Cougars add state champion Williams to line-up
June 03, 2009
Oregon City, Ore. -- 4x Oregon State Placer and 3x finalist Tarrence Williams joins a host of high school seniors as the newest members of Clackamas Wrestling.
The Jefferson High School star was the 135lbs state champion in 2008 and was runner up on two other occasions including a second place finish at 145lbs in 2009. He was also a 4th place finisher at the Western Regional Championships in Las Vegas, NV.
"Tarrence adds a ton of athletic ability to our lower/middle weights, said Coach Josh Rhoden. "He has done a lot of wrestling and we are hoping that his best wrestling is ahead of him."
The Cougars are looking to build on a 2009 Championship run that saw them finish 3rd, a mere 2.5 points out of national runner up. Additionally, Clackamas returns a trio of All-Americans from last year's squad to make a run at this year's championships!
"We are very excited about the group we have coming in and it includes a number of walk on athletes that we aren't able to count-out yet,"
Rhoden concluded.
Wrestling 411: Interview with Richard Jensen
May 24, 2009
Click to listen
Cougars sign Gresham standout John Reese
May 20, 2009
Oregon City, Ore - Clackamas Community College wrestling adds John Reese to their growing list of commitments for the 2009-10 season.
Reese was the OSAA State Champion at 125 lbs for Gresham HS and coach Zac Enoch. He was also the 2008 Reser's TOC Champion and projects at 125/133 for the Cougars.
"John is a hard worker and a dedicated teammate. Both are high on our list here at Clackamas," said Coach Josh Rhoden. "John will fill a whole for us at 125 and add a little depth to the weight class as well."
Reese joins a host of top recruits for the Cougars for the upcoming season to include prep All-American Matt Melendrez (California HS), #15 heavyweight Jacob Mitchell (Jefferson HS), and Jake Morris (Oregon City HS) who is a top 25 recruit for his weight class.
"We are really excited about the kids we have been able to get for the upcoming season and we look forward to the next couple weeks when we have a few more top kids visiting," added Rhoden.
Jacob Mitchell is a Cougar!
Oregon prep heavyweight champion signs with Clackamas
May 18, 2009
Oregon City, Ore - Clackamas Community College wrestling has added another top heavy weight wrestler to their list of recruits for the upcoming season. Jefferson High School standout and Peninsula Wrestling Club wrestler Jacob Mitchell has signed a letter of intent to compete for the Cougars in the 2009-10 season.
Mitchell is currently ranked #15 in the country at his respective weight class by www.intermat.com Mitchell was the 285 lb state champion and top heavyweight this year in Oregon. Additionally, Jacob won both freestyle and greco championships at the Western Regional Tournament in Las Vegas, NV. He also placed 3rd and 8th in the collegiate division respectively. In 2008 Jacob was a Greco All-American at Fargo, ND.
“Jacob is a huge pick up for us,” said head wrestling coach Josh Rhoden, whose Cougar teams have seen a 285 lb All-American each year he has been at the college including the last two national finalists and the current national champion Tyrell Fortune.
For a second consecutive year the Cougars pick up a heavyweight that is ranked #1 by www.themat.com on the future Olympians list (Fortune, 2009).
“We are really excited to add Jacob to our group for next year and we look forward to helping him accomplish his goals,” said Rhoden.
What to watch for: Mitchell will be competing this spring and summer in the Concord Cup, Junior Pan-Am’s, and Freestyle and Greco National Championships where he is expected to contend for multiple championships.
Future Olympians (Juniors): http://www.usawmembership.com/WeightRanking.jsp
Intermat Rankings: http://www.intermatwrestle.com/rankings/high_school/285
Cougars Sign Prep All-American Melendrez
Also add Mestrovich and Root
May 08, 2009
Oregon City, OR- California High School standout Matt Melendrez has signed a letter of intent to continue his wrestling career at Clackamas Community College next season. The Whittier, California native finished 4th at the California State Championships and was capped off with an 8th place finish at the NHSCA Senior National Championships. Matt compiled a 48-9 win-loss record this year finishing with an incredible 38 falls.
“We are extremely excited about Matthew choosing Clackamas,” said Head Coach Josh Rhoden. “He is an incredible wrestler with a huge upside and we can’t wait to work with him."
Melendrez is ranked as one of the top wrestlers in his respective weight class in the nation, coming in at 24th among 145 lbers.
“We definitely look forward to having Matt in the room and helping him win a National Championship,” aded Rhoden.
The Cougars also added Levi Root of Burns, Oregon and Derek Mestrovich of Nampa, Idaho to their list of recruits for this season. Both Mestrovich and Root will be transferring from Southern Oregon and Boise State this year.
“Both these guys fill some gaps for us and both of these guys are tough wrestlers,” said Coach Rhoden. "Each of these young men were finalists in their respective weight classes at the Cliff Keen Reno Worlds, with Mestrovich winning the tournament crown."
“We are excited about the kids we have coming in so far and look forward to hearing from a number of other top kids in and around the Northwest.” “We have been blessed with a great group and we are building something that top kids want to be a part of which is exciting,” concluded Rhoden.
Jensen and ESPN capture Prism Award for "Outside the Lines: Richard Jensen"
April 27, 2009
 Beverly Hills, CA - Richard Jensen and ESPN captured the Newsmagazine Segment Award at the 2009 Prism Awards held on April 23rd.
The feature, narrarated by Jensen, documents his 15 year struggle with drug addiction and his return to wrestling at age 36 to aid in his recovery.
2009 PRISM AWARDS NEWSMAGAZINE SEGMENT:
ESPN Outside the Lines - "Richard Jensen" view video
Jensen's video was selected over other nominations which included:
Celebrity Crisis: 10 Most Shocking Mental Disorders (E! Entertainment Television),
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel - "Drinking Games"
(HBO Sports) and
THS Investigates - "Prom Nightmares"
(E! Entertainment Television) [view awards list]
Related Articles:
Chat with Richard Jensen (ESPN)
Wrestler fights back from drug addiction to inspire team (ESPN)
Want to know more about Richard's story? Visit his site: www.lostdreamsawaken.org
About the Prism Awards
The Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC) annually presents the PRISM Awards, in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), FX Network, and News Corporation, for outstanding accomplishments in the accurate depiction of drug, alcohol and tobacco use and addiction, as well as mental health issues, in film, television, interactive, comic book, music, and DVD entertainment. [ more]
OCHS Standout Morris is a Cougar!
4/20/2009
Oregon City, OR- Oregon City High School Wrestling standout Jake Morris has signed a letter of intent to continue his wrestling career at Clackamas Community College. The Oregon City senior compiled 125 wins to just 31 losses in his four years as a Pioneer. Morris was a 3 time OSAA state placer, winning the championship in 2007. Jake was also the first 4 time district champion in OCHS history.
“We are excited to add Jacob to our team! We believe that he brings a great intensity and ability to win to the program, said Clackamas Wrestling Coach Josh Rhoden.
Morris is also one of the nation’s top seniors at his weight class according to numerous amateur wrestling publications. He joins a Cougar program that is coming off one of the most successful seasons in school history. The Cougars finished in third place at the NJCAA National Championships with 5 All-Americans.
“I believe that Jake has the ability to help move us toward the team title we are working for here at Clackamas, said Rhoden.
When asked Morris said “part of the reason I chose to stay here in Oregon City is because of the Cougars national success and success I think they will continue to have."
Tyrell Fortune named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for Feb. 24-March 2
Craig Sesker USA Wrestling :: 03/02/2009 :: Website
 Tyrell Fortune (Portland, Ore./Clackamas CC) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for Feb. 24-March 2.
Each week, TheMat.com will select an Athlete of the Week, based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level.
Fortune, a freshman, pinned his way through the tournament at 285 pounds to win the National Junior College Athletic Association championship on Feb. 28 in Rochester, Minn.
Fortune pinned all five wrestlers en route to the title. Fortune pinned Landon Harris of Northwest Wyoming in 5 minutes, 49 seconds in the final round.
Fortune was a 2008 Junior Nationals champion in Greco-Roman and freestyle, and is a past Cadet Nationals champion in Greco-Roman and freestyle. He was a two-time state high school champion.
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Cougars take 3rd at National Championships
Tyrell Fortune wins 285 National Championship
February 28, 2009
The Cougars lived up to the hype - The squad was ranked 3rd in the final NJCAA poll and they battled hard to walk away from Rochester with the NJCAA Div I third place hardware. It was Clackamas' best finish at nationals since 1989 when the Cougars took 2nd and the third best in school hisotry (Cougars won the National Championship in 1971).
The Cougars narrowly missed second place by a margin of 2.5 points as Region 18 rival Idaho College earned that distinction with 89.5 points while Iowa Central took top honors with 161.5 points. [team scores]
On the day, five Cougars earned All-American with Tyrell Fortune taking 1st at 285, Kyle Wirkuty taking 3rd at 141, Caleb Kociemba and Kris Spencer taking 5th at 184 and 165 and Brett Sanchez taking 7th at 197.
Fortune had a monster tournament pinning every wrestler he faced while going 5-0 to become the first Cougar National Champion since Glenn Garrison won the 142lb Championship in 1997. Fortune's performance earned him the Bruce Traphagen Award which distinguishes the wrestler with the most falls in the least amount of time.
Fortune opened day two with another first round pin, this time against Labette's 8th-ranked Ben Hohensee in the second minute. Fortune then faced his toughest match of the tournament in Northwest Wyoming's Landon Harris, the 3rd-ranked junior college heavy weight in the nation. Harris and Fortune battled a very even match until Fortune was able to capture the title on a pin at 5:49 in the second period. [285 bracket]
It was a day of sweet revenge for 141lber Kyle Wirkuty. After defeating Vinny Pasani - the same wrestler that knocked Wirkuty out of title contention yesterday - in a 5-3 overtime nail biter earlier today, Wirkuty was matched up with North Idaho's Tim McGoldrick in the 3rd place match.
Two weeks ago, McGoldrick took the Region 18 crown at 141 pounds while Wirkuty had to settle for third at the event. This time it was Wirkuty that got the upper hand as he easily defeated McGoldrick 7-2 to take third at nationals. [141 bracket]
Kris Spencer opened the day with 11-5 decision before slipping by the same score to Lincoln College's 7th-ranked David Dwyer. The loss placed Spencer in the 165lbs 5th place match which he won on an injury default by North Iowa's Tim Springs. [165 bracket]
Semifinalist Caleb Kociemba was knocked out of a shot for the title match when he lost a 6-2 decision to eventual 184 National Champion Devin Clark of Rochester. The loss put him in a match with Region 18 Champion Kamron Jackson who defeated Kociemba 4-1. Kociemba finally picked up a 7-2 win over 6th-ranked Joe Johnson of Iowa Central to capture fifth place. [184 bracket]
197lber Brett Sanchez opened his day with a 5-0 loss to John Taylor of Niagara which placed Sanchez in the seventh place match against Itasca College's Skip Johnson. Johnson, the sixth-ranked 197lber, was no match for Sanchez as Sanchez picked up a major decision 10-1 to capture seventh. [197 bracket]
Clackamas heavyweight Tyrell Fortune talks about staying in Oregon
February 27, 2009 :: written by Jason Bryant
Rochester, MN - Tyrell Fortune’s reputation on the Junior level was drawing comparisons to some of the great Greco-Roman wrestlers before they were great. But Fortune’s reputation as a great thrower and championships-level competitor were slowed by less than stellar grades in high school.
Fortune shrugged off offers from the country’s most dominant Community College programs and stayed close to home, attending Clackamas Community College.
Fortune’s now into the semifinals after a big fall in the quarters and he explains his decision to stay in Oregon.
Listen to Pod cast interview with Tyrell.
Cougars in 4th place at NJCAA National Championships after day one
February 27, 2009
Rochester, MN - The Cougars earned 53.5 points after day one of the two day event to hold at 4th of NJCAA Div I teams and 5th overall (Nassau, a Div III - non scholarship team is in 2nd place). Clackamas trails Iowa Central 92pts, Nassau 63pts, North Idaho 60pts and Labette 59pts while the team is holding off tough competition from N. Iowa Area 48.5pts, Northwest Wyoming 47pts, among others (view current team scores).
Clackamas is anchored by a pair semi-finalist in 2nd-ranked heavyweight Tyrell Fortune and 4th-ranked 184lber Caleb Kociemba.
Fortune so far has rolled through the field with three straight first period pins and faces 8th-ranked Ben Hohensee of Labette on Saturday for a shot at the heavy weight title. [285lbs bracket]
Kociemba won three sound decisions including a 9-5 decision over 2nd-ranked David Benson of Labette in his last match of the day. Kociemba will open Saturday with a match against 8th-ranked Devin Clark of Rochester for a shot at the 184 championship. [184lbs bracket]
Three other Cougars earned All-American status and have a shot at third place in their respective weight classes.
197lber Brett Sanchez narrowly missed the semi-finals with a hard fought 4-2 loss in overtime to Phil Hawes of Iowa Central. On Saturday Sanchez will face Niagara's John Taylor to stay alive in the tournament. [197lbs bracket]
165lbs Kris Spencer lost his opening match, but recouped by winning three straight, including wins over 8th & 4th-ranked wrestlers to remain in contention for a third place match. Spencer will open Saturday with a match against Aaron Sandel of Thaddeus Stevens College. [165lbs bracket]
141lber Kyle Wirkuty also got knocked out of the championship hunt with an opening round loss to 2nd-ranked Vinny Pisani of Iowa Central, but bounced back with three convincing wins including a pair of pins to hold a shot at 3rd place in the tournament. Wirkuty opens Saturday's action against Jemato Harris of Colby. [141lbs bracket]
Cougars Anthony Weerheim, 149lbs; Jace Lewis, 157lbs and Josh Miller, 174lbs were eliminated for the tournament. Weerheim and Miller went 2-2 on the day with Lewis going 0-2. [brackets: 149, 157, 174]
"So far we have wrestled well and second place is only a few points away," said Coach Josh Rhoden. "We still have some wrestling to do and hopefully we can make some more magic happen," he added.
NJCAA National Wrestling Championships
Follow the action at the National tournament this weekend (Feb 26-28) on the Rochester Amatuer Sports Commision web site. Brackets should be updated periodically during the tournament.
Clackamas 2nd at Region 18 Championships, Qualify 8 for Nationals
February 14, 2009
Coeur D’ Alene, ID- The #3 ranked Clackamas Community College wrestling team (NJCAA Coaches Poll) hit the road this past weekend to North Idaho College for the Region 18 Championships. The championships are the western region qualifier for the NJCAA National Championships held in Rochester, MN at the end of this month.
The Cougars finished the day with 5 championship finalists, 8 national qualifiers and the outstanding wrestler of the tournament, in 285 lb Tyrell Fortune. The 2nd place finish marks the first time in 6 years that the Cougars have finished as high. The champion on the day was host North Idaho College who is currently the #2 ranked team in the NJCAA. “North Idaho wrestled very well on Saturday and they showed why they are ranked as highly as they are,” said Cougar head coach Josh Rhoden.
“For us we talked about this tournament being a qualifier and we just wanted to get our guys through to the next step in the season. We don’t want to do our best wrestling until the JC’s in Rochester,” he continued. “However, we would have liked to see a couple of our guys wrestle up to their ability this past weekend. I am sure that is what will keep us hard at work over the next week and a half,” concluded Rhoden.
Cougar heavyweight Tyrell Fortune won the tournaments outstanding wrestler in dominant fashion on Saturday. Tyrell started the day with a bye as the #1 seed and dispatched Daniel Escamilla (YVC) by 28-13 technical fall and then beat Highline’s David Lopez by an 18-7 major decision. Fortune pushed his record to 28-2 on the season and has maintained his #2 ranking nationally. “Ty is wrestling great right now and just needs to stay focused on his goals for the year and continue to work hard,” said Coach Rhoden.
CCC National Qualifiers: Kyle Wirkuty (141), Anthony Weerheim (149), Jace Lewis (157), Kris Spencer (165), Josh Miller (174), Caleb Kociemba (184), Brett Sanchez (197), and Tyrell Fortune (285).
Region 18 Team Finishes: 1, North Idaho College 2, Clackamas Community College 3, Southwestern Oregon Community College 4, Highline Community College 5, Yakima Valley Community College
Next Up for the Cougs: Clackamas travels to the NJCAA National Championships in Rochester, MN on February 27th & 28th.
Clackamas Wrestling ranked #3 in the Country
February 4, 2009
Oregon City, OR - The NJCAA Coaches Association has released its latest individual and team rankings. Clackamas made a huge jump from 10th to 3rd in the nation this week after a very strong showing at the Apodaca Duals in Wyoming last weekend.
The Cougars now have seven individuals ranked among the top 10 at their respective weight class.
The team opened the weekend duals with a huge win over the 5th-ranked team in the country, then closed then duals with a very close contest against the 4th-ranked team.
“We are excited that people have taken notice of our efforts out here in Oregon City. However, we are realistic in that we have to continue to train and work hard in order to achieve our goals,” said Head Coach Josh Rhoden.
This is the first time that the CCC Wrestling team has been ranked as high in 20 years. The 1989 team finished as the National Runner-up under Coach Norm Berney and was also ranked in the top 5 throughout that season.
“If we can even be in the same sentence as Clackamas' 1989 and 1971 teams then we are on the right track here,” added Rhoden. Rhoden is referring to the 1971 National Championship and 1989 National Runner-up teams that CCC has produced.
The Cougars are led by Tyrell Fortune (Lakeridge HS) who is ranked #2 in the nation at heavyweight; 141-pounder Kyle Wirkuty (Centennial HS), 174-pounder Josh Miller (Kelso HS, WA) and 184-pounder Caleb Kociemba (Hillsboro HS) who are ranked 4th; 149 pounder Anthony Weerheim (Preston HS, ID) who is ranked 5th; 133-pounder George Mendez (Pasco HS, WA) who is ranked 8th and 165-pounder Kris Spencer (Barlow HS, OR) who is ranked 9th.
Team and Individual Rankings are available at: http://www.intermatwrestle.com/NJCAA%20Rankings.pdf
Cougars wrestle well at Apodaca Duals
#10 Clackamas 25, #5 North Iowa Area C.C. 17
#10 Clackamas 22, #12 Northwest Wyoming C.C. 22**
#10 Clackamas 51, #13 Western Wyoming C.C. 0
#10 Clackamas 16, #4 Labette C.C. 22
** Dual meet was a loss due to 1 team point deduction
Powell, WY - The Clackamas Community College wrestling team traveled to Wyoming for the Apodaca Dual Showdown which featured some of the nation’s top Junior College wrestling teams.
The Cougars, who went 2-2 on the weekend, upset the #5 team in the country first thing on Friday afternoon 25-17. North Iowa was this year’s national dual meet runner-up and the Cougars won 7 of the 10 contests to dispatch the Tritons.
However, the victory was short lived for the Cougars. That evening they lost the contest with host Northwest College 22-21. The match was tied but the Cougars were deducted 1 team point for misconduct. The match was a heated contest between the Trappers and the Cougars.
The turning point for Clackamas came at the 133 pound weight class where George Mendez, who was up in the bout, broke his right hand and had to injury default in the match. This allowed the Trappers 6 team points in a match that they would have lost.
“It was hard for us to lose George at that point,” said Coach Josh Rhoden. “We are going to get him x-ray’s and hope for the best because we would hate to lose him for the post season.".
Saturday saw the Cougars avenge their Friday night loss with the second shutout they have posted this season in a 51-0 win over Western Wyoming.
Cougar wrestlers Anthony Weerheim and Josh Miller each beat ranked opponents in the lopsided victory. Anthony and Josh both stepped up big in that dual. “Josh beat the #3 kid in the country 12-2…It was awesome to watch,” Rhoden exclaimed.
The last match of the day came against Labette Community College. The Cardinal beat #2 North Idaho on Friday and was the toughest team in the contest. After a loss at 125 and a forfeit at 133 (Mendez’s wt. class) the two teams traded victories throughout a great dual meet. Unfortunately for the Cougars, the forfeit at 133 proved to be the margin of defeat in the dual with the final score being 22-16. Cougar wrestlers Anthony Weerheim and Caleb Kociemba beat their Labette opponents who were both ranked in the top 5 in the nation.
Meet Notes: Kyle Wirkuty (141), Caleb Kociemba (184) and Tyrell Fortune (285) each went 4-0 on the weekend winning all matches they competed in. Anthony Weerheim beat 3 ranked wrestlers and lost on a very marginal call to beat a forth. Also only losing one match were George Mendez (133), Kris Spencer (165), and Josh Miller (174).
Clackamas 25, NIACC 17
125- Jeremiah Barkac tech fall Gilbert Lopez (CCC), 15-0
133- George Mendez (CCC) dec #4 Cody Hogan, 11-7
141- Kyle Wirkuty (CCC) dec. #8 Jordan Hasenkamp, 5-2
149- Anthony Weerheim (CCC) dec #4 TJ Moen, 8-6 SV
157- Jon Rivera pin Jace Lewis (CCC) 1:05
165- Kris Spencer (CCC) dec. Aaron Hancock, 12-6
174- Brett Rosendale pin #6 Josh Miller, 4:01
184- #6 Caleb Kociemba (CCC) dec. Will Worthy, 8-0
197- Brett Sanchez (CCC) dec. Preston Poyner, 8-5
285- #2 Tyrell Fortune (CCC) pin Zach Rosol, 1:16
Clackamas 21, Northwest 22
125- Eddie Whitting maj. dec. Gilbert Lopez (CCC), 10-2
133- Saul Guerrero injury default George Mendez (CCC), 3:45
141- Kyle Wirkuty (CCC) injury default McCade Ford, 4:45
149- Anthony Varnell dec. Anthony Weerheim (CCC), 8-7
157- Briston Brenton dec Jace Lewis (CCC), 9-4
165- Kris Spencer (CCC) dec. Cory Woodruff, 5-2
174- #6 Josh Miller (CCC) major dec. Tyrell Wright, 13-2
184- #6 Caleb Kociemba (CCC) win forfeit
197- Mark Jones pin Brett Sanchez (CCC) 4:09
285- #2 Tyrell Fortune dec #3 Landon Harris, 8-4
Clackamas 51, Western Wyoming 0
125- Gilbert Lopez (CCC) win forfeit
133- George Mendez (CCC) win forfeit
141- Kyle Wirkuty (CCC) pin Jake Bassett, 1:37
149- Anthony Weerheim (CCC) dec #5 Rodney Dollar, 4-2
157- Jace Lewis (CCC) dec Jerod Hammond, 7-6
165- Kris Spencer (CCC) win forfeit
174- #6 Josh Miller (CCC) major dec. #3 Johnny Ortega, 12-2
184- #6 Caleb Kociemba (CCC) tech fall Tyson Anderson, 4:30
197- Brett Sanchez (CCC) win forfeit
285- #2 Tyrell Fortune (CCC) pin Rusty Farnsworth, 2:25
Clackamas 16, Labette 22
125- #7 Collin Hase pin Gilbert Lopez (CCC), 1:04
133- Phillip Henes (LAB) win forfeit
141- Kyle Wirkuty (CCC) dec. Derek Ward, 8-5
149- Anthony Weerheim (CCC) dec. #8 Micheal Brady, 4-3
157- Rauteon Stots major dec. Jace Lewis (CCC), 15-4
165- #5 Aaron Hynick dec Kris Spencer 5-1 SV2
174- #6 Josh Miller (CCC) dec David Weske, 8-3
184- #6 Caleb Kociemba (CCC) dec #3 David Benson, 3-2
197- #5 Derek Thompson dec Brett Sanchez (CCC), 7-3
285- #2 Tyrell Fortune (CCC) Major Dec. #6 Ben Hohensee, 11-2
#10 Cougars down #9 Lakers 31-17
January 24, 2009
Coos Bay, OR - The Clackamas Community College wrestling team traveled to Coos Bay to take on the Nation's #9 ranked wrestling team in Southwest Oregon Community College Lakers (SOCC).
The Cougars captured the last four weight classes in the match to move their record to 7-3 on the year. The match was back and forth throughout with SOCC winning a match and then Clackamas would win a match.
"Our upper weights bailed us out again. Those guys have been tough as nails this year and they keep on taking care of business," said Coach Josh Rhoden. "Getting the win down there against our rival is a nice win for us. This definitely gives us some momentum to build on for next week in Wyoming."
The Cougars are up next in Powell, Wyoming where they will face some of the top Junior College competition in the country at the Apodaca Duals. Clackamas will wrestle #4 North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC), #13 Northwest Wyoming Community College (NWC), #5 Labette Community College (LCC), and #12 Western Wyoming Community College (WWCC).
Clackamas 31, SW Oregon 17
125- Thomas Gowing tech fall 17-1 Gilbert Lopez (CCC)
133- George Mendez (CCC) winner by forfeit
141- Trent Stevenson dec. 4-3 Kyle Wirkuty (CCC)
149- Anthony Weerheim (CCC) fall 2:19 Austin Thompson
157- #2 Zolboo Enkbhayer fall 6:30 Jace Lewis (CCC)
165- #2 Zach Pagnotta dec. 7-3 Kris Spencer (CCC)
174- #6 Josh Miller (CCC) major dec. 12-4 Anibal Vasquez
184- #6 Caleb Kociemba (CCC) dec. 5-0 Tim Hester
197- Brett Sanchez (CCC) winner by inj def 2:40 Jared Kamstra
285- #2 Tyrell Fortune (CCC) winner by forfeit
Fortune Claims Open Title, Wirkuty Second
January 17, 2009
Oregon City, OR -The Clackamas Wrestling team held its annual open tournament this past Saturday in Randall Hall Gymnasium. The tournament drew teams from multiple divisions including Division I, NAIA, and NJCAA.
The Cougars were led by Tyrell Fortune who claimed the 285lb championship with two falls and a decision in the finals. Fortune stretched his win streak to eight with a 21-2 overall record.
"Ty is wrestling great right now and he is helping lead this team everyday," said Coach Josh Rhoden.
Also making the final was 141 pounder Kyle Wirkuty. Wirkuty used four wins to make the final in a very tough 141 lb weight class. In the final, Wirkuty matched up with the NAIA's 2008 runner up and #1 ranked wrestler Barry Johnson from Southern Oregon University. In what was a great match the two wrestlers needed overtime to decide the outcome which went to Johnson following a great scramble, the match ended 3-1 in overtime.
"Kyle is wrestling really well right now. He has been a finalist in both of the last two tournaments we entered," said Rhoden.
Wirkuty pushed his record to 15-7 on the season with an 8-1 record over the past two weeks.
The other Cougar place finisher was Josh Miller at 174 lbs. Josh finished fourth in his weight class. His two losses on the day came to the eventual champion in Portland State's Ryan Sonderegger, in overtime and to Montana State-Northern's Austin Ouellette for 3rd. Josh had a good tournament but just came up a bit short in the semis to Sonderegger, losing in overtime.
"I am proud of the way that Josh is wrestling. He is turning the corner right now and what better time than the end of the year to do it, added Rhoden.
Coaches Poll: The new poll came out yesterday and the Cougars moved up to #10 in the country. Both Fortune and Miller moved up in the polls to #2 and #6 respectivly. Caleb Kociemba (who did not compete on Saturday) moved down one spot to #6.
Next Up: The Cougars wrestle in state rival and ninth-ranked Southwest Oregon Community College in Coos Bay on Friday night at 7p.m.
Cougars rally to defeat Montana State - Northern
January 16, 2008
Oregon City, OR - Clackamas wrestling took to the mats against the ninth-ranked NAIA squad in the country in Montana State University-Northern.
After dropping three of the first four matches, the Cougars reeled off six straight wins to beat the Northern Lights 26-14.
"We came out a little sluggish in some of the lower weights but our upper weights really picked us up," said Coach Josh Rhoden. "We had a couple of kids really step up today to boost us to that win and it is nice to see our hard work paying off."
The Cougars improve to 6-3 on the season in dual meets and will host the Clackamas Open Saturday in Randall Hall. Matches start at 10 am.
Clackamas 26, MSU-Northern 14
125: #1 Corey Borges pinned Gilbert Lopez (CCC) 3:10
133: Colt Heger dec George Mendez (CCC), 3-1
141: Kyle Wirkuty (CCC) Maj. Dec. Beau Lasalle, 16-6
149: (exibition) JD Goodrich Maj. Dec. Mike Sandoe (CCC), 10-2
157: Jace Lewis (CCC) Maj. Dec. Jim Smith, 17-4
165: Kris Spencer (CCC) dec. Colter Dimas, 8-2
174: #7 Josh Miller (CCC) dec. Austin Ouellette, 3-2
184: #5 Caleb Kociemba (CCC) dec. #4 Evan Hinebauch, 4-2
197: Brett Sanchez (CCC) dec. Mark Dennis, 2-0
285: #3 Tyrell Fortune (CCC) pinned Robby Shaw, 3:26
CCC rankings reflect NJCAA Coaches Poll
MSU-N rankings reflect NAIA Coaches Poll
Former Cougars John Bates and Seth Roy Lead Southern Oregon to National Dual Title
January 11, 2009
Cedar Falls, IA - Former Cougar All-American's Seth Roy and John Bates helped lead the Southern Oregon University Raiders to the National Dual Meet Championship this past weekend in Iowa.
In winning the championship, SOU had to defeat 3x back to back to back NAIA National Champions Lindenwood University.
The finals match saw Roy defeat the 2x NAIA National Champion Ryan Moyer 6-3 by way of three takedowns to Moyer's three escapes.
The match also saw one of the most exciting finishes in wrestling.
With Southern Oregon down by four points, 12-16, the match came down to the heavyweights. Bates needed a major decision to tie the contest and force criteria to decide the outcome. Bates did not disappoint; He earned the major decision and tied the dual.
While the teams waited for the criteria to decide the dual meet champion, John had know idea that his near fall during the match would be the deciding factor that gave SOU the title 17-16 over the reigning champs.
"We could not be prouder of these guys," said Clackamas Coach Josh Rhoden. "John and Seth were outstanding athletes while at CCC and now they are excelling at the next level."
Bates is currently the #1 ranked NAIA 285lber in the nation while Roy garners the #3 spot in the country.
"Both of these guys are incredible athletes and our entire staff is so excited for them,"
said Rhoden.
Three Cougars capture titles at Oregon Classic
Jan 10, 2009
Redmond, OR - Three Clackamas wrestlers captured individual titles this past Saturday at the Oregon Wrestling Classic while three others were runners-up in their weight class. Kyle Wirkuty (141), Anthony Weerheim (149), and Tyrell Fortune (285) each won their respective weight class.
"These guys wrestled really well and we were happy with our results," said Coach Josh Rhoden.
The Cougars finished with a total of 11 place winners on the day which included a couple of red shirts.
Rhoden went on to say "Following a big win over Yakima Valley on Friday we felt really good going into the weekend and quite a few of our guys performed well. However, we have some work to do if we want to be the team that we have set our goals to be. It wasn't a bid tournament so we should be placing lots of guys and getting champs. We still have some work to do and we are excited about the future of Clackamas Wrestling."
[view brackets]
Finals:
133: Eric Stevenson (UN) dec. George Mendez (CCC) 3-0
141: Kyle Wirkuty (CCC) default over Cody Grahn (CCC-UN)
149: Anthony Weerheim (CCC) dec. Alan Dickey (OSU-UN)
197: Taylor Johnson (UN) pin Brett Sanchez (CCC) 4:40
285: Tyrell Fortune (CCC) default over Nigel Bond (CCC)
Consolation Finals:
125: Kevin Martinez (PSU) fall Gilbert Lopez (CCC)
157: Anthony Peressini (OSU-UN) Major dec. Billy Goldsberrry (CCC-UN)
165: Kris Spencer (CCC) dec. Jordan Toney (PSU-UN) 3-1
184: Caleb Kociemba (CCC) dec. Benji Martin (YVCC-UN) 8-4
197: Keena Washington (PSU) dec. Judah Lockwood (CCC) 10-6
Next Up: The Cougars host NAIA Montana State University-Northern on Friday at noon in Randall Hall Gymnasium. On Saturday the Cougars will host the Clackamas Open starting at 10 am.
Cougars thump Yaks
January 9, 2009
Oregon City, OR - Clackamas wrestling only lost one match on Friday in their home dual against Region 18 foe Yakima Valley. With the win the Cougars improve to 5-3 on the year and 4-2 in Region 18.
After dropping the first match of the afternoon the Cougs never looked back, winning the nine remaining weight classes.
"We wrestled well against Yakima on Friday and our guys are continuing to work hard to accomplish their goals for this season," said Coach Josh Rhoden.
Clackamas 49, Yakima Valley 4
125: Gustavo Lopez Maj. Dec. Gilbert Lopez (CCC) 10-1
133: George Mendez (CCC) Tech Fall Ken Jolly 16-0
141: Kyle Wirkuty (CCC) Tech Fall Philip Ontiveros 19-0
149: Anthony Weerheim (CCC) win Forfeit
157: Jace Lewis (CCC) Tech Fall Cody Wolf 16-0
165: Kris Spencer (CCC) winner by Forfeit
174: #7 Josh Miller (CCC) pinned Sam McNaughten 1:46
184: #5 Caleb Kociemba (CCC) Tech Fall Brock Saxon 18-2
197: Brett Sanchez (CCC) winner by Forfeit
285: #3 Tyrell Fortune (CCC) Tech Fall Daniel Escamioka 23-7
Cougars - Highline postponed due to weather
January 8, 2009
Today's match against Highline CC has been cancelled and rescheduled due to road closure and flooding in the state of Washington. We will keep you updated on the new match time and day as soon as it is made available.
The Cougar's will still be competeing on Friday at home against Yakima Valley at noon in Randall Hall Gymnasium
Cougars Compete Strong at Tournament of Champions
December 20, 2008
Reno, NV - Clackamas Community College Wrestling traveled to Nevada for the always tough Reno Tournament of Champions. The tournament features some of the nation's best wrestlers from Division I and II, NAIA and Junior College.
The Cougars represented the Junior College ranks well getting three wrestlers into the championship quarterfinals in George Mendez (133), Caleb Kociemba (184), and Tyrell Fortune (HWT).
Each of these wrestlers picked up two wins to advance to the quarters but were bounced by highly ranked Division I opponents.
George lost a tough match to the eventual champion and #1 seed in the tournament TJ Dillashaw from Cal-State Fullerton.
Caleb wrestled well against John Barone from Duke University getting up 4-0 in the first but dropping the 13-5 decision. Caleb finished the tournament in the top 8 with his two losses coming from Barone and Jared Shelton (Oklahoma State) who each finished in the top 4.
"Kociemba wrestled a heck of a tournament and he beat some tough kids along the way," said Coach Josh Rhoden.
Tyrell Fortune won by fall over Chris Givens (Boise State) and Clayton Jack (Oregon State). In the quarters, Tyrell wrestled the #6 ranked Division I heavyweight Scott Steele (Navy) to an 8-4 decision.
"That was a good match and we gained some much needed experience with that level of wrestler," added Rhoden. "Also, Steele is a big heavyweight and we got to experience wrestling that style as well. Tyrell is a tough kid and will only get better from this type of experience."
"As a team we felt pretty solid about our performance at the TOC. It is a tough tournament and that is exactly why we go."
The Cougars finished with 15 total team points and 22nd place as a team.
This year's team champion was Oklahoma State University.
"It is awesome for our guys to be able to get into these tournaments and wrestle this caliber of kid...it gives us the chance to see where we are at and what we need to improve on," said Rhoden.
For Complete Results: http://www.rtoc.net/tour_results/current_year.asp
UP NEXT: CCC vs. Highline CC on Jan 8th in Des Moines, WA. Please note this is a schedule change!
Cougars go 1-2 on road trip
December 13, 2008
Coeur d' Alene, ID / Yakima, WA - The Clackamas Community College wrestling team headed out on the road to wrestle North Idaho College, Yakima Valley Community College, and the University of Great Falls.
The Cougars (4-3) were stopped Thursday night by a well prepared North Idaho team 28-16. The match saw upsets by the Cardinals in a couple of weight classes which definitely did not favor the Cougars who were giving up a forfeit at 157lbs while Jace Lewis recovers from an injury.
"We unfortunately came out really flat on Thursday night and North Idaho was ready to go," said head coach Josh Rhoden. "We wrestled not to lose and any time that you do that you end up getting stuck with the loss."
The Cougars gave up the first takedown in 7 of 9 contested matches.
"That stat right there says it all, added Rhoden. You can' t expect to beat good teams like that! We have something to build on and we are determined to learn from this loss and improve."
Following the Thursday match the team traveled to Yakima Valley Community College to take on University of Great Falls, currently ranked 5th in the latest NAIA polls, and the Yaks of Yakima Valley.
"The match against Great Falls we wrestled very well as a team and the results showed for us, said Rhoden. 'Although we lost 24-18 we wrestled much better than Thursday and it was against a team of older guys."
Throughout the match the Cougar wrestlers matched up with some of the NAIA' s top wrestlers and the Cougars shined.
One of the highlights for Clackamas was 174 lber Josh Miller picking up a 4-2 victory over returning NAIA National Runner-up Brendon DeCock. Another was heavyweight Tyrell Fortune getting a fall over returning All-American Brad Fraser.
"It was nice to see the team wrestling at a high level," commented Rhoden.
Following the Great Falls match the Cougars took on Yakima Valley and came away with a 43-10 victory.
#11 Clackamas 16, #6 North Idaho 28
125- Adam Tinel Dec. Logan Creamer (CCC), 5-2
133- Lester Brown Maj. Dec. George Mendez (CCC), 11-1
141- Kyle Wirkuty (CCC) Maj. Dec. Trevor Powell, 19-7
149- Jeremy Bommarito Dec. Anthony Weerheim (CCC), 14-8
157- Ian McGoldrick win by Forfeit
165- Lucas Chesher Dec. Kris Spencer (CCC), 4-3
174- Celic Bell pin Josh Miller (CCC), 1:05
184- Kameron Jackson Dec. Caleb Kociemba (CCC), 8-7
197- Brett Sanchez (CCC) pin Spencer Sharp, 6:19
285- Tyrell Fortune (CCC) pin Joe Lewis, 1:44
#11 Clackamas 18, NAIA #5 University of Great Falls 24
125- Kyle Meddlemist Dec. Logan Creamer (CCC), 5-1
133- George Mendez (CCC) win Forfeit
141- Anthoni Heffernan Dec. Kyle Wirkuty (CCC), 8-3
149- Jeremy Montang Dec. Anthony Weerheim (CCC) 3-1
157- Ross Mosher win Forfeit
165- Kris Spencer (CCC) Dec. Jacob Buttenhoff, 7-4
174- Josh Miller (CCC) Dec. #2 Brendon DeCock, 4-2
184- #4 Micheal French Dec. Caleb Kociemba (CCC), 6-4
197- #2 Alex Calvi pin Brett Sanchez (CCC), 2:16
285- Tyrell Fortune pin #5 Brad Fraser 2:34
(UGF Rankings reflect current NAIA rankings)
#11 Clackamas 43, Yakima Valley 10
125- Gustovo Lopez MD Logan Creamer (CCC), 13-2
133- George Mendez (CCC) Tech Fall Ken Jolly, 16-1 5:53
141- Kyle Wirkuty (CCC) win Forfeit
149- Anthony Weerheim (CCC) MD Adam McNaughten, 10-1
157-Cody Wolff win Forfeit
165- Kris Spencer (CCC) MD Josh Mathis, 16-5
174- Josh Miller (CCC) pin Sam McNaughten, 2:12
184- Caleb Kociemba pin Brock Saxen, 2:17
197- Brett Sanchez win Forfeit
285- Tyrell Fortune pin Jake Stiles, 2:30
Next up - The Cougars travel to Reno, NV to participate in the Reno Tournament of Champions on December 18.
Cougars roll past Thunderbirds
December 06, 2008
Oregon City, OR - #11 Clackamas Community College (3-1) took to the mats against the #14 ranked Highline Community College wrestlers on Saturday night in Randall Hall Gymnasium.
In what was a lopsided dual meet the Cougars won 38-4 over the Thunderbirds.
"We have been wrestling with a lot of intensity and passion," said Coach Josh Rhoden. "It seems as though we are getting better every week we wrestle."
Of the seven contested matches on the evening, the Cougars won six, with five of the wrestlers earning bonus points.
"We told our guys to enjoy this one because we come back on a short week and wrestle some tough matches next week," said Rhoden.
Rhoden is referring to the dual meets coming up against Region 18 foes North Idaho College and Yakima Valley Community College. The mat men will also wrestle 4-year University of
Great Falls who is currently ranked #5 in the NAIA coaches' poll.
Clackamas has posted an incredible 78 total points over the last two dual meets defeating opponents by a combined 78-10.
CLACKAMAS 38, HIGHLINE 4
125- Logan Creamer (CCC) win Forfeit
133- Aaron Smith Maj. Dec. George Mendez (CCC), 15-6
141- Kyle Wirkuty (CCC) win Forfeit
149- Anthony Weerheim Maj. Dec. Derek Driscoll, 9-1
157- Double forfeit
165- #7 Kris Spencer(CCC) Maj. Dec. Zach Burnett, 12-4
174- #7 Josh Miller (CCC) Tech Fall Casey Park, 22-6
184- #7 Caleb Kociemba (CCC) Tech Fall Caleb Padgett, 15-0
197- Brett Sanchez (CCC) Dec. Mike Morales, 10-7
285- #3 Tyrell Fortune (CCC) Maj Dec. David Lopez, 13-2
Clackamas dominant in win over Pacific University
December 05, 2008
Clackamas CC 41, Pacific 0
Forest Grove, OR -The Cougars (2-1) scored bonus points in five of the eight contested matches on the afternoon. They also gained the benefit of forfeits from the Boxers (0-2 duals) at 174 pounds and heavyweight.
After the first match, it appeared that the Boxers would have the potential to keep things close. John Cushman scored the match's first takedown in the 125-pound bout, but a reversal by Logan Creamer halfway through the first half ended any momentum Cushman had. Creamer used a pair of takedowns and a near fall in the final two rounds to take the
8-2 victory.
George Mendez scored a major decision at 133 pounds and Kyle Wirkuty managed a first round pin of Andy Duncan at 141 pounds to put the Cougars ahead 13-0.
After a double forfeit at 149 points, Kody Kramer and Anthony Weerheim engaged in the closest match of the night. Weerheim, wrestling up a weight class, secured the victory with a two point near fall as the period ended.
Clackamas earned bonus points in the final three contested matches. Kris Spencer scored a major decision over Nathan Shay at 165 pounds. Caleb Kociemba needed two rounds to collect a 19-3 technical fall of Micah Olivera at 184 pounds and Brett Sanchez allowed Pacific's Jordan Branson just three escape points in a 16-3 major decision.
Clackamas will wrestle Highline at home on Saturday at 5pm in Randall Hall Gymnasium.
CLACKAMAS CC 41, PACIFIC 0
125: Logan Creamer (CCC) dec. John Cushman, 9-5
133: George Mendez (CCC) maj. dec. Andrew Wolfe, 15-6
141: Kyle Wirkuty (CCC) win by fall over Andy Duncan, 1:01
149: Double Forfeit
157: Anthony Weerheim (CCC) dec. Kody Kramer, 9-7
165: Kris Spencer (CCC) maj. dec. Nathan Shay, 12-4
174: Josh Miller (CCC) win by forfeit
184: Caleb Kociemba (CCC) win by tech. fall over Micah Olivera, 19-3
197: Brett Sanchez (CCC) maj. dec. Jordan Branson, 16-3
285: Tyrell Fortune (CCC) win by forfeit
Cougars #11 in National Coaches Poll
December 1, 2008
The Clackamas Community College wrestling team (1-1) has moved to #11 in the NJCAA Coaches Poll. The poll, which was released last Wednesday, has four Cougars ranked among the top 8 in their respective weight class in the nation.
Leading the way for Clackamas is heavyweight Tyrell Fortune who garnered the #3 spot in his weight class. Also cracking the top 8 are Kris Spencer, Josh Miller, and Caleb Kociemba each of whom is ranked #7, respectively.
"It's nice for these guys to be recognized but it is early in the year and they each realize that the real work is yet to be done," said head coach Josh Rhoden. "We have a long time until February and that is when we really need to be at our best."
The team wrestles this Friday in Forest Grove at Pacific University. The match begins at 4:00 p.m. in the Pacific Athletic Center and is followed up on Saturday by a home match against Highline Community College in Randall Hall Gymnasium at 5:00 p.m.
Cougars fall short against #4 North Idaho
November 21, 2008
Oregon City, OR - The Clackamas Community College wrestling team took on the #4 ranked Cardinals from North Idaho College last night. With five matches decided by 3 or fewer points and some back and forth between the two squads, it was a good match up.
The match finished with the Cougars on the losing end falling 21-15. "It was frustrating for us to be in so many close matches against tuff kids and not sell out to get the wins," said Coach Josh Rhoden. "We have some things we need to do better and this loss will without question help us improve."
The Cougars got three major decisions from Logan Creamer (125), Josh Miller (184), and Tyrell Fortune (285). These three all wrestled hard to get bonus points for the team and did a nice job of being the aggressor throughout the match. Josh's win was against a kid who is ranked #7 in the country so that was a nice one to get.
Match Results:
125- Logan Creamer (CCC) Maj. Dec. Adam Tinnel 16-7
133- #4 Lester Brown Dec. George Mendez (CCC) 5-4
141- #4 Tim McGoldrick Dec. Kyle Wirkuty (CCC) 7-4
149- Anthony Weerheim (CCC) Dec. Ian McGoldrick 9-6
157- Lucas Chesher Dec. Mike Sandoe (CCC) 9-6
165- DJ May Dec. Kris Spencer (CCC) 5-4
174- Celic Bell win forfeit
184- Josh Miller (CCC) Maj. Dec. #7 Kameron Jackson 16-5
197- #5 Rudi Burtschi Dec. Caleb Kociemba (CCC) 11-6
285- #6 Tyrell Fortune (CCC) Maj. Dec. John Forrester 26-13
Next Up: Wrestling is in Medford, OR for the Best of the West Open where they match up against Division I, II, III, NAIA and NJCAA competition.
Kociemba & Fortune lead the way at Pacific's Mike Clock Open
"We were pleased with the way our guys competed," said Head Coach Josh Rhoden.
The Cougars finished with six total place winners, two of whom won tournament crowns. Leading the way for the Cougars were Caleb Kociemba (197 lbs) and Tyrell Fortune (285) who each won their respective weight classes. Also reaching the finals was freshman red-shirt Billy Goldsberry (149 lbs) who finished second.
The story of the day, however, was Clackamas' Kociemba and Fortune. Kociemba a red-shirt freshman from Hillsboro High School and Fortune, a freshman from Lake Oswego's Lakeridge High School each managed to roll through their respective bracket to reach the finals. Kociemba used two technical falls and a 7-2 decision to reach the final against Southern Oregon's NAIA sixth-ranked Chase Locke. Caleb beat Locke 7-4 in the final with over 3 minutes of riding time in the match.
285: Tyrell Fortune (Clackamas CC) dec. Jon Bates (Southern Oregon), 5-3
149: Joe Fisolera (Clackamas CC, unattached) dec. Austin Thompson (SW Oregon CC, unattached), 3-2
165: Arminder Virk (Douglas) dec. Mike Lauer (Southern Oregon), 12-8
174: David Laird (SW Oregon CC) dec. Josh Stalcup (Oregon State, unattached), 7-3
184: Clete Hansen (Simon Fraser) win by fall over Brandon Jackson (Clackamas CC), 1:26
197: Ali-Al Rekab (Simon Fraser) dec. Jon Harrison (Southern Oregon), 4-2
285: Arjan Bhullar (Simon Fraser) dec. Sam Sprauer (Southern Oregon), 7-2
The next match saw Kris Spencer take on the #4 ranked David Laird. "It was a great match for Kris, he wrestled his butt off and picked up a big time win against a tuff kid," said Head Coach Josh Rhoden.
The match moved the momentum back in the Cougars direction for the rest of the dual meet. The Cougars capped off the win with a four match streak to end the dual.
"We wrestled well against Southwestern but we still have to improve to achieve the goals that this team has set for themselves," added Rhoden. "It's nice to get the first match of the year under our belt and move forward"
Nov. 8 2008
Rhoden recently made another huge step towards building a national JC powerhouse when he announced that two-time 215lbs Oregon high school champion Tyrell Fortune of Lakeridge High School will be suiting up for the Cougars in 2008-09.
Fortune has amassed an impressive list of wrestling accomplishments including Cadet National Champion (215) in both Greco-Roman and Freestyle in 2005 & 2006, 2nd place in Greco-Roman and 3rd in Freestyle in the Junior Division in 2007 and most recently crowned Junior National Champion in both Greco-Roman and Freestyle (215) in July 2008.
In both Junior National Championship title matches, he outscored opponents by a combined point total of 25-2. Fortune went undefeated in breezing to his second state title this past season and wasn’t scored on by an opponent until he reached the state tournament.
“Tyrell really put an exclamation point on the end of a fantastic prep career. Our coaching staff is really excited about the opportunity to assist Tyrell in furthering his educational and wrestling goals”, said Rhoden.
The addition of Fortune and several other prominent West Coast prep stars caught the attention of InterMat [www.intermatwrestle.com], a widely recognized wrestling internet publication. Along with Clackamas, InterMat’s list of best non-Division I recruiting classes included seven junior college classes. These were collected by perennial powerhouse Iowa Central, Iowa Lakes, Neosho, North Iowa Area CC, Northwest College, and St. Louis-Meramec (in no particular order) [view article].
Joining Fortune in this stellar class are Brett Sanchez (215), Klayton Layman (189), Josh Miller (189), Noah Berman (171), Andrew Marshall (171), Billy Goldsberry (152), Jeff Fetter (140), Mitchell Gilberson (130) and Chase Winters (119).
“We are very excited about the class of kids we have coming in this year! We were very blessed throughout the recruiting process and we now have the opportunity to work with some very talented young men this fall”, added Rhoden.
This past season Jensen became one of the oldest wrestlers to qualify for the NJCAA Wrestling Championships. Thanks in part to The Oregonian's writer Jim Beseda; Jensen's story was able to reach the masses.
The follow up article written in February 2008 caught the attention of the producers at ESPN who decided that they too would like to document Richard's story. ESPN will be airing the piece throughout this weekend through a number of different mediums. They are as follows:
*** Sunday morning August 3rd at 6:30 a.m. Pacific Time the story will air on ESPN Outside The Lines. Sunday night the story will air on SportCenter at 8 pm Pacific Time
*** Monday August 4th at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time Richard will be on a call in show on ESPN as well. Check ESPN for details.
Please note that the SportCenter air time could be subject to change based on other happenings in the sports world. The Outside the Lines in the morning is set in stone!
Fortune, a Lakeridge High School grad, was a three-time state finalist in Oregon, winning twice.
Tyrell also wrestles for Peninsula Park Wrestling Club (PIT) in Portland, for Coach Roy Pitman. While at PIT Tyrell was a 4x Cadet National Champion, winning both styles twice.
Additionally, in 2007 he was 2nd and 3rd at the Junior Nationals in Fargo and was a member of the Dream Team and Dapper Dan duals which highlight the nation's top prep wrestlers.
"We are looking forward to helping Tyrell continue his success in the sport of wrestling and assisting him in his future endeavors," said Coach Josh Rhoden. "Tyrell is a great kid and we are just excited about the opportunity to work with him."
Tyrell joins a list of kids who are heading to Clackamas to compete for the Cougars in the coming season:
Vancouver, WA - The Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) honored two greats in Clackamas Community College wrestling history on Thursday night in Matt Lindland and the entire 1970-71 NJCAA National Championship wrestling team.
Matt was the 1991 NJCAA National Champion at 158 pounds for the Cougars and went on to win countless titles nationally and internationally. Not the least of which was his Silver Medal in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Currently, Matt is a Sportfight Promoter, Trainer at Team Quest and the Republican Candidate for District 52 in this fall's general election. In his acceptance speech Matt remarked about how Clackamas was a very important piece in getting him to where he is now.
At the National Tournament, Tim Williams and Glenn Snowley won individual championships, John Ludlow was a runner-up, Sam Jones placed third and Larry Soto and Dave Davalos placed sixth.
Head Coach Larry Wright earned Regional and National Coach of the Year honors that season.
Team Members: Head Coach Larry Wright, Asst. Coach Don Conway, Mickey Bevens, Pat Cameron, Dave Davalos, Gary Faulhaber, Pat Fugate, Larry Johnson, Dale Johnston, Sam Jones, Fred Jossi, Joe Keller, John Ludlow, Bill McBerney, Ken McIntosh, Dean Officer, Dwight Ottenbacher, Bob Schnepel, Glenn Snowley, Larry Soto, Tim Williams, and Paul Wunishe.
"It was a great privilege for me to be there and honor the greats in our College and wrestling's past" said current Cougar Coach Josh Rhoden. "It is people like Matt and the team from 1971 that we strive to be like currently", he added.
Also inducted from Clackamas Community College was the 1996 Volleyball team coached by current coach Kathie Woods.
Oregon City
Both Matt and most members of the '71 team were in attendance Thursday night at the Red Lion in Vancouver, WA to be honored.