SPORTS
Vidlak a ‘Superman’ on the Duck wrestling mats
By Jake Berg
Emerald Sport* Reporter
Metropolis has Superman,
and Oregon has Dan Vidlak.
When Vldlak removes his
sweats before a Duck wrestling
match, one expocts to soo a
largo rod “S" emblazoned upon
the 5-foot-2 grapplor’s chest.
Instead, one sees only con
centration and preparation on
the face of Vldlak; a man ready
ing himself to win.
And Vidlak has done just
that 15 times in 16 matches this
year, helping the Ducks to a
10-1-1 record and a national
ranking of 13th in the Jan. 24
NCAA Division I poll The Su
perman himsolf currently
stands as tho country's second
ranked wrestler in the 118
pound category.
"On the whole, I try to look
at it in the way that it's a com
pliment and I'm glad that peo
ple think I'm up there," Vidlak
said of tho rankings. "But leave
it at that, just keep on working
hard, and prove it on the mat.”
Tho mat has been a proving
ground for the Oregon junior
since tho uge of seven. At that
time, the 50-pound Vidluk’s in
terest in wrestling was sparked
by a family friond, who got him
into a kid's wrestling program.
"It just took off from there,"
Vidlak said.
Faster than a speeding bullet.
Although he attended a high
school reminiscent of a salad
dressing's name, Vldluk's prep
wrestling foots are hardly a
joko, rivaling thnsn ho has ac
complished as a Duck.
While attending Hidden Val
ley High in Grants Pass, Vidlak
claimed two Oregon state wres
tling titles at 105 pounds in his
junior and sonior years, along
with a pair of national prep
championships.
When Vidlak decided to at
tend the University, both ho
and Oregon Coach Ron Finley
were getting what they wanted.
Vidlak would he a part of Ore
gon's trudition-rich wrestling
program, and he figured tho ac
ademics "could hang with any
body" In the way of his major,
general science.
"I liked the fact that I didn't
have to give up anything to stay
in stoto," Vidlak wild "There
was no reason for me to go
2,000 or 3,000 miles away
when I can get everything I
need right here."
"I’d like to find 10 more just
like him," Finley said. "I'd take
10 morn of him any day."
His great talent in the high
school ranks carried over onto
college wrestling mats. During
his freshman season, he won
tho Pac-10 title at 118 pounds
and was given the Outstanding
Wrestler Award of the tourna
ment.
He compiled a 24-8-1 record
in his rookie season, and
Vidlak earned a 28-9 mark last
year and a berth to the NCAA
Championships, where ho
earned all-American honors by
placing eighth in tho 118
pound category.
As tho Ducks' lightest team
member. Vidlak opens up tho
matches as Oregon's first wres
tler. And with Vldlak's pristine
12-0 record In dual meets,
Duck matches hove always
startod ofT on the right webbed
foot this season.
"He's tho one that starts us
up. When he boats the heck out
of someone It really gets tho
team fired up.” Finley suid.
"1 have roally good confi
dence whenever I'm wrestling
that my offonse and my
takedowns aro going to work
and score." Vidlak said.
Despite his muscular frame,
Vidlak is not what one would
consider a power wrestler; he
has combined his slithery
quickness and knowledge of
the sport to gain the upper
hand on opponents. Me goes af
ter points, not pins, and the
end result often resembles tho
score of a football game with
Vidlak In favor.
"When I go out there to wres
tle, 1 just have a goal to wrestle
my best," he said. "Basically,
the way 1 go about that is in my
mind, going through little
things to score extra points and
just beat somebody as had as I
can.”
Which Is something he'd like
to be doing come the Pac-10
Conference Championships
Fob, 23-24 In Stanford. Al
though ho finished eighth at tho
NCAA's last year. Vidlak
placed only third in the confer
ence finals, and would like to
PbotoW? Andfi linwri
Hanked second nationally at 11B pounds, Oregon's Dan
Vidlak has been the leader of the Oregon wrestling /earn this
season
wnistlo his wuv to thn top later
this month in Stanford.
"Obviously I'd like to win it.
but if I wnistlo well and do the
things I should. I think I should
win It," ha said. "If I wnistlo
my bast, and I havn u good
tournament than I'll bo happy.”
Thoughts of his chances at
earning a spot on the United
States’ Olympic wrestling
squad and of becoming thn
Ducks' first NCAA tilleholder
since 1969 urn not fur from his
mind. Vidluk plans on trying
out for the Olympics In the
spring of 1992 and will likely
he found truvoling the Interna
tional wrestling circuit this
spring
"He’s got his work cut out for
him," Finley said of Vldluk's
possibilities us an Olympian.
"If ho works hard at It. he’s
definitely got u chance.”
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