UPDATED: Cornell leads Penn by 4.5 points going into EIWA gold medal finals

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
03/08/2008


LANCASTER, PA. - Defending champion Cornell is in a heated battle with Penn for first place at the EIWA Championships at Franklin and Marshall College. 

Penn took a two-point lead after the semifinals, putting five athletes in the championship round, while Cornell was only able to advance three. After the consolation semifinals, Cornell reclaimed the lead by one-half of a point, with some clutch wins in the wrestlebacks.

The medal match round was also good for Cornell, which won its first three bouts from bronze medalists Mike Rodriguez (125), Mike Grey (133) and Adam Frey (141) and fifth place finisher Justin Kerber (197). Penn also won a few medal matches, with Scott Giffin (174) taking third and Thomas Shovlin (197) placing fifth.

The final bout of the session was a head-to-head showdown, with Penn's Trey McLean edging Maciej Joachim of Cornell with a sudden-death overtime takedown to place fifth at 285 pounds.

When the extended morning session concluded after the third and fifth place matches, Cornell had a 4.5 point lead over Penn, 126 points to 121.5 points.

"We didn't have a choice," said Cornell coach Rob Koll of his team's comeback in the wrestlebacks. "We either do that, or the season's over. I'm more upset about the fact that Josh Arnone re-injured his shoulder. It isn't that I don't want to win this, but I am more concerned about NCAA qualifiers."

"It was fun," said Penn coach Zeke Jones of the morning session. "We control our destiny. We have five in the finals and they have three. We have a few more swings than they do. They competed well. To take five of six in the semifinals is a proud day for Penn wrestling."

There is only one Cornell vs. Penn matchup in the finals, at 165 pounds, when No. 1 Mack Lewnes of Cornell faces No. 3 Zach Shanaman of Penn.

"On paper we look good," said Koll. "We face a returning All-American at 174 pounds (Navy's Matt Stolpinski). Anything can happen at the other weights. Jordan (Leen) should win for us. If everything goes well, we should have three champions and win the tournament."

All five returning champions have earned a spot in the finals: Jordan Leen of Cornell (157), Steve Anceravage of Cornell (174), Matt Stolpinski of Navy (174), Josh Glenn of American (197) and Ed Predergast of Navy (285). Leen and Anceravage have moved up a weight class since last season.

The only returning NCAA champion in the field, Josh Glenn of American at 197, has been impressive, winning his matches by major decision and by pin. He faces Rutgers No. 6 seed Lamar Brown in the finals.

EIWA Finalist pairings

125 pounds
No. 1 Rollie Peterkin (Penn) vs. No. 2 Fernando Martinez (Army) 

133 pounds
No. 3 David Marble (Bucknell) vs. No. 4 Joe Baker (Navy) 

141 pounds
No. 1 Matt Kyler (Army) vs. No. 6 Rick Rappo (Penn)

149 pounds
No. 1 J.P. O'Connor (Harvard) vs. No. 3 Cesar Grajales (Penn)

157 pounds
No. 1 Jordan Leen (Cornell) vs. No. 2 Dave Nakasone (Lehigh)

165 pounds
No. 1 Mack Lewnes (Cornell) vs. No. 3 Zach Shanaman (Penn) 

174 pounds
No. 1 Steve Anceravage (Cornell) vs. No. 2 Matt Stolpinski (Navy) 

184 pounds
No. 1 Scott Ferguson (Army) vs. No. 2 Lior Zamir (Penn)

197 pounds
No. 1 Josh Glenn (American) vs. No. 6 Lamar Brown (Rutgers)

285 pounds
No. 1 Ed Prendergast (Navy) vs. No. 7 Ryan Flores (Columbia)

EIWA medal match results

125 pounds
3rd - Mike Rodriguez (Cornell) dec. Jasen Borschoff (American), 11-6
5th - Brandon Kinney (Columbia) maj. dec. Tony Comunale (Princeton), 16-6

133 pounds
3rd - Mike Grey (Cornell) dec. Jeff Schell (Brown), 10-4
5th - Seth Ciasulli (Lehigh) pin Thomas Picarsic (Harvard), 3:49

141 pounds
3rd - Adam Frey (Cornell) won by medical forfeit over Corey Jantzen (Harvard)
5th - Steve Adamcsik (Rutgers) dec. Kyle Borschoff (American), 3-2

149 pounds
3rd - Bryce Saddoris (Navy) dec. Anthony Constantino (Columbia), 6-2
5th - Trevor Chinn (Lehigh) dec. D.J. Meagher (Cornell), 6-2

157 pounds
3rd - Spencer Manley (Navy) dec. Christian Snook (Army), 3-2
5th - Christopher Stout (American) dec. Robert Hitschler (Penn), 9-6

165 pounds
3rd - Michael Cannon (American) dec. Andrew Rendos (Bucknell), 5-2
5th - Justin Jacobs (Navy) dec. Mike Galante (Army), 5-3, sv

174 pounds
3rd - Scott Giffin (Penn) dec. Alex Caruso (Lehigh), 9-6
5th - Shane Riccio (Bucknell) dec. Justin Herbert (F&M)

184 pounds
3rd - Matt Gevelinger (Brown) dec. Manuel Schubert (Lehigh), 8-2
5th - Matthew Porter (Columbia) med. Forfeit over Josh Arnone (Cornell)

197 pounds
3rd - Thomas Shovlin (Penn) dec. Richard Starks (Army), 6-4
5th - Justin Kerber (Cornell) dec. David Williams (East Stroudsburg), 9-8

285 pounds
3rd -Nathan Thobaben (Army) pin Levon Mock (Brown), 1:14
5th - Trey McLean (Penn) dec. Maciej Jochym (Cornell), 4-2, sv

Team standings after morning session
1. Cornell, 126
2. Penn, 121.5
3. Army, 88
4. Navy, 78
5. Lehigh, 65.5
6. American, 59.5
7. Columbia, 47.5
8. Bucknell, 43.5
9. Brown, 39
10. Harvard, 34.5
11. Rutgers, 29.5
12. East Stroudsburg, 15
13. Franklin & Marshall, 13
14. Princeton, 10.5