SPORTS
Strahm brothers want Pac-10 title for Oregon
By Robert Weber
Emerald Sports Reporter
What has 39 victories this season, a
top 10 ranking, weighs approximately
425 pounds, is finishing up two sociolo
gy majors and will be competing this
weekend in the Pacific-10 (^inference
Championships?
No. it's not North Carolina State’s for
mer heavyweight Tab Thacker, it’s the
Strahm brothers. C^am and Curt, from
Oregon.
When Oregon invades Stanford and
the Pac-10 Championships Saturday and
Sunday, the Strahms. both seniors, will
bet harking to Improve on their perfor
mance from a year ago, where both of
them finished third and qualified for the
NCAAs It’s something that Coach Kon
Finley thinks is a definite possibility
"Curt is a very capable wrestler,"
Finley said, "and he's Ireaten some out
standing wrestlers this season If he
meets the right people it can happen, al
though nothing's for sure
“Cain dropped a touple of matches
during the season and that's going to
hurt him in the seedings at the Pai
Ids." Finley said, "but if he wrestles to
his capability, he i an Ire right there and
qualify for the NCAAs
Curt. 25-1 on the season and ranked
sixth nationally, competes in the 190
pound division while older brother Cam
is the team's heavyweight with a
15-11-2 record
Curt, who wrestled .it 177 pounds last
season, won two of his four matches
and came up one mail h short of the all
American round at the NCAA meet
Cam lost his first and only matt h of thiL
Oregon's Curl (left) anil Cam Strahm are hoping to help Oregon win the PaclO
wrestling crown this weiriend at Stanford.
tournament, but said the experience he
gained last year will be a big boost if he
qualifies this season
'‘It was eye-opening." Cam said
"Vou see people there that you've only
read about before If I gel liai k. there
attain. I'll lie a I it t If* more prepared."
At 25-1, Curt has received a ttn*at deal
of attention in Kugene and nationally,
hut he says only the l’ac-10 and the
NCAA meets matter to him
"Twenty five and one doesn't mean a
thing; it's the nationals that matter, and
you qualify for the nationals at the Pac
lOs." Curt said.
"At the start of the year, 1 wanted to
he in the top eight nationally, but now
I'd like to finish in the top five. If I
wrestle like I can, I should be able to do
that."
While Cam's record isn't as impres
sive as Curt’s, it is due to extenuating
circumstances.
"He's an undersized heavyweight,"
Curt said of his brother. "For what he's
got, he's done a good job.”
Cam said a major reason that he lost
some matches early on was that he
wasn't really concentrating.
"I just wasn't training as hard," Cam
said, "and it showed in my condition
ing."
One thing lx>th Strahms agree on is
what it w ill take for Oregon to win the
Pac-lOs this weekend.
“The key is our proven starters must
win matches they're supposed to. and
our unproven wrestlers have to surprise
some people." Curt said.
Cam joined his brother in stressing
the importance of team members such
as Dan Yidlak 111H pounds) and Scott
Cienn (i:<4) winning matches against
opponents they have beaten before.
One thing's for sure; if Arizona State
is to claim its second consecutive title
or Cal State-Bakersfield is to gain top
honors in the conference, they will have
to overcome the league's finest set of
brothers.
And that's no small task
Experienced Oregon golfers swing into action
By Robert Weber
f me Mid Spoils Reporter
One midterm down, only
three left liefore th* fund exam
At least that's how Oregon
women's golf (loach Kene Mat k
dost rilies her team's spring se.t
son.
"We look at our tournaments
as midterms, and the I’ac-lOs
will In* our final exam." Slack
said
After a solid fall m hodule.
Mac k's squad began its spring
season last week with an 11th
place finish at the Domino's
I’l/./.a Chris johnson Invitation
al tournament in Tuc son, Ariz
The third and final day of the
tournament saw Oregon fire a
sc head record 2'ttl led by laugh
llornung s two-under-par 71
The team score1 was the fourth
Iiest round of the day in the
tournament and helped the
Ducks move up two spots
All five Dui k players shot
rounds in the 70s in the third
round, good enough that Ore
gon had the luxury of dropping
a 70 from its five si ores
Oregon's greatest strength is
team depth, Mack said l.vnn
Yonemoto. the squad's lone se
nior. and a highly talented
group of juniors lead a Duck
team that is pressing for tin
N(:AA bid this spring
Mornung. Starla Vamada.
Nuriev (Crawford and Beth
Manczuk, all juniors, are now
reaping the benefits of playing
the* past two years
"The upperclassmen have
been very solid," Mack said
"They have played a lot of
tournament golf and know
1
50% OFF
►SELECTED
KJSIbHS
ft FRAMES i
13th and Kincaid Monday • Friday 7:30 • 6:00 Saturday 10:00 • 6:00 Phone (S03) 346-4331
what they have to do.
In addition to strong play
from the upperclassmen, the
Ducks have received a boost
from younger players such as
Amy Filed and Shannon Maier
"We have taken at least one
unden lassmen on each trip so
far." Mack said "Our depth
has made it a lot more competi
tive and the qualifying scores
have definitely been lower."
The Ducks’ next challenge
comes March I f in the josten's
Invitational at San lose State
Mack said the tournament,
which is to be played at the
Fort Ord bayonet Golf Course,
will include nine of the na
tion's top It) teams.
"It's the best field we've ever
played against," Mack said
"We have never been invited to
this tournament and the only
reason we were invited this
year was because they thought
we were one of the best teams
in the west 1 don't know if we
can win. but we can make a
good showing."
None of the Duck players
have played the Fort Ord
course, but Mack, said it is a
long, narrow track filled with
many hills.
Oregon doesn't mind playing
tournaments on courses they've
never played before quite as
much as they used to because
in April the Ducks will host the
Pac-10 Championships at the
Kugene Country Club.
"None of the teams in the
league have played Eugene be
fore.” Mack said, "and it is
tougher than any course they
will have played all year.”
The home course and home
weather advantage is some
thing that Mack and her team
can’t wait to enjoy.