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SJSU Wrestlers Rated 11th Following Portland Invitational
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by Mike Jones
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| The SJSU wrestling team is having a very good year, in fact, a better year than what coach T.J. Kerr had expected. |
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| The team is 15-1 and ranked 11th in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News. |
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| "We hadn't expected to be that good," Kerr said. "I wouldn't have expected to be 15-1 right now.
We have a lot of people who weren't proven wrestlers and a lot of freshmen who have stepped in and have done real
well." |
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| Kerr added that the team has eight red-shirts that could be helping, and that they don't have a great deal of depth.
But he said the team "should be even better next year with the red-shirts." |
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| The highlights of the season so far, according to Kerr, have been the wins over Cal Sate Bakersfield, Cal Poly-SLO,
and a victory in the Portland State Invitational tournament last weekend. |
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| "Bakersfield and Cal Poly were big wins because of the California rivalry," Kerr said. "They were
big because they help influence our recruiting." |
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| Kerr said the Portland State Invitational was a highlight not only because the team took first, but because they
avenged their only loss of the year to the University of Oregon. |
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| Eddie Baza and Wayne Jones have been the team's outstanding wrestlers so far this season. Baza had a record of
25-3 and was named the outstanding wrestler at the Portland State tourney. |
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| "Jones is real hot," Kerr said about the 126-pounder. "He is undefeated at 126." |
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| Knee problems have plagued the team all year long. Monday, heavyweight wrestler Casey Gulliford had his knee put
into a cast. Kerr said Gulliford should be back for the conference championships which well be held at SJSU on
Feb. 26. |
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