Oregon City, Ore. - The North Idaho Cardinals once again dominated the Region 18 Wrestling Championships winning the team competition by 35.5 pts on a total of 152.5pts.

The Cardinals had a total of seven wrestlers make it to championship matches with six winning their weight class titles. Southwestern Oregon came in second with 117 points, one individual champion and two runner-ups.

Clackamas finished a close third with 114 pts, one champion and five runner-ups. Highline tallied 100pts and won two championships in the 174 and 157 pound classes. Yakima Valley was fifth with 61pts while Pima took sixth on 49.5pts and one runner-up in the 125lbs championship.

Highline, for the third straight year, had the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. This year, 174 pounder Pano Dreves took the honors for the Thunderbirds.

Clackamas' Josh Rhoden was selected Coach of the Year. This is Rhoden's second year at the helm of the Cougar program. In his inaugural season last year, Rhoden's wrestlers took home a school record six NJCAA All-Americans from the National Championships.

North Idaho qualified all ten wrestlers for the 2008 National Tournament in Rochester, MN. on Feb 22-23. Southwestern Oregon qualified nine wrestlers, Clackamas and Highline seven, Yakima Valley three and Pima two. [view tournament brackets]

High resolution tournament photos are available at www.fotozoneonline.com

NJCAA National Qualifiers:
125 lbs
1st Nektoe Demison (NIC)
2nd David Islas (PCC)
3rd Jared Miller (SOCC)

133lbs
1st Kevin Mitchell (NIC)
2nd Vance Beeson (CCC)
3rd Eleazar Islas (PCC)
4th John Sutten (SOCC)

141 lbs
1st Chris Harris (NIC) 2006 All-American
2nd Derick Bartlemay (CCC) 2007 All-American
3rd Joseph Michel (SOCC) 2007 All-American
4th Ionica Hanson (HCC)

149 lbs
1st Tim McGoldrick (NIC)
2nd Mike Beeson (CCC)
3rd Chessjuan Monk (HCC)

157 lbs
1st Marshall Giovanni (HCC)
2nd Zolboo Enkhbayar (SOCC)
3rd Stephan Gonzales (CCC)
4th Jordan Anderson (NIC)

165 lbs
1st DJ May (NIC)
2nd Kris Spencer (CCC)
3rd Craig Jackson (HCC)
4th Adam Fugit (SOCC)

174 lbs
1st Pano Dreves (HCC)
2nd David Laird (SOCC)
3rd Dino May (NIC)
4th Jared Smith (YVCC)

184 lbs
1st Steve Vasquez (NIC)
2nd Richard Jensen (CCC)
3rd Fernando Pedraza (SOCC)
4th Benji Martin (YVCC)

197 lbs
1st Jason Troxell (SOCC)
2nd Michael Morales (HCC)
3rd Brett Fredrickson (NIC)
4th Tyler Bullington (YVCC)

285 lbs
1st John Bates (CCC) 2007 All-American
2nd Tim Ofield (NIC)
3rd Ryan Hoover (SOCC)
4th Izzy Torres (YVCC)
5th Zach Corbett (HCC)