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CLOUDY Temp: 40 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Saturday, December 21, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend November 22, 2002 Raiders play host to Embry-Riddle, Pete Belcastro By KRIS HENRY Mail Tribune ASHLAND — With a motivating match under its belt, the Southern Oregon wrestling team will kick its season into high gear tonight and Saturday at McNeal Pavilion. The third-ranked Raiders square off against fifth-ranked Embry-Riddle in what stands to be a heated dual meet at 7 tonight, then turn around to play host to the Pete Belcastro Southern Oregon Open at 9 a.m. Saturday. "It’s going to be a pretty crazy couple of days," says SOU coach Mike Ritchey. In Embry-Riddle, Southern Oregon faces a team that edged the Raiders for the NAIA Western Regional championship last season. SOU gained the ultimate revenge by placing higher at the NAIA Championships, finishing one spot ahead with a third-place effort. Still, Ritchey says he had no trouble getting his wrestlers focused for tonight. "This is a big meet for us because it’s our home-opener and Embry-Riddle is kind of our arch-rivals," says the coach. "They’ve kinda surfaced as the team we’d like to beat if we can. I’m sure our guys are fired up to meet those guys. They’re going to be one of the teams to beat at the national tournament." The Raiders will also be motivated to improve on last week’s season-opening dual at sixth-ranked Menlo, a 23-9 loss in Atherton, Calif. "We walked away from that pretty motivated," says Ritchey, whose lineup featured four freshmen and a sophomore in 10 weight classes. "We were disappointed, but it wasn’t discouraging." In what stands to be the last local tournament of its type for a few years, the Southern Oregon Open will feature 16 teams ranging from Oregon State to Portland State to North Idaho Junior College. A scheduling conflict will keep Oregon from sending a full contingent of wrestlers, but Ritchey says about seven Ducks will make the unattached trip south. All told, Ritchey says he expects 32-man brackets in all weight classes for a total of 320 wrestlers on hand throughout Saturday. Championship finals will begin at approximately 5 p.m. "It’s always a great tournament," says Ritchey. "It’s kind of a preseason feast with the teams that come. A lot of teams like ourselves use it as a tune-up and to see where they’re at for the season." The Southern Oregon Open is also a national qualifier for the Raiders, and hopefully will give SOU a leg up in that direction. Southern Oregon’s success in football is a prime reason why the Open will find a new home next year, most likely at Portland State. With the Raiders’ increasing success on the gridiron, the combination of staging a playoff game in football and such a large wrestling tournament on the same day simply isn’t feasible for the university. "It definitely adds a new element to our schedule around here," says Ritchey, adding he couldn’t be more pleased with the success Jeff Olson and his staff have brought to the football program. There are also only so many weekends available to pull together a tournament as large as the Southern Oregon Open, and Ritchey says there really isn’t an alternate date that he could see working for everyone involved. Heavyweight juniors Mike Whitehead and Wes Balensifer head the list in SOU’s probable lineup tonight, along with seniors Marc Harris (125) and Nolan Harris (133) and junior Brian Wilson (165). Besides Wilson and Central Point’s Whitehead, only freshman Abe Ewing (184) of Banks was able to score a decision against Menlo. Other young Raiders to watch will be sophomore Freeborn Mondello (141), redshirt freshman James Mannenbach of Eagle Point (174) and true freshmen Jimmy Grochowsky (157) and Colin Davis (197). Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search M Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy web master feedback A D V E R T I S E R S