In just more than two seasons of wrestling at Oregon, senior heavyweight Chris Dearmon sits seventh on the Ducks’ all-time list with 19 pins. He also stands just one victory shy of 50 career wins.
Dearmon will try to get that milestone victory when he takes to the mat at McArthur Court for the last time in his college career Friday at home against Oregon State at 7 p.m.
The Beavers boast two solid heavyweights in Jamie Rakevich and Ty Watterson, who is ranked as the No. 6 heavyweight in the country.
Rakevich defeated Dearmon by fall in Oregon State’s 33-6 victory against the Ducks back in December – a loss that Dearmon avenged a month later at the Portland State Invitational when he earned a 3-2 decision over Rakevich in the championship match of that invitational.
With that loss avenged, and in search of an exclamation point for his career at McArthur Court, Dearmon hopes to face Watterson Friday.
“I hope it’s Watterson, because I’ve wrestled well against him,” Dearmon said. “The last few times we’ve wrestled, I’ve gotten the first takedown and I’ve just made little mistakes that cost me. With the way I’m wrestling right now, I think it could be a really good match.”
Right now, as his senior season culminates, Dearmon is wrestling better than he ever has in his career.
After starting this season a modest 7-7, Dearmon has won 12 of his last 15 matches, including another revenge victory, this time a 6-3 decision over Cal State Fullerton’s nationally-ranked Wade Sauer, who defeated him earlier this season at the Reno Tournament of Champions.
Dearmon and Watterson have wrestled each other several times and, despite the competitive nature of the matches, Dearmon has yet to come out on top.
“Like with anything else, familiarity breeds contempt and they’ve wrestled enough times that they’ve got a history,” Oregon coach Chuck Kearney said. “We can’t go back and change results, but we can do something about the next match.”
But Dearmon’s remaining matches are few and his opportunities to beat Watterson even fewer.
Dearmon has already left his mark on Oregon wrestling with his work ethic and winning ways, but defeating a nationally ranked rival in his final home match would be the kind of victory all athletes dream about.
“How good you are at the end is the objective. You want to leave your home floor with a victory,” Kearney said. “Chris is coming to that point in his career where if he’s going to beat Watterson, it’s got to be this weekend.”
Another senior with a big match in his last home meet is Justin Pearch, who will take on Kyle Larson, ranked No. 19 nationally at 141 pounds. Pearch is 22-8 this year and has won six of his last seven matches.
“For Justin and Chris, this is their last match at Mac Court, and they want to get the win,” Kearney said. “They both have big matches and I know that’s on their minds.”
As for the team’s younger wrestlers, the Civil War is an opportunity for them to start their own legacy.
“As a Duck, it’s a great thing to be able to say you never got beat by a Beaver,” Kearney said. “We have some young guys that want to get that first Civil War win and start that winning tradition.”