Men's Wrestling 2/16/2013 11:40:00 PM

Eichenauer, Gomez win Central Qualifying Group titles

Eight OCU wrestlers make NAIA Championships

Mitchell Eichenauer was the 2008 NAIA runner-up at 184 pounds.

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – Oklahoma City University advanced eight individuals into the NAIA wrestling championships after the NAIA Central Qualifying Group Tournament on Saturday at the Collins Center.
Kidd Gomez captured the tournament 125-pound championship, while Mitchell Eichenauer won the 184-pound crown. Mark Meyer finished as 157-pound runner-up, Zach Skates took third place at 165 and Michael Brown at 197 and Cody Sivertsen at 184 were fourth to secure their national bids.
Teagan Franco placed fifth at 174, and Stanley Lattimore nabbed sixth at 285 to grab at-large berths into the NAIA Championships on March 1-2 in Des Moines, Iowa. One hundred and sixty wrestlers made the national tournament with their performances Saturday. The official list of national-tournament qualifiers will be announced Feb. 21.
The ninth-ranked Stars had a third-place finish in the team standings. Top-ranked defending national champion Grand View (Iowa) won the tournament, and seventh-ranked Missouri Valley finished as runner-up.
Gomez, a senior from Noble, Okla., won his second consecutive qualifying group title with a 13-3 victory over Ryan Stearns of Missouri Valley. Gomez (37-9) pinned Peter Acuna of Central Baptist (Ark.) in 2:49 in the first of three wins Gomez picked up Saturday. Gomez, ranked fifth among NAIA 125-pounders, won the eighth tournament crown of his career.
Eichenauer, a senior from Lawton, Okla., followed up the 197-pound title from last year's tournament with the 184-pound crown. Eichenauer (21-10) edged Christian Mays of Grand View 4-3 for the championship. Eichenauer, ranked fourth in the NAIA, won by fall over Joel Deere of Central Baptist in 2:17. Eichenauer defeated Mays, ranked 10th, and 14th-ranked Jarid Price of Baker (Kan.) on Saturday.
Meyer, a senior from Midwest City, Okla., fell 11-2 to Grand View's Chad Lowman in the 157-pound final. Meyer pinned Lowman's teammate Quinten Haynes in 2:57 to advance to the championship. Haynes is ranked second nationally. Meyer racked up three falls to increase his OCU career-record total to 70.
Results

NAIA Central Qualifying Group Tournament
At Baldwin City, Kan.
Collins Center
Team Standings
1. Grand View (Iowa), 179.5; 2. Missouri Valley, 149; 3. Oklahoma City, 118; 4. Baker, 105; 5. Bethany, 64; 6. Wayland Baptist, 56.5; 7. William Penn, 40.5; 8. Bacone, 29.5; 9. Hannibal-LaGrange, 23.5; 10 (tie) Benedictine, Central Baptist 17.5.
Championship Finals
125: Kidd Gomez, Oklahoma City, maj. dec. Ryan Stearns, Missouri Valley, 13-3
133: Aaron Garcia, Bethany, def. Colt Rogers, Bethany, by forfeit
141: Gustavo Martinez, Grand View, dec. Joel Olivas, Baker, 6-2
149: Isaiah Tatum, Grand View, dec. Jake Ekster, Missouri Valley, 6-3
157: Chad Lowman, Grand View, maj. dec. Mark Meyer, Oklahoma City, 11-2
165: Jimmie Schuessler, Grand View, dec. Dallas Houchins, Grand View, 4-1
174: Thomas Moman, Grand View, dec. Jose Alvarez, Wayland Baptist, 2-1
184: Mitchell Eichenauer, Oklahoma City, dec. Christian Mays, Grand View, 4-3
197: Josh Manu, Missouri Valley, dec. Derek Nightser, Grand View, 7-3
285: Eric Thompson, Grand View, pinned Brandon Gebhardt, Baker, 0:32

Oklahoma City University
NAIA Championships Qualifiers
Kidd Gomez, 125
Mark Meyer, 157
Zach Skates, 165
Teagan Franco, 174
Mitchell Eichenauer, 184
Cody Sivertsen, 184
Michael Brown, 197
Stanley Lattimore, 285

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