ASHLAND, Ore. – In a thrilling wrestling dual that showcased skill and grit, the Cal Poly Humboldt Lumberjacks fell to the No. 9-ranked (NAIA) Southern Oregon Raiders by a score of 23-19 on Friday evening at Riehm Arena. Despite several standout performances and upset victories, Humboldt was unable to overcome Southern Oregon's depth and national-caliber wrestlers.

The Lumberjacks, who entered the match looking to make a statement, jumped out to an early lead, thanks to a dominant pin from Josh Neiwert at 133 pounds, a hard-fought 5-3 decision by Nathan Aguilar at 141 pounds, and a thrilling triple overtime decision from Jayson Victoria.

Key Highlights:

• Josh Neiwert (133 pounds) got the night started with an impressive 1:27 pin over Southern Oregon's Dylan Clark, putting Humboldt ahead 6-3 early.
• Nathan Aguilar (141 pounds) followed with a gritty 5-3 victory over Tyler Rhue, extending the lead to 9-3.
• Jayson Victoria (149 pounds) produced one of the night's most exciting results, pulling off a stunning 5-4 victory in a triple-overtime decision over Southern Oregon's second-ranked Evan Potter, bringing the score to 12-3 in favor of the Lumberjacks
• Cole Zoller (165 pounds) delivered a dominant 8-0 major decision over Paul Ortiz, keeping the momentum alive for the Lumberjacks and narrowing the score to 16-7 in favor of the Raiders at that point.
• Carson Hatch (285 pounds) capped off the night with a strong 10-3 decision over Southern Oregon's No. 25 Sebastian Echeverria, securing a crucial victory for the Lumberjacks and bringing the score to 23-19.

However, the Raiders responded with a series of wins, including major decisions from their top wrestlers. Aaron Gandara, ranked No. 3 at 157 pounds, registered an 11-0 major decision over Humboldt's Gil Mossburg, while Noah Talavera (174 pounds) put on a dominant performance, earning an 18-2 technical fall over Diego Robles to put SOU up 16-12.

The match also featured a forfeit at 184 pounds, giving Southern Oregon's Braylin Ruchti an automatic win, pushing their lead to 18-16.

Despite the strong efforts from several Lumberjacks, including Hatch's win at heavyweight, the Raiders' depth proved too much to overcome. Asher Ruchti, ranked No. 9 at 197 pounds, sealed the match for Southern Oregon with a dominating 16-0 technical fall over Humboldt's Abdurraham "Manman" Garner, increasing the Raiders' lead to 23-16.

Humboldt's performance highlighted their potential and the program's rising strength. The Lumberjacks will look to regroup and continue to build on their progress as they prepare for the next round of competition tomorrow against Corban University (Ore.).

The Lumberjacks will compete in a dual against Corban Universirty at C.E. Jeffers Sports Center in McMinnville, Oregon at 7:30 PM. It can be streamed by clicking here, and live results will be available by clicking here.

SOUTHERN OREGON 23, CAL POLY HUMBOLDT 19 

125 – No. 12 Vonn Fenn, SOU, dec. Caleb Tatad, 9-3. (3-0)

133 – Josh Neiwert, Humboldt, p. Dylan Clark, 1:27. (3-6)

141 – Nathan Aguilar, Humboldt, dec. Tyler Rhue, 5-3. (3-9)

149 – Jayson Victoria, Humboldt, dec. No. 2 Evan Potter, 5-4 (3OT). (3-12)

157 – No. 3 Aaron Gandara, SOU, major dec. Gil Mossburg, 11-0. (7-12)

165 – Cole Zoller, Humboldt, major dec. Paul Ortiz, 8-0. (7-16)

174 – Noah Talavera, SOU, tech. fall Diego Robles, 18-2 (5:29). (12-16)

184 – Braylin Ruchti, SOU, wins by forfeit. (18-16)

197 – No. 9 Asher Ruchti, SOU, tech. fall Abdurraham "Manman" Garner, 16-0 (4:00). (23-16)

285 – Carson Hatch, Humboldt, dec. No. 25 Sebastian Echeverria, 10-3. (23-19)