Grapplers Finish Fifth at Coast Guard Tournament Behind Cole, Willoughby

After taking down Boston University 20-13 last week, the Harvard wrestling team was hoping to take home the A-number-one big trophy in the Coast Guard tournament this weekend.

Harvard didn't snag the trophy, but by placing fifth out of 17 teams, it did go home with a third-place prize for Sam Cole and John Willoughby, and a fourth-place finish for Joe Biland.

After the second round Friday night, the Crimson looked golden. No one had been eliminated yet. Harvard amazed itself. Knocking off 17 matches in a row, the team just forgot how to lose. So much that Harvard found itself in an unfamiliar position--second place.

"I just couldn't believe how well we were doing," said Co-Captain Kelly Flynn. "I've never been on a Harvard team that had such a positive spirit at that point. We were knocking on the door to first place."

Too good to be true?

Yeah, maybe.

After a gleaming second round, things started to unravel. Leg injuries ran amuck. It was a coach's nightmare.

First one to go was heavyweight Flynn, who had to withdraw from the tournament after winning his first two matches, when his knee popped.

"I was very confident and optimistic at that point," Flynn said. "It was just a freak injury."

Next down, 142-lb. Ted Stachtiaris with another knee injury.

Sam Cole, at 134-lbs., won his third match in a row before falling to a bothersome infection in his leg. He then dropped his last two matches. Cole was a hopeful for first place in the tournament, and his injury robbed the Crimson of valuable points.

At this point, 118-lb. freshman Nick Cianciola lost a tight match by one point in OT, and Willoughby dropped his first match in the 177-lb. division.

But if the third round signalled a turning point, it didn't ring the knell.

Willoughby came back after his loss to rack up two more wins for third place overall.

"I was really happy," Willoughby said. "This is my best showing since I've been at Harvard. I was just really happy."

Cole also limped off with a third-place trophy despite his injury, and Biland at 190-lbs. premiered admirably, hitting fourth place in his first Harvard tournament.

Biland spanked his first two opponents before slipping to a 9-2 decision. He won another match, but failed to capture the third-place match.

"He stood up to a lot of guys. Joe just had a hell of a tournament," Flynn said.