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Pacific SportsBlogOkinawa-based sports reporter Dave Ornauer on military-related sports in the Far East. |
Soaring Eagles, prowling Panthers, Warriors on the warpath and other things
Posted February 18th, 2008 by Dave OrnauerBoy, these are heady times in Daegu American Warrior country.
Two days off the best finish in school history in the Far East High School Wrestling Tournament (seven out of 11 wrestlers medal), Brandon Spencer and the Warriors boys basketball team knocks off a juggernaut on Monday, a 71-52 win over Faith Academy's boys basketball team.
Spencer, he of the 38 points, and the Warriors may have finally shed that "also-ran/perpetually rebuilding" label that coach Phillip Loyd has always used for his ballclubs.
Welcome to Contenderland, fellas! Matmen and cagers.
Speaking of heady mat finishes, lost in the all-Okinawa dual-meet final hype was the third-place finish by Robert D. Edgren, best in school history. That came a day after the Eagles' school-record fourth-place showing in the individual freestyle.
I can only imagine what might have been had Kevin and Josh McDonald stayed at Misawa for the rest of the school year.
Might they have challenged the Kadena Panthers for the team titles? They'd have put up a great fight, at least. Edgren has achieved program status now.
Hey, anybody catch that triple-overtime game on Day 1 of the Boys Class AA Basketball Tournament at Seoul American? Guam High outlasting Christian Academy In Japan 55-53. A Game of the Quarter nominee.
Great way to start the week.
Good Job Edgren
Edgren did a great job, but let's clear up that their 215 pounder should not have been able to wrestle. He weighed in at 167, and the FILA rules state a wrestler can only bump up one weight class. He jumped 2. That being said, it is quite impressive that he did so well while giving up so much weight.
where would kevin and josh
where would kevin and josh have fit in misawas line up? misawa won against kadena in all the weights they wouldve been at...
Not a Game of the Quarter Nominee
I saw the game in person....55 and 53 points respectively with three extra periods to boot....enough said.
does this make any sense
does this make any sense Theres hype over teagu doing better thant they have ever done but yet they did not stand out as superior in any way but a tye-up and the mcdonalds were both at weight classes where whether they won or lost would have never make a difference in outcome because josh wasnt varsity yet and 215 won.
YES it makes sense. I
YES it makes sense. I believe I am correct in saying that 5 of the 7 places were taken by boys who only practice during the season. I know Greg Jones(148) and Andrew Davenport(135) started wrestling 3 yrs ago; when Teagu only had volunteer coaches and not even a full team. Greg Jones placed 2nd this year and 5th last yr(141) with NO extra training.Last yr he only lost 4 matches during regular season and was never pinned until Far East. This year he only lost 1 or 2 and has never been pinned not even at Far East. If I am correct he was the only one on his team to win against Guam(by pin)this Far East and the only Warrior to ever make it to the finals for 1st or 2nd place in the history of Taegu. He also maintains his grades to 3.5 or above. Andrew didn't place last yr but placed 5th this yr with no extra training besides the season and he maintains a 4.0. These boys work hard and deserve to be recognized as a team and as individuals. I am proud of our Warrior Team. We have had to borrow mats and fund raise for almost every piece of equipment we have. Keep in mind also 3 of the 7 are first yr wrestlers. WE ARE WARRIORS!!!!
Most of our kids
I would say that 99% of our wrestlers only train for wrestling during the season.
That's good it makes it an
That's good it makes it an even match. I know a couple of our players go to the States in the summer for wrestling camps.
Even?
If a young man wants to work in the off season you think that's unfair?