Two former Roseburg High standouts are wrestling for national titles Saturday at the 52nd annual National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Wrestling Championships at Abe Lemons Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The brothers are members of the Southern Oregon University wrestling squad.
Trevor Lofstedt wrestled his way to the title match as a number one seed in the initial bracket at 133 pounds after pinning fellow top seed Julian Gunnels of Briar Cliff University. Lofstedt, a senior, will face Lindenwood University senior Ray Stephens Saturday night for the NAIA championship. The elder Lofstedt won three matches after a first-round bye to reach the title match with Stephens.
Second-seeded Mitchell Lofstedt, a Southern Oregon freshman and Trevor's younger brother, will battle for the title at 125 pounds Saturday night after defeating fellow freshman Johnny Papesh, a top seeded wrestler from Campbellsville University, in the semifinals. Lofstedt will take on another top seed, Cory Borges of Montana State-Northern, in the championship match Saturday night. It will be a rematch as Borges defeated Lofstedt in the regional championships February 21 at Menlo College in Atherton, California.
After three sessions, the Lindenwood Lions are at the top of the team standings with 147 points. Southern Oregon is in second place with 107.5 points. Lindenwood has five grapplers left in the championship bracket. Southern Oregon has three.
(Photo by Tim Bogan: The Lofstedt brothers in a lighter moment between matches at Oklahoma City)
