Wrestling Improves to 3-1 With Sweep of Millersville, Franklin & Marshall

Following a one-win, one-loss performance at Rutgers on Friday, the Harvard wrestling team showed no signs of weariness as it won back-to-back contests over Millersville and Franklin & Marshall on Saturday afternoon in Lancaster, Pa.

The Crimson (3-1) opened the day with a 43-0 drubbing of Millersville. Four Harvard wrestlers pinned their opponents, and twice the pins came in under two minutes.  Franklin & Marshall would not be ousted so easily, but the Crimson battled to a 29-12 victory to stay perfect on the day.

The meet, hosted by Franklin & Marshall, marked a homecoming for Harvard head coach Jay Weiss, who graduated from the school in 1990 after a prolific wrestling career of his own.

The meet also marked only the second day of wrestling for Crimson co-captain Corey Jantzen following two semesters missed due to injury. The senior showed little rust despite the long layoff, pinning his first opponent and earning a major decision over his second with an 11-0 win.

“A couple nerves crept in,” Jantzen said, “but it’s a lot of fun to be back.”

Fellow co-captain junior Walter Peppelman continued a dominant weekend that began on Friday. Peppelman’s two quick pins on Saturday give him four straight, with all but his final win over Franklin & Marshall’s Eric Norgard taking no more than two minutes.

“Everyone performed really well. The younger guys stepped up,” Janzten said. “Everybody wrestled to their potential.”

HARVARD 29, FRANKLIN & MARSHALL 12

Franklin & Marshall (0-10) earned six points for a forfeit victory at 125 pounds, but that would prove the high point for the Diplomats as Harvard would take six of the seven remaining matches.

Crimson junior Stephen Keith earned his fourth win in two days with a major decision over Robert Ruiz to close the deficit. Franklin & Marshall grappler Richard Durso earned a decision over Harvard freshman Patrick Hogan at 141 pounds, but thereafter the Crimson took control.

Janzten took a major decision over Andrew Murano, followed by consecutive pins from Peppelman and junior Paul Liguori at 157 and 167 pounds, respectively.

Franklin & Marshall’s Matt Fullowan briefly interrupted the Crimson’s streak with a win at 174 pounds, but Harvard responded with three consecutive wins to seal the victory.

Sophomore Cameron Croy won a decision, 10-4, over Matt Latessa at 184 pounds, and freshmen James Fox and David Ng capped the Crimson win with victories at 197 and 285 pounds, respectively.

“We had a couple matches that didn’t go our way, but overall I think everyone stepped up and competed really well,” Jantzen said.

HARVARD 43, MILLERSVILLE 0

Harvard began the day with a resounding victory over the Marauders (1-3). The dominant performance was highlighted by four pins by Crimson grapplers, one coming from Peppelman only 43 seconds into his match.

Millersville forfeited the 133 lb. match, giving junior Steven Keith the automatic win and Harvard a quick 6-0 lead.

The Crimson’s Patrick Hogan opened the action with a narrow 8-7 win over Millersville’s Josh Ruppert, earning the freshman his first collegiate victory.

In the 149-lb. match, Jantzen cruised to a fall-pin over Daniel Calzarette just before the four-minute mark. Peppelman followed up with a pin of his own at 157, making quick work of the Maurader’s Zac Wawrzyniak-Bush and ending the match in less than a minute’s time.

Liguori kept the momentum going with a 4-2 decision over Millersville senior Brandon Vernalli, the junior’s 11th win on the season.  Josh Popple, wrestling in his first collegiate match, pinned senior Shane Smith to seal a win for the Crimson with three matches still to come.

Harvard continued to pour it on as it swept the final three matches. In the 184-lb. weight class, Croy pinned his senior opponent in 83 seconds, and Fox followed that up with a 12-3 major decision over Joel Suter.

The most closely contested match of the meet came in the heavyweights, as David Ng capped off Harvard’s victory with a 6-4 overtime win to topple Millersville senior Brad Ladd.

The Crimson has the week to rest before traveling to Arlington, Texas next weekend, where it will take on the likes of Air Force and No. 9 Oklahoma.

“It’s always been a great trip for us,” Weiss said. “It will be a great opportunity for us to face top competition.”

—Staff writer James M. Acer can be reached at jacer@college.harvard.edu.