CSUB clobbers UC Davis in final home wrestling dual
| Saturday, Feb 13 2010 11:12 PM
Last Updated Saturday, Feb 13 2010 11:24 PM
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UC Davis Aggie Alex Darkhovsky heads to the mat back first after being thrown by CSUB's Troy Goodban in the 174lb match. Goodban won 6-5
CSUB wrestling coach T.J. Kerr,left, his team and staff, all wore black to what may be the last dual meet of the program. It was announced earlier this week that the wrestling program would be one of the sports cut due to budget concerns.
CSUB's Joey Granata takes control of UC Davis' Joey Wilson with the help of the Roadrunner crowd which includes CSUB President Horace Mitchell, ( top center,fifth from left ) who earlier this week announced that the wrestling program at the school would be one of the sports cut due to budget concerns.
CSUB 174 pounder Mike Larson gets a running takedown on UC Davis' Rory McBride. Larson won the match 7-3 in what may be the last dual meet of the CSUB wrestling program.
The black sweats and singlets with no Cal State Bakersfield lettering or logo spoke volumes about the Roadrunner wrestlers' thoughts Saturday night about the elimination of their sport.
Two days after CSUB President Horace Mitchell announced that the college's wrestling program would be discontinued after this season, the Roadrunners went out in what could be the final home dual meet and routed UC Davis, 39-4, in the Icardo Center.
CSUB won eight of the nine matches plus another by forfeit in front of an Icardo Center crowd about double the typical dual meet.
Many former CSUB Division I All-Americans -- there's been 43 of them over the years, including nine national champions -- were in attendance.
The idea of the black sweats and singlets came from junior Joey Granata, coach T.J. Kerr said.
"The way we feel: the university turned its back on us," Granata said. "This is so hard. We represent our school. We've been proud to represent our school. But now they don't want to support us, so we decided not to support them."
Granata got the meet started by rallying from a 10-4 deficit to edge Joey Wilson 12-11 at 165 pounds. Troy Goodban then held on and used a point of riding time in the 174-pound match for a 6-5 win and CSUB rolled after that.
In a fitting end to the match, 157-pound Andrew Balch pinned Davis' Trevor Machado-Ching at 6:00.
The crowd then rose in unison for a standing ovation -- the last of several standing ovations Saturday night.
Fans remained on the Icardo Center floor for more than 45 minutes after the match ended, seemingly not wanting to leave.
Many boosters say they aren't ready to give up on the program. Mitchell said if $1.4 million can be raised to save wrestling and the other three sports to be cut -- men's and women's golf and women's tennis -- the programs can be saved for two years.
Mitchell was in attendance and visited with wrestling boosters after the match.
Announcer Ed Thomas got resounding applause when he asked the fans to show their appreciation to the entire wrestling squad and Kerr before the competition began.
There was a chorus of boos when Thomas said, "this is the last dual meet ever."
"What you saw was a huge outpouring of support for our program," Kerr said.
Kerr was wearing his 1996 team ring, the year CSUB placed third in the NCAA nationals for its highest-ever finish. "I can't remember the last time I wore it," he said.
Mike Box, father of CSUB wrestler Anthony Box and Bakersfield High wrestler Tim Box, was wearing a black T-shirt with "Save CSUB Wrestling" printed on the front.
"My wife made up five of these," he said. "My youngest son was looking forward to coming here and wrestling with his brother."
