The Oregon wrestling team returns to action today after two weeks off from competition when it hosts Pacific at 5:00 p.m. and Central Washington at 7:30 p.m.
After two straight dual meet losses to nationally ranked teams — Jan. 5 to No. 12 Northern Iowa 26-16 and Jan. 11 to No. 4 Michigan 30-9 — the Ducks have had time for some intense midseason training.
Head coach Chuck Kearney has kept his team busy with two practices per day and will continue pushing his team for another week, when they begin their Pacific-10 Conference season with a dual meet against Boise State on Feb. 1. Even though Pacific is a Division III school and Central Washington Division II, Kearney appreciates the opportunity to compete against them.
“Going a length of time without competition, there is always a downside to it,” Kearney said.
“We wanted to have a good three-week training period. At the same time, three weeks is too long to go without competition. So we’re able to wrestle these two squads and not have it disrupt our training cycle, while giving us a chance to get live competition in.”
The Boxers of Pacific come to Eugene with a 9-8 record and are led by their 157-pound wrestler Troy Hall, who is 26-3 overall and 18-0 in duals.
In the later half of the double-header, the Central Washington Wildcats (7-6) will feature top wrestlers Cole Denison (141 pounds), Shaine Jaime (149) and Jared Novac (157).
There is still a question as to whom will wrestle in Oregon’s 157-pound slot against Novac and Hall. Sophomore Michael Badicke has been filling in for injured junior Tony Overstake, who last wrestled Dec. 20 at the Tournament of Champions. Overstake has been working hard to rehabilitate his knee, but suffered a small setback on Wednesday, the extent of which has yet to be determined. Kearney expects Overstake to compete in at least one of the two matches today and Overstake said he is “dying” to get back on the mat.
“It’s the worst things in the world being out, having to watch your teammates practice and matches,” Overstake said. “It’s tough.”
Along with Overstake, the Ducks have dealt with other injuries during the past few weeks. Junior Jason Harless, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury that has kept him out of competition since Dec. 1, will return to the mat against Pacific. Freshman Martin Mitchell, who has filled in for Harless at the 133-pound weight class, will wrestle against Central Washington.
Senior heavyweight Eric Webb has been plagued with an injury to the big toe on his right foot and its lack of improvement has raised questions with Kearney and the Oregon training staff.
The toe “is not getting a whole lot better, and it’s at a point where we don’t know what to do with it,” Kearney said.
On the brighter side, freshman Shane Webster will finally return to action for the Ducks after a layoff due to a knee injury. The knee is not yet at 100 percent, but Kearney knows that it would be tough to keep Webster out of another meet.
“Shane is a tough kid,” Kearney said. “We’d have more problems holding him out of it.”
Webster’s last dual meet was against Oklahoma State on Dec. 16.