ECAC Names Blakinger Top Matman

Sweeping through four matches to the ECAC freshman championship at 118 pounds. Harvard's Dan Blakinger was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the Meet by the ECAC after its freshman tournament Saturday at West Point. N. Y.

"The weight class Dan competed in was probably the toughest in the meet and I'm sure the committee took that into consideration before giving the award." Harvard coach John Lee said. "He's a really great guy and he looks like the best wrestler we've had in here since I've been coach."

After disposing of Army's Doug Jones in the first round, 6-1, Blakinger met former New Jersey state champion Tom Cholish of Wilkes College. Blakinger, who was also a state champion while attending Manheim Twp. High School in Lancaster. Pa.. decisioned the taller Cholish. 3-1.

In the semi-final round, he whipped Columbia's Sal Lenuto a former New York state high school champion. After the 6-1 win over Lenuto. he advanced to the final bout to face Dave Yohn of E. Stroudsburg. Yohn is from the same town as Blakinger but attended a rival high school. As sophomores in Lancaster. Yohn had beaten Blakinger twice but the two had not met since.

Yohn - who wrestled at 126 pounds for E. Stroudsburgs varsity this season - and Blakinger fought to a 5-5 deadlock after three periods. In overtime, Blakinger took the title with a 2-1 win. The next competition for Blakinger will come on April 15. when he competes in the AAU Nationals in Florida.