Oregon tabbed team to beat
at Pacific-8 championships
It’s merely a natural progres
sion for Ron Finley and the
Oregon wrestling program over
the last five years.
The first two seasons, the
Ducks were fourth at the Padfic-8
tournament under Finley, in 1973
third, in 1974 second, and this
year? The Ducks, simple and
smooth, are in line for the title.
While Oregon State and
Washington might put up a fight,
the Ducks are the definitely the
team to beat at the 1975 pac-8
championships today and tomor
row at Corvallis' Gill Coliseum.
Even Dr. Dale would be forced to
admit it.
Oregon returns eight of 10
placewinners to the tourney, and
Finley’s goal is to place all 10 at
each weight. Barring an injury or
an overweight wrestler, that could
very well happen.
Washington, the defending
champion, lost the depth of last
year, and at best is the spoiler.
Oregon State, primed for an upset
with a healthy lineup, lacks the
depth in every weight. Unless the
Ducks completely fall apart, they'll
win their first wrestling champion
ship ever in 22 years of competi
tion, and better yet, it’ll happen in
the Beaver backyard.
Oregon will send its strongest
lineup it could possibly assemble
with Susumu Hagihara at 118, Joe
Sade at 126, Shuichi Shoji at 134,
Dean Dixon at 142, John Scott at
150, Kevin Kramer at 158, Duane
Stutzman at 167, Buck Davis at
177, Wes Hines at 190 and Greg
Gibson at heavyweight.
By CARL STEWARD
Of the Emerald
Of those, Dixon, Stutzman and
Hines, all seniors have the best
opportunities to gamer champ
ionships. Stutzman, who won the
167-pound title two years ago, is
nearly a sure bet.
The meet will begin Friday at 1
p.m. with the first round, then
again at 7 p.m. with semifinals. On
Saturday, the semifinals will be
held at 1:30 with the finals
scheduled for 7:30.
“It should be an exciting meet,’
John Scott - surprise at 150?
said Finley, who predicts that if his
dub wrestles well it should win.
“Washington could have five
champions and we expect good
matches.’’
Should they materialize, the top
Oregon matches would pit Hines
against Washington’s Rich Calde
ron, Shoji against Washington’s
Brad Jacot, Dixon against Cal’s
Brent Jacinto, Kramer against
Washington's Mike Miller and, as
always, Gibson against Oregon
State’s outstanding Larry Bielen
berg, probably the only unde
feated wrestler in the tournament
save Miller, who has seen limited
action this season.
UCLA and California will play an
integral part in determining just
how easily the Ducks could win. It
is more likely that the Bruins and
Bears will decide second place
between OSU and the Huskies.
“They can help us, but I don’t
think they could hurt us.” said Fin
ley, who sits in the favorable posi
tion of having every other team
playing a diminishing game of
rouiette while the Ducks them
selves steadily roll up points.
Under the current point system,
Oregon’s depth really should
show its colors. Contrary to the old
system, which awarded on a scale
of 10-8-6-4-2, the new system
adopted a year ago gives 16 for a
first, 12 for second, 8 for third and
so on. As long as you keep from
being eliminated altogether, each
placing adds up, whereas before, a
faulty weight wouldn’t hurt that
much. The new point rules ena
bled Oregon to finish second last
season where they would have
finished third under the old. It will
affect the tournament in the same
light this season. The change was
made to give more emphasis to
overall strength, where before a
team could win with a few champ
ions and a couple of placers.
One of Oregon’s many keys to
taking the title will be how well
118-pounder Hagihara and
134-pound Shoji have absorbed
their recent layoffs due to injury.
Shoji, in particular, has been out of
action nearly three weeks with pul
led cartilage in his ribs, but is heal
thy now.
It has been Finley's plan all
along to keep Shoji out until the
big tourneys, namely the Pacrfic
8s and NCAA’s. Friday will be the
first test, as the Japanese wrestler
is entered in perhaps the toughest
weight class in the tournament.
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Photos by Gooff Partes
All-American heavies tangle again
The Weights
1
§
118 — There is no dear-cut champion
at this weigfit. UCLA's Matt Mendoza
could be the favorite, but he wit get com
petition torm Oregon’s Hagihara and
Washington s Dave McClain, as well as
OSU s Pat Ptourd. who is probably the
darkhorse
128 — Toshi Oonishi of Washington
rates the favorite role, after moving down
from 134. Oregon State's Joe Kittef and
Oregon's Sade also stand as challengers,
however, to the title which again could be
a wide-open affair
134 — The No. 1 seed will definitely be
the Huskies' Brad JaooL who has just
one loss this season. Then comes Shoji, if
he's able enough after the three-week
layoff Ron Boucher of Oregon State and
Juan Pichardo of Cal are also strong
contenders, in a division where anything
may go and some very fine wrestlers
being eammated
142 — Brent Jacinto of Calfomia is the
defendng champion, but Oregon’s Dean
Dixon is a comparable challenger. He s
been wresting at his best of late. Ken
Krebs of Stanford and Andy Kacmardk of
Washington also could be factors.
ISO — Doug Ziebart having a great
year in the shadow of standout Bielen
berg, is the best at this weight. Stanford's
Chris Horpei and Cal’s Steve Whedbee,
will challenge. Oregon's John Scott,
who had a fine match against Ziebart de
spite losing last weak, could be a surprise.
158 — Undefeated Mike Miller wil be
looking to avenge for lost time. Last year
Miller was eliminated when he did not
make weight at 150, but this year he s
back and has the favorite role Oregon's
Kramer rates a dose second, while OSU's
Mark Evenhus, Cal's Brad Druktenis and
UCLA's Craig Keane all could provide up
sets in this very interesting weight dass.
167 — Duane Stutzman, it he wrestles
like he can, should regain his title. Not
much competition, save Fred Nix of
Washington State and Joel Cotten of
OSU. alhough Stutzman has defeated
both twice
177 — Brady Hal of UCLA has just one
loss this season and is the likely choice tor
No 1 Mike Dilenburg of OSU and Buck
Davis of Oregon rate as dose contenders,'
while Ricky Hale of Cal adds to the bal
ance of power at this weight.
190 — Hines and Calderon will more
than likely battle for the top spot at this
weight. Hines defeated Calderon last year
tor second last season, and the Oregon
standout was also second the year be
fore. Calderon, however, a sophomore,
has defeated Hines once this season and
the two tied last time out OSU's Ron
Habertach could possibly be in line for a
top placing, but the former are the class of
the weight
HEAVYWEIGHT — Need it be said?
Larry Bielenberg. 20-0, 11 pins, vs. Greg
Gibson, who has lost only to Bielenberg.
and defeateed everyone else in the
league Two outstanding All-Americans
going at it in the Inals with the nod going to
the OSU wrestler
TEAM FMISH — Oregon, Washington,
Oegon State. Caifomia, UCLA. Stw
tord, Washington State.
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