Wrestlers travel to Boise for tough match with BSU

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    By BRUCE JACOBS

    BYU wrestlers will try their hand at bronco bustin’ Saturday when they tangle with the Broncos of Boise State University at 2 p.m. in the Smith Fieldhouse.

    It won’t be an easy task, however.

    BYU head wrestling coach Mark Schultz said the Cougars will have their hands full when they tackle the Boise State squad.

    “We don’t match up really well with (Boise State),” Schultz said. “Their toughest guys are in our toughest guys weight classes.”

    Boise State placed fifth at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Dec. 5 — six places ahead of BYU. Among some of the nation’s best wrestling competition, the Broncos had two first-place finishers, including 165-pounder Kirk White, who beat BYU junior Rangi Smart 5-3 in the final.

    Smart said he’s looking forward to getting another shot at White on Saturday.

    “I can beat (White),” Smart said. “I’ve just got to wrestle a better match than last time. I’ve got more respect for him, but I’m not intimidated.”

    Smart said he allowed White to control his head for too much of the final in Las Vegas, which ultimately cost him the match. He also said he has a plan of attack for the upcoming showdown.

    “I’m planning on coming out and attacking his open side,” he said. “Last time he left it open, but I didn’t take advantage.”

    Another great matchup should be in the 157-pound weight class, pitting the Bronco’s Larry Quisel against BYU freshman Matt Bradshaw.

    “(Quisel) won my bracket in Vegas,” Bradshaw said. “He’s ranked in the top 15, (but) he’s not unbeatable. He has weaknesses.”

    Smart wouldn’t reveal which side White left open, or how he plans to attack it. Neither did Bradshaw specify what Quisel’s weaknesses are. But their attitude toward the upcoming matches seemed to reflect a big desire to win.

    That kind of desire, Schultz said, is the most important weapon a wrestler can have in his possession.

    “I’d rather have 10 guys with desire than 100 guys with talent,” Schultz said.

    According to Schultz, the secret to recruiting is to find the wrestlers with real desire to succeed. Schultz said Boise State is a tough team because the Broncos have managed to land some great recruiting classes.

    “Recruiting is everything in wrestling,” he said. “The last three years (Boise State) has had almost identical recruiting classes as BYU.”

    After Saturday’s wrestling meet, the Cougars will have about three weeks off before traveling to Hawaii for the Aloha Classic in Laie on Jan. 2.

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