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SJSU Wrestling Archives The Spartan Daily 3-12-82 |
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Baza, Jones Win NCAA Wrestling Openers |
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by Mike Jones |
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| Wayne Jones and Eddie Baza, two of SJSU's PCAA wrestling champions, advanced to the second round of the NCAA championships
yesterday at Iowa State. Jones, a senior and making his first trip to the NCAA championships, pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament so far when he defeated Tom Husted of Lehigh, 12-7, in a 128-pound match. Husted was the fifth seeded wrestler in the division while Jones was unseeded. Husted was the highest seeded wrestler that had fallen thus far in the meet. Baza, seeded sixth at 134 pounds and making his fourth straight appearance at the championships, easily defeated Charlie Chaney from Cal State Bakersfield, 20-8. Baza finished fifth in last year's tournament, but thinks he can improve on the mark with a No. 1 finish this year. Jones and Baza were the only wrestlers to win their first round matches as four other Spartans lost. Brad Gustafson, wrestling at 118-pounds, lost 16-1 to Anthony Calderaio of Slippery Rock. Gustafson, only a sophomore, was unseeded while Calderaio was seed tenth. At 142-pounds, Spartan John Middlestead lost a very close 4-3 decision to Randal Wilder of Tennessee-Chattanooga. Andy Tsarnas, weighing at 167 pounds, was easily defeated by Brad Bitterman of the University of New Mexico, 12-0. Bitterman was seeded sixth while Tsarnas was not seeded. The toughest loss of all went to Casey Gulliford. Making his second appearance in the tournament (his first was in 1980), Gulliford was pinned in the second round by Gary Albright, the ninth seed from Nebraska. Gulliford was not seeded. The loss was especially tough for Gulliford who, after sitting out last season, injured his knee earlier this season and missed much of the year. He came back just in time to win the PCAA championships two weeks ago. Even though they lost their first round matches, Gustafson, Middlestead, Tsarnas, and Gulliford are not out of the tournament. If the wrestler they lost to advances to the semi-finals, they still get a shot to wrestle for consolation prize. But, if that wrestler does not make it to the semi-finals, then it is all over. Jones and Baza wrestled in the second round of the tournament last night. The results of those matches were not available at press time. Baza's fifth place finish last year at the championships was the highest ever by an SJSU wrestler. The senior, who holds the SJSU career win record with 129, lost in the first round of the tournament as a freshman and sophomore when he wrestled at 126-pounds. Last year, SJSU sent four wrestlers to the NCAA meet. This year's total of six represented the highest number that SJSU has ever sent to the national championships. Today, the quarterfinals will take place, while the semi-finals will be tonight. Tomorrow, the battle for third and fourth place will be fought, with the championships held tomorrow night. |
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