Corvallis Gazette-Times

GOLDEN, Colo. — Oregon State won four duals on Saturday to earn the championship at the Jack Hancock Duals Invitational. The victories gave the Beavers 900 dual wins in school history; they are 900-286-26, dating back to 1909.

Heavyweight Ty Watterson recorded three pins and stayed undefeated. Also staying unbeaten were 125-pounder Jake Gonzales, 133-pounder Bobby Pfennigs, 141-pounder Kyle Larson, 149-pounder Derek Kipperberg and 174-pounder Jeremy Larson.

The Beavers (5-0, 1-0) captured the championship with a 25-12 win over Western State, which is ranked seventh in NCAA Division II.

“That’s something,” OSU coach Jim Zalesky said of becoming the third Division I school to reach 900 dual wins. “Not many schools can say that. Nine-hundred and still building, I hope we get a lot more wins this year and in the future.”

To reach the finals, OSU beat Division I squads Utah Valley State 49-0 and Eastern Michigan 28-9 in pool competition, then topped Chadron State, another Division II school that received votes in the national poll, 46-3 in the semifinals. Chadron State beat Colorado School of Mines 30-15 for third place in the 13-team event.

“It was a pretty good day,” Zalesky said. “I thought we wrestled well. It was also good that we saw the things we need to work on. We had success, but we saw things we need to get better at.”

Against Western State, the OSU led 16-12 with two matches to go but got a decision from 197-pounder Travis Gardner to secure the win and then a pin from Watterson to wrap it up.

“Western State battled us hard,” Zalesky said. “They tried to slow us down in some matches and they kept some matches close, that’s where we saw what we have to work on. They wrestled hard and gave us a match, and that’s what you want.”

Watterson improved to 5-0 this season with his three pins and a forfeit victory.

Jeremy Larson had one pin and three major decisions on Saturday to also improve to 5-0 this season. In his four matches that haven’t ended in a pin, he has averaged more than 17 points per match this season.

Besides Watterson and Larson, Pfennigs picked up two pins and two decisions and Kipperberg, Gonzales and Kyle Larson all won four matches.

Oregon State’s next home meet will be Dec. 8 against Oregon in the season’s first Civil War.

OSU 49, Utah Valley St. 9

Pool 4 semifinals

125: Jake Gonzales, OSU, by forfeit. 133: Bobby Pfennigs, OSU, pinned Alex Smith, UVSC, 2:45. 141: Kyle Larson, OSU, dec. Justin Morrill, UVSC, 6-0. 149: Derek Kipperberg, OSU, dec. Justin Rawle, UVSC, 3-1. 157: Andy Hall, OSU, dec. Dustin Olsen, UVSC, 5-2.

165: Brett Arand, OSU, pinned Mark South, UVSC, 4:58. 174: Jeremy Larson, OSU, pinned Mark Fenwick, UVSC, 4:58. 184: Kyle Bressler, OSU, pinned Brock Jardine, UVSC, 6:50. 197: Travis Gardner, OSU, pinned Eric McCallister, UVSC, 4:05. HWT.: Ty Watterson, OSU by forfeit.

OSU 28, Eastern Michigan 9

Pool 4 championship

125: Jake Gonzales, OSU, major dec. Zach Beck, EMU, 15-3. 133: Bobby Pfennigs, OSU, dec. Chris Jenkins, EMU,

4-0. 141: Kyle Larson, OSU, major dec. Zack Donofrio, EMU, 17-4. 149: Derek Kipperberg, OSU, dec. Josh Moulton, EMU, 4-1. 157: Corey Mancuso, EMU, dec. Andy Hall, OSU, 9-2.

165: Nick Conklin, EMU, dec. Brett Arand, OSU, 4-3. 174: Jeremy Larson, OSU, tech. fall over Quinn Guernsey, EMU, time n/a (17-0). 184: Kyle Bressler, OSU, dec. Josh Lewis, EMU, 7-2. 197: Tony Lyssiotis, EMU, dec. Travis Gardner, OSU, 3-1. HWT.: Ty Watterson, OSU, dec. Charles Walker, EMU, 6:49.

OSU 46, Chadron State 3

Championship semifinals

125: Jake Gonzales, OSU, pinned Devon Webb, CSC, 2:27. 133: Bobby Pfennigs, OSU, pinned Sergio Palomo, CSC, 1:39. 141: Kyle Larson, OSU, pinned Skylair Lappe, CSC, 1:08. 149: Derek Kipperberg, OSU, dec. Mark Pfeifer, CSC, 15-8. 157: Jared Webster, CSC, dec. Andy Hall, OSU, 8-5.

165: Brett Arand, OSU, dec. Brett Hunter, CSC, 16-10. 174: Jeremy Larson, OSU, major dec. Matt Weigart, CSC, 10-2. 184: Kyle Bressler, OSU, pinned Matt Davis, CSC, 1:36. 197: Travis Gardner, OSU, pinned Josh Majerus, CSC, 4:56. HWT.: Ty Watterson, OSU, pinned Cale Bickerdyke, CSC, 2:15.

OSU 25, Western State 12

Championship

125: Jake Gonzales, OSU, dec. Eddie Lopez, WSC, 5-4. 133: Bobby Pfennigs, OSU, dec. Marques Bravo, WSC, 14-8. 141: Kyle Larson, OSU, dec. Chris Freiji, WSC,

4-0. 149: Derek Kipperberg, OSU, dec. Camille DuPont, WSC, 8-4. 157: Neil Samples, WSC, dec. Andy Hall, OSU, 7-6.

165: Zach Lee, WSC, pinned Brett Arand, OSU, 3:53. 174: Jeremy Larson, OSU, dec. Larry Wilbanks, WSC, 18-5. 184: Charlie Pipher, WSC, dec. Kyle Bressler, OSU, 8-5. 197: Travis Gardner, OSU, dec. Cody Mumma, WSC, 4-1. HWT.: Ty Watterson, OSU, pinned Andrew Skinner, WSC, 1:29.