Fresno State Athletics
Wrestling Release 2-14-00
2/14/2000 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Feb. 14, 2000
Fresno State is Triumphant Against Cal Poly The Bulldogs added another win and finally hit the double digit mark (10-7 in dual matches) with an impressive victory over the Cal Poly Mustangs 28-9. The `Dogs rattled off six straight wins to take an insurmountable 22-0 lead. The most dominating performance was by Ralph Lopez (Fr., Fresno, Calif.), he defeated Cal Poly's Aaron Gharst 11-2 for his 8th major decision win this year. No. 6 Paris Ruiz (Sr., Fresno, Calif.) improved his record to 28-3 with a 5-0 victory over Alberto Garza. The Mustangs only could muster-up two victories on the night.
Fresno State win convincingly over the Aggies The Bulldogs lose the first match, and then proceed to run-off nine straight wins over the visiting U.C. Davis Aggies at the North Gym on the campus of Fresno State. Tom Gohde (Jr, Bozeman, Mont.) started the ball rolling as he defeated Mike Maben 7-3 to pull the `Dogs even at three a piece. At this point, Fresno State never looked back as the snowball of wins became an avalanche to the Northern California visitors. The dual match was not as easy as nine straight wins for the `Dogs as they went into three separate overtimes. In the Heavyweight match-up, Grant Harrington barely defeated Brandon Arsenault in sudden death 4-3. The Bulldogs are now 11-7 in dual match competition.
Stephen Abas wins gold at the Dave Schultz Memorial Tournament Stephen Abas pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament by defeating 1997 World Champion Wifredo Garcia (Cuba) 4-3. Abas went into the pretigious Dave Schultz Memorial Tournament in Colorado Springs, Colo. as a slight underdog, but left the event as its' most outstanding wrestler (freesytle). Currently, Abas is wrestling at the 119 pound (54 kilograms) weight class. Bulldogs Assistant Coach Yero Washington also participated in the Colorado Springs Tournament at 127.75 pounds (58 kg). Washington got edged out by Cuba's Yandro Quintana 5-0. He finished in fourth place at this weekends event. Both wrestlers are vying for a spot on the 2000 Olympic team for the United States.
No. 8 Nebraska tabs Fresno State with their eighth loss In a tug-o-war match with the No. 8 Cornhuskers, Fresno State just ran out of gas as the Huskers defeated Fresno State 28-12 at North Gym on the campus of Fresno State. Jason Rossotti (Jr, Selma, Calif.) got an easy victory as No. 7 ranked Charles McTorry forfeited the match because of an injured left shoulder. Nebraska, after the forfeit, won three straight matches to pull out to a 12-6 lead over the Bulldogs. No. 6 Paris Ruiz (Sr., Fresno, Calif.) and Ralph Lopez (Fr., Fresno, Calif.) had two of the best matches of the night as Ruiz defeated the ninth rated Todd Beckman 7-3. Lopez, in a back and forth match, got a last second takedown to edge out Justin Flores 11-9. Fresno State was back in the hunt as they tied things up 12-12, but the Bulldogs lost four straight to eventually fall to the Huskers. The `Dogs are now 11-8 in dual matches this year.
Fresno State Finishes Dual Match Season in Impressive Style The Bulldogs took their annual Clovis High School home match and capitalized on the short jaunt with a win over the Stanford Cardinal 30-3. Fresno State rattled-off seven consecutive victories against the Cardinal. No. 6 Paris Ruiz (Sr., Fresno, Calif.) got the ball rolling with another impressive victory against a ranked opponent: No. 10 Zach Zimmerer 4-0. Derrick Hayes (So., Seaside, Calif.) and Tim Cornish (Sr., Manhattan, N.Y.) got very impressive wins as Hayes defeated 17th ranked Rudy Ruiz 3-1 and Cornish just slipped by No. 16 Warren McPherson 2-1 in sudden death. The `Dogs' attack just crippled Stanford's chances for the dual match victory. Fresno State finishes with a 12-8 mark and will next be heading to Cedar Falls, Iowa for the Western Regionals on Saturday, March 4 at 9 a.m.
