■ Duck wrestling
Erik R. Bishoff | Photographer
Oregon's Joey Bracamonte is the No. 1 seed in the 165^x>und class heading into Sunday’s Pac-10 Championships in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Barker, Bracamonte secure
top seeds for championship
Ducks hope to improve on last season's ninth-place
finish at the Pac-10 Championships on Sunday
BY SCOTTI. ADAMS
DAILY EMERALD FREELANCE REPORTER
The postseason has arrived for a
cadre of Oregon wrestlers who head to
San Luis Obispo, Calif., on Sunday to
compete in the 46th-annual Pacific-10
Conference Championships hosted by
Cal Poly. The Ducks look to avenge last
season’s ninth-place finish at the
Championships — their lowest since
the Pac-10 was formed.
Leading the Ducks into action are
senior Scott Barker and junior Joey
Bracamonte. Both have delivered
standout performances in every
match this season and have earned
No. 1 seeds in the 197- and 165-pound
weight classes, respectively. Shane
Webster will also compete. The junior
from Sams Valley has wrestled in the
174-pound weight class for the majori
ty of the season, but recently moved
up to 184 where he will compete at
the Championships. As Barker stated
earlier this week, the competition
at the Championships will be nothing
to overlook.
“I don’t think it will be a walk in the
park this weekend,” Barker said.
“These guys are coming to get it, and I
expect a battle in every match. ”
Barker believes No. 7 Ryan Bader
of Arizona State is his biggest
threat. The last time they took the
mat together was Jan. 30 at
McArthur Court when Barker shut
out the two-time conference cham
pion en route to a 7-0 decision.
Last week, the Ducks ended their
regular season by cruising to a 35-11
victory over Portland State at the State
Fairgrounds in Salem. During the dual,
Oregon head coach Chuck Kearney
kept most of his starters on the bench
allowing mat time for his less-experi
enced wrestlers.
This weekend’s tournament is the
end of the season for many who com
pete, and for those aspiring to go fur
ther, it’s their last chance to improve
their resumes and earn a spot at the
2005 NCAA Championships in St.
Louis. Forty individual berths will be
awarded following the tournament go
ing to the top three finishers in each
weight class plus 10 wild card selec
tions as determined by the coaches.
Barker, Bracamonte and Webster are
Oregon’s only wrestlers who have ex
perience in the NCAAs. Last season,
Bracamonte and Webster finished in
the top three in their weight classes at
the Pac-10 Championships and found
their way into the NCAAs; Webster fin
ished sixth in the nation. While
wrestling for Missouri, Barker reached
the NCAAs twice and took second
place at 197 in 2003.
The field competing includes all
Pac-10 schools, which will be vying
for the team title. After posting a
flawless 8-0 record in conference du
als, No. 19 Arizona State earned the
top seed in the tournament. Action
takes place Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4
p.m. at the Mott Gym on Cal Poly’s
campus. Later that evening, the semi
finals will be held to conclude the
day’s competition.
The finals will take place Monday.
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