sports___________
Tennis preview
Coach Buckley optimistic
By Rob Conner
Of The Print
Clackamas Tennis Coach
Dave Buckley is anxiously
awaiting the start of the season.
With two returning lettermen
and an outstanding group of
new recruits Buckley’s squad
should definitely be a force to
be dealt with.
Since Clackamas left the
Oregon Community College
Athletic Association, all the
coaches have had to line up
games with schools other than
the area community colleges,
Some people don’t like the fact
that Clackamas must compete
with mainly four-year schools.
“It doesn’t bother me at all,”
Buckley said. Buckley said he
had no problem lining up his
schedule, “We have close to 20
matches, and that’s about as
many as you can have.”
Returning from last year’s
squad are Mike Wofford and
Ben Campbell. Wofford, who
earned All-OCCAA honors last
year, played number-two
singles and number-one
doubles. “Mike is one of our
better doubles players,”
Buckley stated. Campbell, last
year’s fifth man, has “improved
as much as anybody possibly
could,” Buckley said. “He’ll be
right up there this year.”
Heading the list of highly
touted recruits are Byron
Sullivan and John Storm.
Sullivan, who sat out a year,
after playing at University of
Oregon and at Lane Com­
munity College, is an academic
sophomore. “Byron is really
knowledgeable and has a lot of
skills,” Buckley said. Sullivan
was-an all-state performer at
Lane and coached high school
tennis last year in Grants Pass.
Wednesday March 2, 1983
John Storm, also a
sophomore, hails from Salem.
“John had a tremendous year
at Chemeketa last year,”
Buckley stated. Storm went
through the season undefeated
until regionals.
“It’s going to be a battle. They
are all so close, but that’s good.
The number-six man is just as
important as the number-one
man because they all get you
points,” he pointed out.
Buckley also combed the
local area and picked up many
of the top incoming freshman.
Bob Martin, from Lake
Oswego, is just one of these
blue-chippers. Martin was
district champion in each of the
last two years.
“I was really lucky. I think I
got the best community college
players in the state,” Buckley
stated. “The trip to California
will give us the best competi­
tion. This year we are going to
go down there with the attitude
that we can win. The league we
will be playing is by far the
toughest in California. I’m
looking forward to a really
good year,” added the Cougar
mentor.
Former Oregon City High
ace Tom Hercamp has also
brought his talents to
Clackamas. Hercamp went
undefeated in league last year
and took fourth at district.
Steve Groman, an
Estacada standout, went to
state last year in singles. “He’s
got a lot of talent. I think he’ll
really help us out,” Buckley
said.
<
Yet another number one
high school recruit is Jim
Markin formerly of Canby.
Greg
Mindt,
from
Lakeridge, played number
three last year. First year player
Kenny Heden could also be
tough according to Buckley.
“He’s very competitive, he’ll be
right in there and could easily
make the top six. Exchange
student, Jose Naranjo, from
South America has also caught
the eye of Buckley. “He’s a
good athlete and will definitely
be a good player.”
“We’ve got 11 guys now
and that’s a pretty good tur­
nout,” Buckley said. “Six guys
play singles and we’ll have
three doubles teams,”
Buckley forsees some
good inter-squad competition.
MEN’S TENNIS COACH, Dave Buckley
foresees a brilliant season in ’83.
Photo by Duanne Luckow
Portland boxing viable sport
Sports Commentary
By Doug Vaughan
Boxing in Portland does
not get the credit that it
deserves. On a night where the
Marriott schedules a six-fight
card with a double feature main
event, the publicity is still
shallow.
On the Feb. 3 card, the
Marriott hosted a double man
event with local favorites
“Sweet Baby” James Manning
in the first fight, and Freddie
“The Preacherman” Multrie in
the latter.
On the 11 o’clock news,
the sports presentation dealt
with a less than 30 second clip
of Manning’s fight and nothing
on the letter of the double
feature.
And oqly one local paper
has ever done a write up worth
reading on the Portland
fighters. Occasionally, a brief
summary will be done on all
the fights in the main Portland
paper, but that is only occa­
sionally.
What the media is failing
to realize is that Portland box­
ing is on a severe upswing.
“We have some really
good fighters coming up (in
Portland),” Fred McNally, fight
promoter for McNally Sports
Attractions, said. “The fans
have been fantastic, too.”
Not only have the fighters
and fans been on an upswing,
but the whole concept of
Portland boxing is following
along.
“In comparison with other
large cities we are probably
about the same,” McNally said.
“We are a lot busier than most
because we set up fights every
month. You do not see that
much except in cities like Las
Vegas or Atlantic City.”
And there is a reason for
the upswing, but only 1800
other people, and myself, who
show up for the fights would
know. To some, boxing seems
ridiculous, but actually it is like
every contact sport.
The crowds fill the Marriott
with excitement that can only
generate more emotion from
each spectator. As the contact
in the fight gets severe the
crowds enthusiasm rises.
The sport of boxing always
seemed revolting to me. Hav­
ing two guys go out and fight
continuously for 10 three-
minute rounds was not what 1
thought of as sportsman or
even fun.
But, my sense of apprecia­
tion for the sport grew from the
first minute I was at the fights.
The excitement is different than
any other sport.
Boxing is more explosive
and crowd-oriented than any
other sport I have watched
before. Boxing in Portland is a
first class event and should be
given the credit it deserves.
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