Other SJSU coaches have taken perennial losers and turned them into winners. But only coach Terry Kerr has taken
losers to three straight conference championships, the last being last weekend.
Up to a month ago, the wrestling score was 6-11 and fielded lineups that often included forfeits and many as five
freshmen.
But Kerr juggled his lineup and dogged his team enough to produce a 2-0-1 record in its last three dual meets.
The results of Kerr's efforts were a PCAA championship for the team and PCAA coach-of-the-year honors for Kerr.
In the PCAA championships last Sunday, the Spartans met three teams--Fullerton, Fresno, and Long Beach with better
seasonal records.
Taking individual championships were Rudy Guevara (118), Eddie Ortiz (126), Greg Hill (134), and Nick DeLong (hwt).
Pat Tillman (167) took a second.
For all four men, this was either their first season on varsity or their first season at SJSU.
Although SJSU had more champions than any other team, it was not the champions who were given credit for the victory.
"The third place guys won it for us. We were in third place after the semi-finals and came out tied for first
going into the finals," said assistant coach Tim Kerr.
"In consolation we won four of the five matches while Fresno only won two and Fullerton one," he said.
Winning consolation titles were Steve Dick (142), Mike Snipes (150), Dean Prescott (158) and Tom Roberts (190).
A fourth-place finisher for SJSU was Mario Rodriquez (177).
"We thought we were finished when Steve Dick and Dean Prescott didn't make it into the finals, but they both
beat the bleep out of their opponents in consolation to win superior decisions," Tim Kerr said in a voice
hoarse with cheering.
"All the pain, work, and torture really paid off," he said.
For Prescott it was especially frustrating to lose in the first round.
"He met a guy from Fresno who beat him in the last dual meet. He legged (stalled) Dean to death just as he
did in Fresno," said Kerr.
"Dean's our all-time favorite and the only four-year letterman. We were disappointed," Kerr added. |
