| With a startling lineup that included 10 conference titlists, 8 NCAA qualifiers, and 13 All-Americans, the alumni
expected to have a fairly easy time with the SJSU wrestling team Friday night at Spartan Gym. |
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| The Spartans surprised the alumni however with a strong performance and a 17-17 tie. |
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| "It was a pretty good match," SJSU wrestling coach T.J. Kerr said. |
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| The Spartans wasted little time in grabbing a 3-0 lead when Mike Rodrigues decisioned Pan-Am gold medalist Marty
Lockwood 12-6 in the 118-pound division. |
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| "I think Lockwood overlooked Rodrigues," Kerr said. "They (the alumni) were a little cocky." |
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| The alumni came right back though, as 2 time NCAA All-American Danny Kida beat Eddie Baza 9-4 in the 126-pound
division. |
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| John Middlestead got the lead right back for the Spartans as he whipped former PCAA champion Rudy Guevara 14-3
in the 134-pound division. |
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| SJSU extended its lead to 11-3 after Dennis McDowell got by Mike Hoody 7-3 in the 142-pound division. |
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| However, the alumni turned things around when Tilhamer Toth-Fejel beat Doug Stewart 20-9 in the 150-pound division. |
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| Shortly thereafter, SJSU's highest percentage winner, Robert McDowell, bested Reggie Thompson 8-2 in the 158-pound
division. His victory tied the match at 11. |
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| The alumni took the lead for the first time when, in the 167-pound division, PCAA champion Kevin Hejnal decisioned
Randy Davis 14-8. |
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| But the Spartans battled right back when Dave Brouhard beat PCAA champion James Rey 5-1 in the 177-pound division. |
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| "Rey is difficult to wrestle. He ties you up," Kerr said, "but Brouhard looked tough." |
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| SJSU took the lead once again when freshman Jerry Morrison edged 2 time PCAA champion Duane Harris 4-2 in the 190-pound
division. |
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| The meet climaxed in the heavyweight match when the alumni's Ralph Kuehn, a former NCAA Western Regional runnerup,
beat Ken Klein in an exciting match that locked up the tie. |
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| "I was impressed," Kerr said, "but i think we are going to have to get a little more serious in
our conditioning." |
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| "We have some kids who did not wrestle who have a lot of potential," Kerr added. "We have depth
in some places, but the newcomers have to develop." |
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| Assistant coach Ralph Kuehn, who wrestled in the match for the alumni, also had some praise for the Spartans. |
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| "They looked pretty good," he said. "They were ready for us mentally. They wrestled with some good
style, but it's hard to say how they will do in the season. They're pretty young." |
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| The alumni now hold a 5-2-1 lead in the series. |
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| The Spartan's next home meet is Thursday, Nov. 15, against Chico State. The Spartans will tune up for that meet
with the Great Plains Championships tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska, Friday and Saturday. |
