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SJS Grapplers Loser Opener To Berkeley
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by Tim Robb
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| The SJSU wrestling squad opened its 1973-74 season Wednesday with a 29-9 defeat to UC Berkeley. |
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| Berkeley, a perennially tough wrestling power, scored seven wins, one by a fall, enroute to its season opening
victory. Berkeley picked up an additional six points as the Spartans forfeited the 190-pound class. |
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| The three bright spots in the Spartan lineup were victories by Mike Cunningham, Danny Kida, and Donnell Jackson.
Cunningham, regularly a 158-pounder, was moved up to the 167s and provided the large crowd with the most exciting
match of the evening. |
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| Going into the third period of the match, the score was 1-1 with each man having scored on an escape. Cunningham
rode his opponent a good portion of the final period and with ten seconds left in the match, got a quick takedown
for two points and victory. |
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| Jackson's match was also close with most of the scoring coming in the third period. The Spartan heavyweight nailed
down the 8-2 victory with a match-ending takedown and near fall. Kida took the 126-pound match with a 13-8 win
over a determined Berkeley competitor. |
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| Although the Spartans weren't wrestling at full strength with freshman Gary Uyeda and Ranjel Marroquin having to
compete, head coach T. J. Kerr had hoped for a better performance. |
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| "I wasn't too happy," Kerr said. "I think the guys are going to have to go after it a little bit
more. They're going to have to go out and be competitors." |
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| Concerning individual performances Kerr said, "Cunningham was fantastic. He gutted it out all the way."
Kerr was also pleased with Uyeda's match, noting that as a freshman Uyeda was competing against Berkeley's Brent
Jacinto, the number two rated 142-pounder in the state. |
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| Assistant coach Tim Kerr had a short summary of the team's future, "We've got a lot of work to do." |
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| The team's next action will be tomorrow evening at 7:00 in the second annual alumni meet to be held in the Spartan
Gym. Hugh Mumby, former SJSU wrestling head coach, will mentor the alumni in the match, featuring olympic freestyle
wrestling. T.J. Kerr said that the different style of wrestling should interest fans who haven't seen it before. |
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