Wrestling Dominates in First Two Home Meets

After opening the season 0-5 on the road, Harvard was perfect in its home opener. The Crimson defeated No. 21 Hostra, 25-13, and East Stroudsburg, 24-12.

Harvard (2-5, 1-2 EIWA) won at least once in each of the ten weight categories against Hofstra (10-5, 2-5) and East Stroudsburg (11-3, 5-2).

In previous matches, Harvard has had success in the lighter weight categories, but struggeled in the heavier ones, due in large part to injuries.

Wrestlers Max Odom (157 lbs.), J.T. Young (165 lbs.), Daniel Jones (184 lbs.) and Dan Sirotkin (197 lbs.) have all undergone recent surgeries which will put them out for most, if not all, of the 2002-03 season.

Harvard 25, Hofstra 13

Senior Robbie Griffin (165 lbs.) came up with the biggest individual upset of the day to help secure Harvard’s victory. Having lost earlier in the day and down 7-4 midway through the final period to No. 9 Noel Thompson, the situation looked bleak for Griffin.

Then, in one move, Griffin scored seven points, propelling him to victory and giving his team all the points it would need to defeat the Pride.

“He’s been busting his tail, but we don’t know why his wins haven’t been coming,” said Harvard coach Jay Weiss. “He just proves that no matter what the score is, if you can put him on the back, [you can win].”

Griffin was not the only Crimson wrestler to avenge a defeat suffered earlier in the day.

Freshman Max Meltzer (133 lbs.) also beat a nationally ranked opponent in No. 12 Ricky LaForge.

After a takedown, Meltzer pinned his opponent at the 1:55 mark of the first period.

Meltzer felt ill on Saturday morning, which contributed to his poor performance, but recovered during the six hour break between matches.

“I felt so guilty in the morning for not performing,” Meltzer said. “It would have been a lot worse if our team didn’t end up winning.”

Like it has for most of the season, Harvard excelled in the lower weight classes.

The squad rattled off victories in five of its first six matches, before dropping decisions in the 174 lbs. and 187 lbs. matches.

The early victories included another massacre by junior co-captain No. 3 Jesse Jantzen (149 lbs). In the most anticipated match of the day, Jantzen pinned No. 10 Jon Masa in the first period.

“That was their best kid, and it wasn’t even close,” Weiss said.

Freshman 141 pounder Mike Baria also went undefeated on Saturday, downing Hofstra’s Lois Vecchio, 9-3.

Harvard 24, E. Stroudsbug 12

Despite an early pin of Meltzer which put the Crimson down 3-6, Harvard rallied and would lose only two more matches to the Warriors the rest of the meet.

The first EIWA and regular season win for Harvard gave the team a much needed boost of confidence.

The Crimson’s morale waned after a disapointing loss to Army last weekend, a team the Warriors defeated 21-16.

The win was aided once again by Jantzen, who pinned his opponent just 1:15 into the second period.

Following the Jantzen pin, three Harvard wrestlers pulled off victories decided by three points or less, highlighted by a victory from senior 174 pounder Pat O’Donnell.

Despite going down 2-0 in the first period, O’Donnell came back to defeat junior Ralph Everett 3-2.

The Crimson will be on the road again this weekend when it travels to Ivy League rivals Princeton (2-5, 1-2) on Friday and No. 23 Penn (2-2, 1-1) on Saturday.

Though the Tigers have been struggling this season, the Quakers should prove to be one of Harvard’s toughest EIWA opponents this year.

Ranked third in the conference, Penn had a great comeback victory over Columbia this weekend and is a perrenial EIWA powerhouse.

—Staff writer Evan R. Johnson can be reached at erjohns@fas.harvard.edu.