Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Wrestlers Prepare for West Coast Swing
December 11, 2003 | Cowboy Wrestling
Oklahoma State travels to the West Coast this weekend for a pair of duals against Pacific-10 teams in Oregon and Oregon State. OSU will wrestle Oregon State at 2 p.m. in Corvallis, Ore., and then head to Eugene to take on the Ducks at 7 p.mThe Cowboys will then head to Reno, Nev., for the Reno Tournament of Champions.
“Obviously, I felt like we had several guys that wrestled well at Bedlam,” coach John Smith said. “I'm looking for that to carry over to Oregon and Oregon State. The aggressive wrestling, keeping the pressure on our opponents and executing. I also am looking for some of the guys that didn't wrestle well to bounce back.
“Ronnie Delk had a good Bedlam match, but I am looking for him to bounce back with some wins,” Smith said. “Rusty Blackmon is struggling a little with his confidence. He just needs to keep working because I know there is a better wrestler within him.” The Cowboys and Beavers have met 18 times previously, with Oklahoma State winning all 18 duals. The last win in the series came in 2003 when they dropped the Beavers, 29-9, in Stillwater.
OSU also owns the all-time series advantage over the Ducks, winning all 11 duals. The Cowboys defeated Oregon, 33-5, in Stillwater last year. In the 11 duals the two teams have wrestled, the Ducks have only hit double figures three times, with the most recent coming during the 1979-80 season when they scored 15 against OSU.
After the duals in Oregon, the Cowboys will make the trip down to Reno, Nev., to compete in the ninth annual Reno Tournament of Champions.
“The Reno Tournament appears to be a very competitive tournament,” Smith said. “But right now, we need to concentrate on our two dual meets with Oregon and Oregon State.
“There are several weight classes where we will be very competitive, if not in most of them. We get to wrestle three extra guys. Kyle Shelton and Johny Hendricks will be two of the guys, and third will be an extra 125-pounder.”
The Beavers
Oregon State enters the dual at 0-2 with losses against Nebraska, 33-9, and Lehigh, 36-7. Joe Wells is in his 13th year as the head coach for OSU. He has amassed a career 125-77-1 record. The Beavers return a trio of national qualifiers in Jed Pennell, Matt Ellis and Tony Hook.
The Ducks
Oregon has yet to wrestle in a dual, but was scheduled to wrestle rival Oregon State on Dec. 12. It was changed to a day later due to a scheduling conflict. The Ducks are coached by Chuck Kearney. The Oregon graduate has coached five years at the school, posting a 40-41 record. The Ducks return a pair of national qualifiers in Jason Harless and Shane Webster.
Reno Tournament of Champions
After the duals in Oregon, the Cowboys will make the trip down to Reno, Nev., to compete in the ninth annual Reno Tournament of Champions. OSU won last year's team title and crowned three champions in Johnny Thompson, Jerrod Sanders and Chris Pendleton. The Cowboys' 139 team points were 51.5 points ahead of the next closest Arizona State and Edinboro. The tournament is a one-day event on Dec. 18. The Cowboys will be one of four ranked teams competing. OSU is the highest ranked team followed by Arizona State (22), Boise State (23) and Fresno State (24). Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, Oregon and Oregon State will also compete for the team title. The nation's top wrestlers will be competing against each other. Twenty-nine of them are ranked by Amatuer Wrestling News, with seven of them ranked in the top five. Oklahoma State has the only No. 1 ranked wrestlers competing in Chris Pendleton at 174 pounds and defending 184-pound national champion Jake Rosholt.
