Matmen Save Face in Three Matches As Princeton Crushes Harvard, 23-11

Harvard grapplers Dan Blakinger, Bruce Johnson and Richie Starr scored upsets in a losing cause as the Princeton Tigers squashed the Crimson, 23-11, at the IAB last Saturday.

The Tigers swept six matches and tied one to retain the top spot in the Ivy League standings and boost their season record to 10-2. Harvard is now 3-8 for the season.

Blakinger nabbed a sweet 4-3 win for the Crimson at 118 by upending Princeton's Lee Keppler, who defeated Blakinger last year. Blakinger (10-1) was the first grappler to defeat Keppler.

Johnson upset Princeton's Jack Harrison, 4-3, in a tight, deliberate match at 167. Johnson overcame a 2-1 first-round deficit and deadlocked the score, 3-3, with 1:50 left in the match. He then scored an additional point for three minutes of accumulated riding time to win the decision.

Crimson captain Richie Starr secured a 4-2 win at 190 by executing a quick escape and takedown in the second round against a lethargic opponent. Princeton could not challenge Starr's 3-2 lead in the third round and the referee awarded a point to Starr for Princeton's stalling. "The three wins were outstanding," Harvard coach John Lee said after the meet. "We managed to beat Princeton's best wrestlers, even though the rest of Princeton's team sewed up the meet."

Riding Low

The Tigers used a low riding technique that tired Crimson challengers and protected Princeton scores. Princeton drubbed Bill Haley (126), 11-2, George Baker (142), 6-2, Mike Dee (150), 6-1, and John Keough (158), 7-3. Carl Chandler pinned Harvard's Carl Culie (unlimited) in the first round.

In closer matches, Carl Biello (134) drew a heartbreaking 5-5 tie against Princeton's

Eric Lubell after leading Lubell by two points in the second round. Harvard's Jim Strathmeyer (177) fell to Gil Serota, 5-4, after Serota reversed a hold 15 seconds before the end of the match.