4 $
P R IN T : Sports
Wednesday, Feb. 6,2013
The Oregon
advantage
A .M .
SPORTS
■AndrewMillbrooke
Sports Editor
“The will to win is not nearly
as important as the will
to prepare to w in." 81
- Bob Knight
With college football signing '
day upon us, we have the first
real test for new Ducks head
coach Mark Helfrich since tak- T-
ing over for Chip Kelly in late
January. The big question is, will
Helfrich and company be able to
land the coveted four and five star
recruits that Kelly brought in?
The rise o f Chip Kelly from
collegiate assistant coach to the | |
hottest NFL coaching prospect
was nothing short o f r e m a rk a b le .;
Kelly went from a $200,000 per -
year job as offensive coordinator
at Oregon in 2007, to making
upwards o f $4 million per year
from the Philadelphia Eagles, just -
a short six years later.
One thing that many failed
to remember during all the gio- ;
rification o f Kelly and his run
o f four straight BCS games is
that this Oregon program existed
and succeeded long before Chip -
Kelly ever set foot on Oregon
soil. The field is named fach |
Brooks field, because he brought
the Ducks from mediocrity inf ,"
the early 1980s to a Rose BowL’i
appearance in 1995, before skirt- ?
ing off to the NFL himself;
Mike Bellotti coached the- J
Joey Harrington led Dudes to a ;
38-16 Fiesta Bowl romp o w j5 >
Colorado in 2002, finishing sec- <
ond in the final AP rankings.
Oregon would have played in the I
national title game that season
under the current BCS format
RUNNER: Speed to burn
elite runner. “He lqves track and
field and he loves running,” said
Letts. “He’s a division I caliber
The talent that is so evident runner, he just has to mature into
emerges when he steps onto The it. He has a real passion for it and
track.. Although Sultessa proved he’s a worker.”
to be a solid 8,000-meter runner
Sultessa knows what he wants
this past cross country season*, and he has .set his goals high.
“My goal is run at a Division I
his real talent is his raw speed.
“He is the fastest kid I’ve ever school, in the 800 and 1,500,”
had the opportunity to coach as said Sultessa. “I don’t know
far as pure speed from 100 meters where, but definitely Division I. “
It helps that Sultessa has a tal
to 5,000-meters,” said Greg
Letts, a 31-year veteran coach ented team around him. Sultessa
at Centennial High School in and sophomore teammate Austin
Portland. Letts coached Badane Collins, from Colton, were both
for four years at Centennial, within striking distance of the
molding him into a state cham school record in the 800-meters
pion in the 800-meters as a junior. last season, running 1:51.33 and
Letts said that Sultessa could 1:51.67 respectively. Those are
have been, on his 4x100 relay the second and fourth fastest
as a freshman, a spot reserved times in CCC history. The school
for thè four fastest guys' o n . the record from 1984 is 1:50.9 by Yul
team. “Early on he would just run Provancha.
to w in/’ said Letts. “He would
“He’s definitely got guys
sit back and rely on his speed.” to work with,” said Mantalas.
Letts is more than just a coach to “Badane is just a step ahead in
Sultessa,.
-
.
’
fitness right now. If everybody
“He was my first coach and stays healthy these guys can run
because of him I started run some great times. I think Austin
ning,” said Sultessa. “He’s not can break the school record in
just a coach, he’s like my dad. the 800 this year and Badane will
He helped me with everything. probably lower it next year.”
I didn’t even speak English at
Sultessa has big plans for his
that time.” Sultessa didn’t focus final year of eligibility. “I’m not
on training to be a great runner down to lose at anything during
at first, but a little bit of success my third year,” said Sultessa.
“I’m not going to be scared of
changed that.
“Until my'junior year, I didn’t anybody, no matter what their
know anything about running and times are. I’m shooting for the
I didn’t take it seriously,” said school records next year in the
Sultessa. “My focus was just on 800 and 1,500.”
winning. After I won at state my
Those are lofty goals, as both
junior year, I started taking it seri the 800-meter and 1,500-meter
ous and working out every day.”
school records date to 1984. The
Letts is certain that Sultessa 1,500-meter recofd held by 1988
has what it takes to succeed as an Olympian Brian Abshire is a scin
Continued from Page 1
Badane Sultessais eyeing Clackamas ’school records in the 800 and 1,500
meter runs. Sultessa is redshirting this spring and will have sophomore
eligibility to compete in cross country and track next year.
.
tillating 3:45.5, or the equivalent
of 4-minute mile pace.
Sultessa has already been
receiving looks from Division I
schools that be covets. “It’s cool
to talk to schools in the Pac-12
that know who he is and what
he’s doing,” said Mantalas. “He
has the opportunity to compete
in the finals of the NCAA’s in
a couple years with everything
he’s doing now and the way he’s
progressing.”
The only question for Sultessa
may be at what distance he will
be best. “He’s definitely got a
large range, as far as, being able
to run fast in. everything from
400-meters all the way up to
8,000-meters,” said Clackamas
head track and field coach Keoni
McHone.
In addition to his strong 800-
meter time, Sultessa has run 48
seconds for 400-meters, 3:56.61
in the 1,500-meters, and 25:25
for 8,000-meters while placing
fourth in the NWAACC cross
country championships last fall.
All of those times are fantastic for
a college freshman.
McHone sees Sultessa as a
fixture miler, while Letts thinks
the 5K will be his race. Badane
considers himself an 800/1,500-
meter guy and Mantalas thinks he
can run everything fast. It doesn’t
seem to matter what the distance,
just know that Badane Sultessa is
going to run fast.
“A year from now Badane’s a
different guy,” said Mantalas. “I
think he can run crazy fast next
fall in cross country.”
BcUotti led the D ucks to a 21-3
seasons.
So, although Kelly brought I
the program to unprecedented
heights, the Ducks w o e good;
before he got here and they will
be good after he leaves. I believe
Mark Helfrich will be a big part
o f that
Oregon bom and bred,
Helfrich is in his dream job and
unlike Kelly, I don’t see him
heading off to the NFL or any
other college anytime soon.-
Helfrich is in his ultimate job -
right now.
Helfrich grew up in Coos --"I
Bay and attended Marshfield
High School, before a record- ■
setting career as a quarterback |
at Southern Oregon University.
Helfrich earned NA1A all-
American honors before jumping
right into coaching after college.
Helfrich has earned the right to
his dream job.
Helfrich, 39, was the young
est offensive coordinator in the
nation at a BCS school when
Colorado hared him in 2006 at .
age 32. Now, Helfrich is pofa^H
to lead the program with the best
owner in all o f college sports
(thanks, Uncle Phil) for the next
three decades.
Oh, arid about that old recruit
ing thing. I think Helfrich will be
just fine as long as the Oregon
coaching staff stays intact. One o f
the main reasons for the Dudes’
continued success for the past 2 0 1
years has been a core group o f
coaches that remain in Eugene.
These guys-have seen first-hand
as the program rose into great-»
ness from a very deep and?da j t t
place.
-
‘ J ‘ , .-.^y
Running backs coachG ari|8
Campbell, the senior member o f
the staff, has been in Eugene
for 30 years. Strength and con- i
ditioning coach Jim Radcliffe
(28), offensive line coach an d /t
running game coordinator Steve
Greatwood (26), defensive coor-
dinator Nick Aliotti (21) and line- .,
backers coach Don Pellurn i^ W
have all been at Oregon Sff moKP
than 20 years.
Experience brings results. O n j
signing day, let’s hope that some
o f the nation’s top recruits think
so.
-----Idaho’s Connor Pelzel during his convincing 11-4 decision at
__ _____ pounds on Jan. 19 in Randall gym.
Andrew Millbrooke
Sports Editor.
The Clackamas wrestling team
will be gunning for a-third straight
title as they host the Region T8
Championships beginning at
10 a.m. on Saturday in Randall
gym. Region rivals hlqrth idäho
and Northwest College have beat
en the Cougars in dual matches
earlier in the season and both
look capable of unseating tbe
Cougars from their throne, £ ■
“It’s awesome in the sense that
you get to compete in front o f
friends, family and teammates,”
said Clackamas head coacb Josh
Rhoden. “But at the same point,
as a coach, when we’re on the
road in the hotel, I have a little
more control over everything.
Hopefully, guys are getting the
sleep they need the night before
and staying focused.”
Rhoden pointed out that
Region 18 is the only region in
the country to boast three nation
al championship teams from the
past 10 years. No. 3 Clackamas,
No. 1 North Idaho and No. 7
Northwest College have com-
bined to win four of the past 12
national championships.
“Northwest College jo in e d s
the region this year and they
have a strong tradition of wres
tling, winning the 2004 National
Championship,” said Rhoden.
“They could get in there and
make some noise as far as con
tending for a region title.”
Rhoden talked about some of
the great depth that Region 18
has in most o f the weight classes.
“Our region is so good, you
are going to see a lot o f good
matchups,” said Rhoden. “The
downside to that is there are some
pretty good kids that don’t get to
go to nationals.”
The top four finishers at each
weight class qualify for nationals.
“We have a really deep
weight class at 125 pounds,” said
Rhoden. “Whoever gets through
there will be tough. All four of
the top guys have beaten up on
each other.”
Beau Roberts, ranked No. 4 in
the nation for Clackamas, faces a
tough test in the 149 pound class,
which has three of the top four
ranked wrestlers in the nation.
“I’m really looking forward to
it,” said Roberts. “I’ve wrestled
all three guys who are ranked in
my weight class. Lift excited to .,
get some redemption, and go in
and battle with those guys.” k
Roberts thinks it is an advan
tage competing in* such a tough
region.
“We have the toughest guys
in our region,” said Roberts. “It
gives us an edge, because we
have to work that much harder
to get out of our region to get to
nationals.”
The Rivalry
The featured matchup in the
region is in the 174 pound weight
class.
The top two ranked wrestlers
in the nation get to continue a
rivalry dating to last season in the
174 pound class.
“That’s obviously going to be
a great one at 174, because those
guys are ranked first and sec
ond in the country,” said Rhoden.
“TrentjustgottheN o. 1 spot with
the new ranking that came out.”
Noon beat Sweedman twice
last year, before losing a 1-0
match earlier this year at North
Idaho. Sweedman made it to
the national finals last season,
settling for second place, while
Noon finished fourth. Noon won
U
5'
payback two weeks ago, defeat
ing then No. 1 tanked Sweedman
3-0 in a home match to regain the
tqp ranking.
“I beat, him both times pretty
good last year,” said Noon. “Then
I wrestled him this year at his
place when I had strep throat the
night before and he ended up
beating me 1-0 on riding time.
He caught me one time and that is
not going to happen again.”
Noon is confident and happy
to have the top ranking going into
regionals, but the pressure is on
to hold on to it for nationals.
“It’s not pressure; it’s expecta
tion to win,” said Noon. “I like
having the No. 1 spot, people
have to come beat me. They are
more worried about me than I
am about them. That’s the way I
look at it.”
Noon did give his props to
Sweedman for always giving h im
a tough match.
“He’s been tough, he’s long
and lanky like I am,” said Noon.
“When we get in a scramble for
position, he can roll around with
me just as well as I can roll with
him, so that is what makes our
matches so good.”