Matmen Split Doubleheader

The Harvard wrestling team wrapped up the first half of its season with two dual meets Saturday afternoon against Manhattan and conference for East Stroudsburg.

The Crimson treated the home crowd at the Malkin Athletic Center to a dramatic 19-18 victory over Manhattan, but it could do little in the night-cap against a powerful East Stroudsburg squad, losing 36-3.

Coming off its first dual-meet victory last weekend against Franklin and Marshall, Harvard (2-4 overall) looked to gain some momentum heading into its February 3 Ivy League opener against Pennsylvania.

The Crimson took an early 6-4 lead over the Jaspers as freshmen Dustin DeNunzio and Joel Friedman won by points in the 126-pound and 134-pound divisions, respectively.

Freshman Adam Griesemer, wrestling at 142 pounds, extended the Crimson advantage to 12-4 by virtue of a second-round pin.

"The guy I pinned was eight inches shorter than me," Griesemer said. "I had a hard time at my feet, but on the mat I had better leverage."

Griesemer's pin would prove to be pivotal since Harvard lost four of the final six bouts, including two by major decisions.

Only tri-captain Khris Reina, who won a major decision at 158 pounds, and junior Steve Gerstung, who won his 167-pound bout, produced points for the Crimson over the dry spell.

Fortunately for the Crimson, Griesemer's pin and Reina's major decision were enough to provide the team with its one-point victory.

"We weren't going to be happy coming out of that match unless we won," Griesemer said.

"They were on the same level as us," DeNunzio said. "We wrestled alright, but we could've done a little better."

In the second half of the twinbill, however, the Crimson found itself pitted against a decidedly superior opponent.

"They're really a tough team," DeNunzio said. "They have a strong line-up throughout."

DeNunzio proved to be the only bright spot for the Crimson against East Stroudsburg. He continued his romp through the ranks of the 126-pound weight class with a 5-3 double overtime win.

The victory was sweet revenge for DeNunzio, since his opponent--Jason Kobrynich--had defeated him in the final round of last weekend's Millersville tournament.

DeNunzio, whose seven major decision victories are the most in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA), was ranked sixth in the 126-pound division of the EIWA's preseason rankings.

Missing from the Crimson line-up at the 116-pound division for both meets this weekend was junior Craig Vitagliano, who has been sidelined with a shoulder injury. With freshman James Buters filling in for Vitagliano, the Crimson line-up featured five freshmen starting in the 10 weight classes.

While the five rookies may not inspire the same visions of grandeur on the mats as Michigan's Feb Five once did on the basketball court, they are an encouraging sign for Harvard's rebuilding wrestling program.

If the injured wrestlers can return in February, the Crimson has more reason to be optimistic about its chances in the all-important second half of the campaign.

"Hopefully Craig [Vitagliano] and Ron Rabinowitz will be back for our meet against Penn," Griesemer said. "With Ron back we can shift our line-up around a bit."

"We have a really young team," DeNunzio said. "We just have to keep on working hard." Manhattan  18 Harvard  19

E. Stroud  36 Harvard  3

E. Stroud  36 Harvard  3