Underdogs--Not Junkyard Dogs

Professional wrestling. It’s the world of Hulk Hogan and the Junkyard Dog--a scene of scowling faces pressed to a camera, taunting competitors and wooing fans.

For three wrestlers, the real world is different. It’s a small room tucked in a corner of the men’s gym at Pierce College. There, Rob Alleman, Tim Seikea and Craig Williams work out quietly, without the crowds and cheers.

“That’s the bane of amateur wrestling,” Alleman said of the circus atmoshphere of the pros. “That’s the first thing people think of when they think of wrestling: TV and body slams.”

The Pierce team was 0-7-1 this year, but each man’s individual performance was good enough for an invitation to the state junior college wrestling finals Friday and Saturday at Sierra College in Rocklin, near Sacramento. Each will face 11 other wrestlers in their respective weight classes.

Alleman is ranked sixth in the state in the 167-pound class. Seikea is ranked seventh in the 158-pound class and Williams is ranked eighth among the state’s heavyweights.

Alleman, who lives in Agua Dulce, wanted to be a wrestler as a freshman at Brigham Young several years ago, but didn’t make the team.

After his freshman year he left the country as a Mormon missionary. When he returned to the U. S. he became a top wrestler at Pierce.

He has a good chance of winning his class Saturday.

Alleman was 25-5 this season. He was ranked second in his class last week, but a loss in the South Region Qualifying Tournament at Cerritos College dropped him to sixth. He doesn’t appear to mind.

“It’s actually better for me,” Alleman said. “I wrestle better as an underdog. Rankings don’t mean a thing when you’re out on the mat.”

Alleman will return to BYU to try Division I wrestling next year. After that, he is positive of only one thing: No professional bouts.