ASHLAND, Ore. — Randy Keesler and Matt Hopkins made University of Providence history on Saturday, becoming the first Cascade Conference wrestling champions in program history.
Keesler, the former Great Falls High standout, won the 184-pound title at the conference championships, while Hopkins won the heavyweight bracket. Keesler won a 13-6 decision in his final match. Hopkins’ victory was a 10-4 decision.
The duo’s medalist honors guided the Argos to a third-place finish in the team race, one point behind Menlo and Southern Oregon, which tied for first place. SOU and Menlo totaled 120 points while the Argos had 119.
Justin Harbison added a third-place finish for the Argos in the heavyweight class, while Adrian Lyons-Lopez was third at 174.
MSU-Northern finished fourth in the standings with 117 points. The Lights were led by 141-pound Matt Weber, who finished runner-up to SOU’s Devin Poppen. Poppen won a 12-9 decision over Weber for the title.
Andrew and Isaac Bartel, along with Chris Nile, also captured second-place honors for Tyson Thivierge’s program. Andrew Bartel finished second at 165 pounds, Isaac at 197. Nile, the defending NAIA wrestler of the week, placed second at 174.
Nick Kunz took home a third-place finish for MSU-Northern in the 125-pound bracket to round out the top-three finishes for the Lights.
Qualifiers from the Lights and Argos advance to the 61st annual NAIA national tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. The competition begins on Friday, March 2 and concludes the following day at the Jacobson Exhibition Center.
The complete results from Saturday’s Cascade Conference wrestling tournament can be found below.
Team standings
T1. Menlo 120
T1. Southern Oregon 120
3. University of Providence 119
4. MSU-Northern 117
5. Embry-Riddle 98.5
6. Eastern Oregon 76
7. Warner Pacific 39.5
8. Simpson 11.5
Individual placers
125 pounds
1st Place – Mikel Perales of Menlo (Calif.)
2nd Place – Roy Long of Southern Oregon
3rd Place – Nick Kunz of Montana State-Northern
4th Place – Chandler Strand of Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
5th Place – Mhar Caballa of Eastern Oregon University (OR)
6th Place – Rob Pair of Montana State-Northern
1st Place Match
Mikel Perales (Menlo (Calif.)) 9-0, RS So. over Roy Long (Southern Oregon) 16-9, RS So. (Dec 10-6)
3rd Place Match
Nick Kunz (Montana State-Northern) 23-18, Fr. over Chandler Strand (Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)) 11-13, Sr. (For.)
5th Place Match
Mhar Caballa (Eastern Oregon University (OR)) 13-8, Jr. over Rob Pair (Montana State-Northern) 8-15, RS So. (MD 16-8)
133 pounds
1st Place – Blake McNall of Eastern Oregon University (OR)
2nd Place – Matt Peterson of Southern Oregon
3rd Place – Ian Morken of Menlo (Calif.)
4th Place – Landon Bailey of Montana State-Northern
5th Place – Isaac Wilson of Providence (Mont.)
6th Place – Elias Hernandez of Menlo (Calif.)
1st Place Match
Blake McNall (Eastern Oregon University (OR)) 21-9, RS So. over Matt Peterson (Southern Oregon) 17-11, Jr. (Dec 9-7)
3rd Place Match
Ian Morken (Menlo (Calif.)) 16-14, RS Jr. over Landon Bailey (Montana State-Northern) 22-19, So. (Dec 5-3)
5th Place Match
Isaac Wilson (Providence (Mont.)) 18-15, Sr. over Elias Hernandez (Menlo (Calif.)) 13-15, . (Fall 1:54)
141 pounds
1st Place – Devin Poppen of Southern Oregon
2nd Place – Matt Weber of Montana State-Northern
3rd Place – David Salazar of Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
4th Place – Andrew Ramirez of Southern Oregon
5th Place – Cameron Huizar of Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
6th Place – Jarren Komac of Providence (Mont.)
1st Place Match
Devin Poppen (Southern Oregon) 32-9, Sr. over Matt Weber (Montana State-Northern) 30-10, Jr. (Dec 12-9)
3rd Place Match
David Salazar (Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)) 14-14, Fr. over Andrew Ramirez (Southern Oregon) 16-11, Jr. (Dec 8-6)
5th Place Match
Cameron Huizar (Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)) 18-14, RS Sr. over Jarren Komac (Providence (Mont.)) 19-23, Jr. (Dec 8-1)
149 pounds
1st Place – Baylen Cooper of Warner Pacific
2nd Place – Terrill Sidner of Menlo (Calif.)
3rd Place – Chandler Michael of Southern Oregon
4th Place – Joseph Alexander of Simpson (Calif.)
5th Place – Jeffrey Uyesaka of Menlo (Calif.)
6th Place – Shonn Roberts of Providence (Mont.)
1st Place Match
Baylen Cooper (Warner Pacific) 3-0, So. over Terrill Sidner (Menlo (Calif.)) 11-6, Sr. (Dec 7-5)
3rd Place Match
Chandler Michael (Southern Oregon) 26-8, Jr. over Joseph Alexander (Simpson (Calif.)) 22-14, RS So. (Dec 5-3)
5th Place Match
Jeffrey Uyesaka (Menlo (Calif.)) 21-16, Jr. over Shonn Roberts (Providence (Mont.)) 22-11, So. (For.)
157 pounds
1st Place – Drake Randall of Eastern Oregon University (OR)
2nd Place – James Williams of Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
3rd Place – Brandon Weber of Montana State-Northern
4th Place – Casey Dobson of Providence (Mont.)
5th Place – Hunter Hodges of Southern Oregon
6th Place – Tanner Canaday of Southern Oregon
1st Place Match
Drake Randall (Eastern Oregon University (OR)) 29-8, Jr. over James Williams (Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)) 17-8, So. (Fall 3:00)
3rd Place Match
Brandon Weber (Montana State-Northern) 21-7, RS Jr. over Casey Dobson (Providence (Mont.)) 12-12, Jr. (Dec 2-1)
5th Place Match
Hunter Hodges (Southern Oregon) 18-9, RS Jr. over Tanner Canaday (Southern Oregon) 7-9, RS Sr. (Dec 3-2)
165 pounds
1st Place – Blake Cooper of Warner Pacific
2nd Place – Andrew Bartel of Montana State-Northern
3rd Place – Taylor Owens of Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
4th Place – Josh Beckler of Providence (Mont.)
5th Place – Carlos Apodaca of Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
6th Place – Jacob Dupuis of Eastern Oregon University (OR)
1st Place Match
Blake Cooper (Warner Pacific) 4-0, Jr. over Andrew Bartel (Montana State-Northern) 36-10, RS Jr. (Fall 3:59)
3rd Place Match
Taylor Owens (Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)) 17-12, RS So. over Josh Beckler (Providence (Mont.)) 17-14, Jr. (Fall 1:35)
5th Place Match
Carlos Apodaca (Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)) 8-9, RS So. over Jacob Dupuis (Eastern Oregon University (OR)) 13-15, So. (Dec 3-2)
174 pounds
1st Place – Anthony Orozco of Menlo (Calif.)
2nd Place – Chris Nile of Montana State-Northern
3rd Place – Adrian Lyons-Lopez of Providence (Mont.)
4th Place – Kody Davis of Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
5th Place – Chase Short of Montana State-Northern
6th Place – Calvin McKinnis of Southern Oregon
1st Place Match
Anthony Orozco (Menlo (Calif.)) 23-5, So. over Chris Nile (Montana State-Northern) 17-8, RS So. (Dec 5-4)
3rd Place Match
Adrian Lyons-Lopez (Providence (Mont.)) 27-9, Jr. over Kody Davis (Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)) 12-14, Jr. (Dec 8-1)
5th Place Match
Chase Short (Montana State-Northern) 21-18, Fr. over Calvin McKinnis (Southern Oregon) 14-12, Jr. (SV-1 10-8)
184 pounds
1st Place – Randy Keesler of Providence (Mont.)
2nd Place – Tyler Noon of Menlo (Calif.)
3rd Place – Bruce Valdez of Menlo (Calif.)
4th Place – Steeler French of Montana State-Northern
5th Place – Tyler Webley of Providence (Mont.)
6th Place – Tyler Hall of Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
1st Place Match
Randy Keesler (Providence (Mont.)) 21-6, So. over Tyler Noon (Menlo (Calif.)) 16-8, Sr. (Dec 13-6)
3rd Place Match
Bruce Valdez (Menlo (Calif.)) 30-9, . over Steeler French (Montana State-Northern) 18-16, So. (Dec 7-6)
5th Place Match
Tyler Webley (Providence (Mont.)) 13-7, RS Jr. over Tyler Hall (Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)) 11-7, . (Dec 7-4)
197 pounds
1st Place – Tanner Fischer of Southern Oregon
2nd Place – Isaac Bartel of Montana State-Northern
3rd Place – Eric Fan of Eastern Oregon University (OR)
4th Place – John Hensley of Providence (Mont.)
5th Place – Jovan Villalobos of Menlo (Calif.)
6th Place – Alejandro Sandoval of Southern Oregon
1st Place Match
Tanner Fischer (Southern Oregon) 19-6, Sr. over Isaac Bartel (Montana State-Northern) 34-8, Fr. (Dec 4-1)
3rd Place Match
Eric Fan (Eastern Oregon University (OR)) 18-8, Jr. over John Hensley (Providence (Mont.)) 22-17, So. (Fall 1:07)
5th Place Match
Jovan Villalobos (Menlo (Calif.)) 24-10, Sr. over Alejandro Sandoval (Southern Oregon) 17-17, Sr. (Dec 5-3)
285 pounds
1st Place – Mathew Hopkins of Providence (Mont.)
2nd Place – Javier Gonzalez of Menlo (Calif.)
3rd Place – Justin Harbison of Providence (Mont.)
4th Place – Zane Wardwell of Southern Oregon
5th Place – Taben Mansarey of Eastern Oregon University (OR)
6th Place – David Rupp of Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
1st Place Match
Mathew Hopkins (Providence (Mont.)) 27-10, Jr. over Javier Gonzalez (Menlo (Calif.)) 23-7, Sr. (Dec 10-4)
3rd Place Match
Justin Harbison (Providence (Mont.)) 20-9, RS Sr. over Zane Wardwell (Southern Oregon) 13-14, Jr. (Fall 1:46)
5th Place Match
Taben Mansarey (Eastern Oregon University (OR)) 1-2, Jr. over David Rupp (Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)) 15-15, Sr. (Inj. 0:00)
