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SJSU Wrestling Archives The Spartan Daily 3-8-79 |
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Four Spartans Travel to NCAA Finals |
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| Four Spartan wrestlers will seek to finish among the top 20 as a team for the first time in SJSU history at the
NCAA championship at Iowa State Thursday through Saturday. SJSU's qualifiers for collegiate wrestling's biggest event are seniors Robert McDowell (150), James Rey (177), Duane Harris (190), freshman Eddie Baza (126). All four were PCAA champions in their respective weight classes this season. "The only other time we ever sent four guys was in my first year as coach," said Coach T.J. Kerr. After coming off a best-ever dual meet mark of 17-6, Kerr believes SJSU is capable of finishing in the top 20. Kerr led the Spartans to their best NCAA finish, 22nd, in 1973. "It doesn't take very many people," he said. "If you have an individual who places first i would think that would ensure it." It would appear then that the Spartans would have an excellent chance as McDowell is ranked second in the nation, his only loss being a 7-6 decision at the hands of Bruce Kinseth of Iowa. McDowell has been SJSU's main hope for an NCAA title all year, recording more than 20 falls this season with many of his opponents not lasting past the first round before being pinned. A qualifier for the NCAA tournament last year and winner of the 1978 NCAA Western Regional championship, he was 43-1 this season. McDowell refuses to talk to the Daily because of an article written concerning the wrestling team that he felt was untrue. Harris was also a participant in the NCAA finals last year. He won the NCAA Regionals in 1978 and placed third there in 1977. "There's a difference from last year," Harris said concerning the NCAA tournament. "I have more confidence and i know what it's like to be there." Harris, 33-5 on the season, wrestled second-ranked Harold Harris of Oregon State earlier in the year and was beaten. If he faces the OSU grappler in the NCAA match, he said, "I'll have to wrestle him more solid. I was intimidated last time. I could have done a lot more against him." Ranked second on the West Coach, Harris considers himself a better wrestler from the standing position with both men trying to take each other down. Though only a freshman, he didn't appear to be overwhelmed by the thought of competing in the national championship tournament. "I figure i've got nothing to lose," he said. "I'm just going to do the best i can." A Sunnyvale High product, Baza placed third in the CCS at 130 pounds last year. "He's got a real good attitude," Kerr said. "He came here not even knowing if he could make the team but i don't think he's got stage fright. I think he can win a couple for us." Rey, 22-14-1 on the season, was unavailable for comment, but Kerr said, "Jim is very conscious of representing the school. The more pressure there is the better he performs." Though his four-year mark at SJSU is only 51-51-9, Rey has been an All-PCAA selection every year he has been there. Kerr said that there were 124 colleges represented at the NCAA tournament last year and he expects around 120 this week. The tournament will be seeded so that the higher ranked wrestlers will meet the lower ranked ones in the early matches. This, in theory, means the best wrestlers will face each other in the championship matches. For the Spartans, who lost the PCAA title to Utah State by just three points, placing 20th or better in the nation may seem a huge step. But don't try telling that to four guys who combine for 122 wins this season. |
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