Wrestlers hope talent masks inexperience
... - ...... . n .« __ rv —in/I
By Terry Rhoads
Of Hie Emerald
These are difficult times for a
young and inexperienced Oregon
wrestling team.
Two years ago, the Ducks pluck
ed the second of consecutive
Pac-10 conference champion
ships. This year's Oregon squad
will be hard-pressed to mount a
challenge for top three honors at
the conference championships.
What happened to a wrestling
program that was making a strong
bid to put a permanent hold on
the league trophy just two years
ago?
"What we’re seeing is the result
of the John Caine (former Oregon
athletic director) era, where they
cut all our recruiting for two
years,” says Oregon coach Ron
Finley. "During that time period
(1980-81), Rick O'Shea was the on
ly recruit that we really brought in
and we're going to redshirt him
this season.
"It leaves us with very little
experience."
A quick look at the Oregon
roster mirrors Finley's concern.
The Ducks will tackle their re
maining 20meet schedule with a
talented but inexperienced
freshmen-sophomore dominated
lineup.
Of the 27 athletes listed on this
year's Oregon roster, 12 are
freshmen, 10 are sophomores and
Grapplers grab
34th at Caesars
Palace tourney
The Oregon wrestling team
finished 34th out of 41 teams in
the Caesars Palace Invitational last
weekend in Las Vegas, Nev.
Oklahoma State University, last
year's NCAA runner-up, won the
meet, which featured some of col
lege wrestling's finest powers.
Lorenzo West at 142 pounds and
Dan Martin at 158 won their open
ing matches, but were knocked
out in the next rounds.
Garret Clayton (118), Daemon
Knight (167), and Martin advanced
to the fourth round before being
eliminated.
The Ducks were hampered by
injuries before the invitational as
three starters — Sean Braddock,
Lance Hochanadel, and Rafe
Mumford — didn't make the trip.
Huskers' Rozier
runs to Heisman
NEW YORK (AP) — University of
Nebraska running back Mike
Rozier, only the second back in
NCAA history to rush for more
than 2,000 yards in a single
season, won the Heisman Trophy
Saturday night.
Rozier, who rushed for 2,148
yards this year, became the 12th
straight running back and 33rd
overall to win the prestigious
trophy.
Ron Finley
only one a senior.
But Finley, who will coach the
U.S. Greco-Roman wrestling team
in the 1984 Olympics at Los
Angeles, isn't fretting over the
situation.
To rebuild his program, Finley
has recruited a horde of talent, in
cluding a couple of high school
all-Americans.
"As far as the talent coming in, I
i
tnintc we ve goi mure urn ye<«i
than we’ve ever had," he says.
"Without any question, I think it's
the best recruiting class we've
ever had."
Four freshmen in particular grab
Finley's attention. Possibly the
best newcomer is 142-pounder
Sean Braddock. The Oregon Class
AAA prep champion from Spr
ingfield High School is considered
one of the nation's top recruits.
"He's a heck of a worker in the
wrestling room, he really wants to
become good," says Finley of his
prize catch, who has been sidelin
ed much of this season with
injuries.
Another top freshman who has
spent the early part of this season
out of commission is 118-pound
Larry Topliff. The former Sandy
High School standout represents
great potential in Finley's view —
he ripped through 80 straight op
ponents last season on the way to
an Oregon Class AAA prep state ti
tle among other honors.
The other two freshmen who
make Oregon's future appear
brighter are 167-pound Daemon
Knight and 177-pound Brad
3iewara. ivmgni ndb uwrn
pressive so far this season with a
6-4 record. Included was a 14-7
win against Portland State which
keyed the Ducks' 19-18 season
opening dual-meet victory over
the Vikings.
Steward, who won consecutive
Alaska state titles as a prep,
jumped out to a 6-0 mark this
'What we're seeing is
the result of the John
Caine era'
_— Ron Finley
season before finally losing at the
Caesars Palace Invitational this
past weekend where the Ducks
finished 34th in a 40-team field.
Other key Duck starters include
junior Lorenzo West (142), senior
Rafe Mumford (150), and
sophomore Brett Hamilton
(190-heavyweight).
Finley says the Ducks will spend
this season educating themselves
for the future. Oregon has' test
dates against such opponents as
rav-iv puffcis ■ --
Arizona State.
Nontheless, Finley, in his 14th
season as the Ducks' mentor, sees
a bright side — the future.
"We re not starting over," says
the Oregon coach, who went to
Europe becaue of Greco-Roman
coaching duties and will return in
mid-December, "but it's going to
take us one more year before we
have the depth we need to fill all
the weights."
In the meantime, Finley will
educate his young team while
waiting for more numbers.
Does Finley worry about sen
ding his top freshmen up against
some of the nation's best
wrestlers?
"It does bother me to put a
freshman in over his head, and
that's going to happen in some
cases. I'm hoping, though, that all
of this will pay off."
The Ducks’ remaining schedule
includes eight more home meets,
including their own big meet, the
Oregon Invitational on Dec. 18
with Oregon State, Division II
champion Cal State-Bakersfield
and Portland State.
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