Minutemen Stump Harvard Grapplers

A shoddy UConn wrestling squard for feited three bouts last night while watching the angry Crimson bounce back from a 24-18 heartbreaker to the Umass Minutemen, and trample the host Huskies, 33-15, in the second round of last night's Tri-meet in Storrs, Conn.

Once again Paul Widerman drew first blood for the Crimson at 118-Ibs. with a 10-4 win over Minuteman Rick Shiarzi. Shiarzi, normally a vital link in the crush--line-up which earned UMass the number two slot behind Rhode Island in the New England ranking, found Widerman waiting to explode after an unfortunate tie last weekend. The fast action double leg moves Widerman sent out like machine gun fire decimated Shiarzi.

Off to a fast rolling start, the Harvard matmen careened through the next four contests, barely looking back to see Whom they left in the ditches. In the most decisive victory the ever-improving Andy McNerney battered the UMass 126-pounder Doug Johnson for a stunning 21-4 win.

Later in the evening McNerney turned in another demonstration of his advancing prowess when he hung on to Huskie stalwart Joe Viola through most of the third period before going down 3-2. Viola, and NCAA quarter finalist, is the pride of the UConn squad.

Fritz Campbell, Crimson 134-pounder, returned to his winning ways with a 15-7 pummelling of Minuteman Greg Johnson. Some late season tutoring under Coach Johnny Lee seems to have the Crimson freshman keeping a safe distance from the single-leg takedown which has plagued him most of the season.

Rick Kief and AI Montgomery knocked off two more opponents at 142 and 150--Ibs. Both of the middlemen looked strong. Montgomery eked out another close one, 8-6, after battling back from a 6-2 deficit.

Two UMass pins put the Minutemen back in the match. Tyler Jacks, making slow transition to 158-Ibs. died a painful death to Mike Carroll at 5:40. Co-captain Doug Masson bit the dust quicker when Dave McKentee iced the struggling senior at 1:25.

A narrow 9-8 Jim Phills loss to John Allen proved the injured big man is on the way back. Lee forfeited Phills' UConn match in hopes that his heavyweight will return for good this weekend when Yale will return for good this weekend when Yale comes to town to challenge the matmen and their 11-6-1 record.