullerton Open on Nov. 21, remains unbeaten so far this year at 5-0.
The Gators return to action Dec. 4-5, when they travel to the Silver State for the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational.
Stanford 27, SF State 12
285 - Steve Franklin (SF State) dec. Dylan Rush (Stanford), 5-1
125 - Ryan Mango (Stanford) dec. Ricky Bernal (SF State), 6-5
133 - Justin Paulsen (Stanford) dec. Naveed Bagheri (SF State), 6-3
141 - Ben Lockett (SF State) pinned Bret Baumbach (Stanford), 2:32
149 - Mike Kent (Stanford) maj. dec. Brian Tharp (SF State), 12-3
157 - Lucas Espericueta (Stanford) maj. dec. Isaiah Jimenez (SF State), 11-0
165 - Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) maj dec. Zach Sesar (SF State), 15-4
174 - Jake Johnson (Stanford) tech. fall Markham Bertron (SF State), 16-0
184 - Zack Giesen (Stanford) maj. dec. Zach Jimenez (SF State), 11-0
197 - Vince Bordi (SF State) dec. Richard Kessler (Stanford), 3-2
San Francisco State Invitational
INDIVIDUAL MEDALISTS
125
1st: Joe Cabanas, Cerritos College
2nd: Brandon Benvenuti, Sierra College
3rd: Angel Olea, Fresno City College
4th: Alex Carrico, Rio Hondo
133
1st: Alberto Arreola, West Hills College
2nd: Marty Rubalcaba, Fresno City College
3rd: Archie Tovar, Fresno City College
4th: Derek Ellis, Shasta College
141
1st: Mike Koehnlein, Cerritos College
2nd: Spencer Anderson, Cuesta College
3rd: James Lynch, Sacramento City College
4th: Josh Van Haaster, Fresno City College
149
1st: Shad Manigault, West Hills College
2nd: John Banke, Cuesta College
3rd: Arnol Arroliga, Lassen College
4th: Bryan Mesinas, Cerritos College
157
1st: Alfonso Sanchez, Fresno City College
2nd: Matt Thomas, Shasta College
3rd: Rafael Munoz, Lassen College
4th: Robert Carothers, Sacramento City College
165
1st: Matt Cox, Fresno City College
2nd: Dustin Reid, Shasta College
3rd: Adrian Gonzales, East LA College
4th: Steven Martinez, West Hills College
174
1st: Cody Vasconcellos, Sacramento City College
2nd: Eric Smith, Fresno City College
3rd: Adam Hase, Cerritos College
4th: Gerson Nkunku, Sacramento City College
184
1st: Caleb Gerl, Cerritos College
2nd: Derek Rottenberg, Shasta College
3rd: Steven Urquizo, Fresno City College
4th: Tony Ferris, Lassen College
197
1st: John Hernandez, Moorpark College
2nd: JT Minto, Shasta College
3rd: Mark Ryan, Santa Rosa Jr. College
4th: BJ Mosley, Sacramento City College
285
1st: Matt Gibson, Sierra College
2nd: Nick Berry, Menlo College
3rd: Juan Enriquez, Cerritos College
4th: Austin Garza, Fresno City College
MOST OUTSTANDING WRESTLER
149 Shad Manigault, West Hills College
TEAM RESULTS
1. Fresno City College - 79
2. Cerritos College - 68
3. Shasta College - 44
4. Sacramento City College - 33
5. West Hills College - 32
6. Lassen College - 26
7. Sierra College - 24
8. Cuesta College - 20
9. Moorpark College - 14
10. East LA College - 11
10. Santa Rosa - 11
12. Menlo College - 10
13. Rio Hondo College - 4
14. Chabot College - 0
14. San Joaquin Delta College - 0
14. Modesto College - 0
14. Skyline College - 0
14. Victor Valley College - 0
SF State Gators Schurkamp Finishes 3rd at Nationals
Cedar Rapids, Iowa.---- San Francisco State University Gators' junior wrestler *Curtis Schurkamp *(Escalon, Calif./Cal State Fullerton) finished third at the 2008 NCAA Division II National Wrestling Championships this weekend at the US Cellular Arena in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. *Schurkamp *went 3-0 this afternoon in session three to finish the season at 23-13.
In his first match of the day, he defeated Northern State's Chas Welch by a 4-3 decision. Then in the consolation semi-finals, *Schurkamp *won by a 7-2 decision over Upper Iowa's Tyler Mumbulo.
In the third place match, *Schurkamp *defeated Adams State's Arsenia Barksdale by a 9-8 decision. He lost to Barksdale in the championship match of the NCAA Division II West Regional Championships on March 1. The junior is the 51^st All-American that has been coached by 25^th -year head coach Lars Jensen.
As a team, the Gators are currently 22^nd with 15 points going into the finals while Nebraska-Kearney is in first place with 100.5 points and Minnesota State Mankato is right behind them with 100 points.