Oscar Sustains Injury Default in Fresno Loss
Oregon State University - January 25, 1997

FRESNO, Calif. - Oregon State finished its weekend wrestling trip to central California with a split Saturday as the 18th-ranked Beavers were beaten 23-19 by No. 16 Fresno State in a non-league dual meet. OSU (12-6 overall, 3-1 Pacific-10) had beaten 13th- ranked Cal State-Bakersfield 22-21 on Friday night.

Saturday afternoon, though, not only saw OSU edged in a dual meet by the Bulldogs (8-4), but also saw Beaver 134-pounder Oscar Wood lose his first match of the year when he had default because of injury.

Wood, ranked fourth in the country, went into his match with third-ranked Yero Washington with a 28-0 record. Washington, though, was leading 6-4 in the third round when Wood suffered a knee injury and had to default at the 5:23 mark.

OSU coach Joe Wells said the severity of the injury won't be known until the team gets home and Wood is examined by a doctor.

"I don't know exactly what happened - I'll have to look at the tape again," Wells said. "I'm proud of the way we wrestled. We wrestled real aggressively, we took a lot of shots and a lot of risks. I can see real improvement."

OSU also forfeited at 118 pounds, where Jason Buce is 23-1 but has been battling illness.

"We need to rest him and get him ready to go next week," Wells said, looking forward to home duals Friday night against 10th- ranked Arizona State and Saturday night against Brigham Young.

The Beavers picked up big wins at three straight weights against Fresno State as 150-pounder Isaac Wood, 158-pounder Jason Gutches and 167-pounder Clint Wilson all took decisions.

Wood beat FSU senior Gary Quintana 9-5, Gutches defeated Chris Hafer 10-4 and Wilson topped junior Jason Flaten 7-3.

"Isaac did a real good job against a good kid," Wells said. "And Jason won a big match - he wrestled a flawless bout, it was great. Clint wrestled a nice match against the junior college champion from last year, so that's a big win for Clint."

OSU's Jake Whisenhunt was a winner at 126 pounds with a 13-4 major decision over K.L. Lake. The Beavers' Sanders Freed lost 4-3 to Jason Street at 177 pounds; Freed was turning Street and was closing in on a chance to score back points as the match ended.

The Bulldogs clinched the dual when Lalo Moz took a match termination over OSU's Chris Renzullo at 190 pounds. Beaver heavyweight Mat Orndorff then received a forfeit to end the dual.

"The guys are improving in the way they're wrestling and the way they're attacking opponents," Wells said. "With a young team, we're pleased to come down here and get a split, and we came within an eyelash of winning this dual."

NO. 16 FRESNO STATE 23, NO. 18 OREGON STATE 19

118Sean Kim, FSU, by forfeit
126Jake Whisenhunt, OSU, maj. dec. K.L. Lake, FSU, 13-4
134Yero Washington, FSU, inj. def. over Oscar Wood, OSU, 5:23
142Brendan Buckley, FSU, dec. Josh Whisenhunt, OSU, 11-6
150Isaac Wood, OSU, dec. Gary Quintana, FSU, 9-5
158Jason Gutches, OSU, dec. Chris Hafer, FSU, 10-4
167Clint Wilson, OSU, dec. Jason Flaten, FSU, 7-3
177Jason Street, FSU, dec. Sanders Freed, OSU, 4-3
190Lalo Moz, FSU, tech. fall Chris Renzullo, OSU, 6:08 (20-5)
HWTMat Orndorff, OSU, by forfeit.


[OSU Wrestling 1997]
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