Gone is Oregon’s tough nonconference schedule.
In are new expectations for a season nearly half gone.
It’s a precarious situation for the Oregon wrestlers this weekend as they travel to Redmond in the annual Oregon classic. But, as the Ducks have said time and again, this won’t be a down year.
If Oregon hopes to make some noise in the Pacific-10 Conference this year, there is no better opportunity or outlet to do it than this weekend’s competition.
The Ducks enter the tournament with a 0-3 record on the year. What goes unnoticed, however, is the caliber of competition the Ducks have competed against during the season. Oregon has wrestled against No. 1 Oklahoma State and No. 5 Nebraska, along with a match against rival Oregon State.
The Ducks don’t want to have to justify their record. They want results.
“We will be going out and performing and taking charge,” head coach Chuck Kearney said. “(We are going to) apply what we learned, and show up and compete. We want a take-charge attitude, we will look to see what happens.”
Now is the time for the Ducks to take the hard knocks of 2003 and turn them into stepping stones for 2004. It is not an easy task, but with competition on the horizon — which doesn’t include two top five teams nationally — things look a little easier.
“This month is the bulk of our season,” redshirt sophomore Chet McBee said. “We are facing some good nonconference competition, especially Army.”
Although the tournament will feature 11 teams, Oregon enters it facing only Air Force, Army and Cal State-Fullerton.
The Ducks are led by No. 20 Jason Harless, who is 4-4 on the season.
Cal State-Fullerton is a Pac-10 wrestling team, and the two teams have met only once before at the respective tournament. Overall, Oregon has won the last four matches and has an overall record of 9-1 against the Titans.
While the Ducks are done facing top five teams, they aren’t done wrestling against top five wrestlers. Such is the case with junior Leonel Sanchez of Cal State-Fullerton, whose 17-4 record has him ranked third in the nation in the 174-pound weight division.
Air Force enters the tournament with momentum after winning its dual meet against Utah Valley, 35-3. Oregon beat the Falcons when the met for the first and only time during the 1981-1982 season when most of Oregon’s wrestlers were either just being born or hadn’t been born yet.
Rounding out the Ducks’ competition this weekend is Army. It is the first time the teams will meet. Army features All-American Phillip Simpson in the 157-pound weight class.
Simpson is 11-1 this season, but more impressively, carries a career record of 85-12. Currently ranked No. 7 in his respective class, Simpson finished third in the nation a year ago.
“This will give some guys a chance to see up-and-coming teams in the Pac-10,” McBee said. “I’m sure some are ranked ahead of us, but this isn’t a down year.”