The Oregon wrestling team has
a weekend off from Pacific-10
Conference competition as it travels to the panhandle state to take on No. 6 Oklahoma on Friday in Norman and the defending 2004 NCAA Champion, No. 1 Oklahoma State, in Stillwater on Saturday.
This road trip will consist of
Oregon’s toughest competition yet this season and will expose the team to the traditionally intense atmosphere of Midwest wrestling. Oregon senior Scott Barker leads the Ducks into
Oklahoma coming off a big win last week over the two-time Pac-10 champ, No. 7 Ryan Bader of Arizona State. Barker has the most experience of all of the Ducks who will be competing this weekend. Prior to transferring to Oregon, Barker was a 2003 Big 12 Conference champion and national runner-up while wrestling for Missouri.
Last weekend, Oregon (5-7 overall, 2-5 Pac-10) went 1-2 in duals as they defeated Stanford and lost to Cal State Fullerton and No. 16 Arizona State. Despite the losses, Oregon head coach Chuck Kearney felt the Ducks wrestled better than they have all season.
Between the Sooners and Cowboys, 16 wrestlers with national rankings are scheduled to wrestle this weekend, including six ranked No. 1 or No. 2. Barker (197) faces No. 1 Jake Rosholt of Oklahoma State for the second time this season. This rematch is an opportunity for Barker to avenge a pinning Rosholt dealt him earlier this year at the Reno Tournament of Champions.
Scott J. Adams is a freelance reporter for the Daily Emerald
