Usually when the wrestling community thinks of collegiate wrestling in Portland, Oregon they think of the once dominant Portland State Vikings. One of the best Division II programs that we ever lost, and a team that will also be covered in this series. Yet we lost another program in Portland. A small NAIA school at the time that now competes in NCAA Division III athletics. Lewis & Clark College.
The Pioneers throughout the mid 50's through the mid 60's produced some solid wrestlers. The team won the 1965 Pacific Northwest Conference title and in 1964 finished in ninth place at the NAIA tournament. Today we take a look at the eight best wrestlers in Pioneer wrestling history.
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115 lbs
Keith Shrock |
Somehow or another through four varsity seasons Keith Shrock managed to keep himself at 115 lbs. Winning a Pacific Northwest Conference title as a sophomore in 1958, he wold finish as the runner-up the next two seasons. He won four District 2 titles for the Pioneers as well.
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134/142 lbs
Norm Scott |
The sole star of the program during the early 1970's, Norm Scott never knew defeat during the regular season. All losses he suffered were during the post season. Scott won four Pacific Northwest Conference titles for the Pioneers being named the Outstanding wrestler of the 1972 tournament his junior year.
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177 lbs
Ralph Staley |
Perhaps the most fascinating fact about Ralph Staley is that he began learning the sport of wrestling in elementary back in the mid 1930's as a member of the Newberg wrestling club. In high school he won an Oregon high school state title for Newberg high school in 1953.
Participating for the Pioneers at 177 lbs, he finished second at the 1955 Pacific Northwest Conference tournament as a sophomore. He would win the title in 1956, qualifying him for the NAIA tournament. He finished third in 1957.
Also a member of Lewis & Clark's football team, he was selected All-Conference.
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177 lbs
George Held |
Most certainly an interesting case, George Held was a standout wrestler, football player and baseball player during his high school days. Lewis & Clark's football coach didn't want him doing all three sports and asked him to choose two. Held chose baseball over wrestling.
As a member of the Pioneers football team, Held made All-conference & was named team captain. He did the exact same thing in baseball being named team captain and making All-conference. As the teams lead pitcher, his senior season he struck out forty-eight batters.
Post his final season in football, Held decided to go out for wrestling. Despite being away from the sport since his senior year of high school, he still managed to win the conference championship.
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191 lbs
Gary Broggs |
Football, Track & Wrestling, everything Gary Broggs did he excelled at. On the football team, he was named All-Conference and an All American. In Track he won two conference titles in shotput and took seventh place NAIA All American honors. As a wrestler he won two Pacific Northwest conference titles and he placed fifth at the 1964 NAIA championships.
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191 lbs
Mike Clock |
While never an All American, another Pioneer who never knew defeat outside of the NAIA tournament was three time Pacific Northwest Conference champion Mike Clock. He won titles for Lewis & Clark in 1955, 1956 & 1957. He was also honorable mention on the football team.
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191 lbs
Pat Clock |
It seemed as soon as one Clock graduated their was another to replace him. Younger brother Pat was only able to win two conference titles compared to his brothers three, but he was able to do something that Mike was not. Pat made All American by placing fourth his senior season at the 1962 NAIA championships.
A member of the football team, Clock was named All American in both his junior and senior seasons.
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HWT
Harold Weight |
If it had not been for a career ending shoulder injury not only would Harold Weight be remembered as the greatest wrestler in Lewis & Clark history, he'd be remembered as one of the greatest wrestlers in NAIA history period. As a freshman Weight only saw defeat once and that was in the NAIA championship finals. As a sophomore he completely dominated the season, winning the NAIA title. Unfortunately during practice his junior year, he suffered a shoulder injury that forced him to miss the rest of the season as well as his senior year.
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