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Wednesday, January 13, 1999
Talented squad sets sights on larger goals
Despite losses,
Cougars confident
on success in
championships
JOHNTHORBURN
Sports Editor
The Clackamas wrestling
squad is no stranger to tough
competition.
With a ninth place finish in
last year's National Junior Col
lege Athletic Association's
[NJCAA] national champion
ships and a sixth place finish
the year before, the Cougars
are used to matching up with
the best of the best.
Clackamas faced the best of
the best fom last year's na
tional tournament in North
Idaho College, defending na
tional champions.
If Friday is any indication
how next month's NJCAA
championships will end up,
then North Idaho will be smil
ing for a second year in a row.
The visiting Cardinals man
handled the Cougars 41-0 for
Clackamas' first dual match of
the night.
"North Idaho is a tough,
tough school," noted Clacka
mas Head Coach Lloyd
Martindale. "We wrestled
them tough, but just couldn't
push anymore. They were na
tional champions last year for
a reason."
In the second dual match of
the night, Clackamas faced Pa
cific Luthern University from
Tacoma, Washington—losing
27-12.
On Saturday, the Cougars
hosted the annual Clackamas
Open.
Ben Vombaur, a freshman
from Vancouver's Evergreen
High School, won the 125 lb.
weight class.
Abel Valdez won the 133 lb.
TIMOTHY A. BELL / Clackamas Print
Sophomore Dennis Olsen attempts to pin a North Idaho College wrestler. Olsen and the Cougars have endured a tough season, but
remain focused on their goal of astrong national championships appearance on February 19-20.
weight class and continues to
improve with nationals only a
month away.
"We're in pretty good shape
right now," said Martindale.
"We've got a real solid squad
right now.
"Last year, we finished 6th.
This year, top to bottom, this
squad is much tougher. We're a
stronger team."
Clackamas travels to Yakima
Valley to grapple with the Yaks
on Thursday evening.
"Yakima Valley has a respect
able
program,"
added
Martindale. The competition
should be pretty good for us."
Saturday, the Cougars host a
Triangular Meet featuring
Southwestern Oregon Commu
nity College and Highline Com
munity College—both members
of the tough Region 18. The first
match is scheduled for 12 p.m.
Region 18, widely believed to
be the strongest, region in the
nation, has produced national
champion contenders year after
year. Saturday's match should be
a good test for the Cougars.
"We're excited and we feel
confident at this point in the sea
son," noted Coach Martindale.
"We've had some rough nights
but that comes with the sport.
Those nights happen.
"We're looking to finish some
where in the top five in the na
tion. With this team, we're ca
pable of doing that."
JOHN TH0RBURN / Clackamas Print
Clackamas faces Highline and Southwestern Oregon this
Saturday in a critical Region 18 triangular meet. Events will
begin at noon in Randall Gymnasium.
Coaching whirlwind leaves Northwest out of breath
Every football season ends with
the firing of coaches as teams go dif
ferent directions.
This year though, it seems move
ment on the
coaching front
has been much
more active
than usual, es
pecially in the
Northwest.
Three of the
five major
teams in the
region will see new coaches at the
helm this coming season. Here’s a
look at how the coaching changes
break down.
Seattle Seahawks
The hiring of Mike Holmgren will
have a major impact on the future
power structure in the AFC West.
The Seahawks weren’t short on tal
ent, as much as they were in need of
a leader. Holmgren provides this. He
was one of the only available
coaches that was a proven winner,
and was the only coach in the group
to have already been credited with
turning a Franchise around.
Holmgren is the man that molded
Brett Favre from an erratic, mistake
prone quarterback into a three-time
league M.V.P. and a future Hall of
Famer. Holmgren coached the Pack
ers to 2 Super Bowl appearances,
and numerous division titles.
The Seahawks have one of the
most talented defenses in the NFL,
as well as an offense that is loaded
at the skill positions. He has proven
he can develop quarterbacks into
stars, and will be looking to do the
same here in Seattle.
With a disciplined leader like
Holmgren calling the shots as Head
Coach and General Manager, the
Seahawks look to be one of the bet-
See Khosravi, page 7
Pacific Northwest
Coaching Changes
Who's Out?
Erickson
Lambright
Who's in?
Welcome to Seattle, Mr.
Holmgren.
Welcome to big-time college
football, Mr. Lambright.
The whirl
wind week
end, which
saw
Seahawks'
Head Coach
Dennis
Erickson re
placed by the
almighty Packers' Head Coach
Mike Holmgren and the Washing
ton Huskies' Head Coach Rick
Neuheisel, has come and passed.
Let's all jump up and say "Yee-
haa" for Northwest football.
Seattle's going to be a pretty
nice place to live.
The Mariners' Safeco Field is
set to be open next July. The
Seahawks' new, open-air stadium
is slated for completion in 2002.
The Sonics are comfortable in
their state-of-the-art Key Arena. It
makes Portland's Civic Stadium
look like a sandlot.
Nearly everyone is pumped up
for football to start up again. But
did this high morale come at too
big a price?
Seattle Seahawks
The Hawks have a talented
group of players. With Dennis
Erickson, however, it was a differ
ent story. He didn't relate well to
his players and could never seem
to get the ball rolling. The fran
chise demanded success.
Erickson out, Holmgren in.
With Paul Allen running the
show, money is no factor.
Holmgren, as a coach, will get
the Seahawks into the playoffs.
Let's face it. Jon Kitna at quar
terback, however, well never win
See Thorburn, page 7