For the first time in years, Harvard's varsity wrestling team has the talent to win bouts at every weight class. But an absence of depth in many classes and the presence of several freshman in key positions forces coach John Lee to face the upcoming season with high hopes and great uncertainty.
Last year Lee recorded the finest wrestling season that a Harvard squad has ever compiled. Against the longest and toughest Crimson schedule, the wrestling team finished 14-5, second in the Ivy League, and won 10 of its last 12 matches. Highlight of the season was a 17-15 victory over Springfield, the first loss the Indians had suffered in New England since 1959.
The success of the '70-71 squad rested on the sholders of a nucleus of eight seniors. As freshman they had led the Yardlings to an undefeated record, but their sophomore and junior records were disappointing. As juniors, they were only 5-10-1, but most of those losses came on three or four point margins.
"Those seniors had the guts to stick through the losing seasons until last winter. We were weak in the same places last year, but we got the breaks we had been losing and won the two and three point decisions," Lee said.
Last year's record season was especially rewarding because the Crimson opened most matches with an assured ten-point deficit. Without a top-quality lightweight, Harvard dropped 34 of 38 bouts at 118 and 126 and had to rally in the closing bouts to win.
This year's squad could be the antithesis of last year's team. With eight lettermen gone. Lee has to rely on developing a very small squad. "We have good personnel, but not enough of them," Lee said. "Hopefully, handling a small squad in practice will avoid injuries."
On the very bright side, Harvard should enter the 134 lbs. bout with a strong lead on almost any team. At 118 Lee has recruited sophomore Dan Blackinger, a Pennsylvania State High School Champion.
As a freshman, Blakinger placed fourth in the National AAU tournament at 114.5. Blakinger not only won the Freshman Eastern 118 lbs. title at West Point, but he was also named the tourney's outstanding wrestler.
Lee emphasized the quality of Blakinger's performance. "Wrestling generally attracts small kids," Lee said. "Wrestling at a higher weight level is easier because the competition is less demanding. Blackinger beat the best of wrestlers."
At 126, Lee has recruited freshman Carl Biello, a two-time national prep school champion from Newark. N.J. Biello is coming to Harvard after a year of post-graduate work at the Hill School.
With Blakinger and Biello, Lee felt confident enough to state that. "We have squared away our deficiency at the lower weight classes. These boys more than make up for the loss through graduation at the higher weights."
Lee has experience at 134 with letterman Jerry Kahrilas. As a sophomore, Kahrilas was forced to wrestle some of the season at 126. In the higher class Lee predicts that the experienced Kahrilas could win 90 per cent of his matches.
Junior Josh Henson, 12-6-1 at 134 last year, will advance to 142 lbs. along with Junior Jon Peters (8-4 last year). With five triangulars or quandrangulars on the schedule, Lee will have to substitute more freely this winter or rely heavily on stamina.
The one early disappointment on the squad is the loss of an outstanding freshman prospect at 150, John Cuyler. A three-time New York State champion and the 1971 Tourney's outstanding wrestler. Cuyler "could have wrestled for a national champion such as Oklahoma State" according to Lee. But the freshman has decided to postpone entering Harvard for another year. "He would have easily replaced Pat Coleman and been far ahead of anyone else here," Lee sighed.
Harvard will now rely on freshman Borris Holmes or junior Jerry Hall at 150. Lee feels they both have talent but may not withstand the season's demands. "A wrestler has to be outstanding to win consistently at these lower weights, and Cuyler was," Lee said. "Holmes is good, but he may be discouraged by the prospects of losing. Hall did not wrestle last winter and still has to prove his determination to stick with it."
At 158 Harvard will turn to captain Collin Mangrum. As a junior, Mangrum finished strong to compile an 8-7 record. "Collin is much improved," said Lee. "He is now out from under the shadow of Mark Faller and he can come into his own. Last year he had to shift weights according to the strategies of others. Now, he could win every one of his matches." Challenging Mangrum for a starting position is Tony DuBon.
Lee will be hard pressed to replace Faller (13-2) at 167. Frank Morgan compiled a respectable freshman record but did not wrestle last winter. "Hall and Morgan have the potential," Lee said. "It's up to them to use it."
But if 167 worries Lee, 177 should be his greatest relief. For Richie Starr compiled the finest record on the squad last year (15-2-2) as a sophomore. Starr went on in post-season competition to place fifth nationally in the NCAA championships. He was the first Crimson wrestler to place since 1953.
Starr's victory at the NCAA's was nothing extraordinary. As a freshman Starr won the Freshman Tournament at West Point. At the Easterns last winter he advanced to the quarterfinals before being eliminated on a questionable decision.
Most wrestling coaches praise confidence, but Lee felt Starr had been improved by defeat. "Losing helped him more than any of his successes," Lee said. "His attitude is so much better now. He could easily win the Eastern tournament this year."
At 190 Lee will rely on letterman Dave Scanlon. Lee feels Scanlon was the most underrated wrestler last winter. Despite a serious knee injury. Scanlon compiled an 8-4 record and won "the critical matches." "Scanlon was tough enough to beat the Yale captain despite his injury. That's the effort we'll need from some of the others this winter."
George Lindsay will provide back-up strength behind Scanlon. An outstanding high school wrestler. Lindsay has yet to test himself against collegiate competition. "Since he is at one of the easier higher weight classes, he should have the talent of help us," Lee said.
In the unlimited class, Angelo Mareno, a 250 lbs. senior, returns with the experience of a letterman. Mareno will be hard pushed by sophomore Bob Kristoff to hold his starting post. Kristoff is an Ohio State champion and probably the best athlete on the team. But Kristoff has been committed to the football squad this fall and dropped off the wrestling team after four matches last winter because he could not manage two sports and academics in the first term.
Lee can use as many freshmen as he wishes this winter, but the coach is reluctant to promote a wrestler unless he truly excells sub-varsity competition. "A freshman wrestler should be outstanding to be used in the varsity," Lee said. "Otherwise you frustrate him and perhaps lose his initiative. A kid like Blakinger was held back, but most freshman will need the year to experience."
Practices to date have emphasized ingraining the system of new holds for freshman and sophomores and drilling skills. "We do almost all of our coaching before the season begins," Lee said.
This year's schedule will be significantly different because of the presence of so many triangular and quadrangular meets on the schedule. Lee has developed his schedule because 1) it eliminated mid-week matches and therefore permits more practice. 2) allows more wrestlers to gain varsity experience, and 3) forces the wrestlers to make weight less times. "I think the Saturday schedule is a great improvement," Lee said.
Harvard will be hard pressed to improve on its second place finish in the Ivy League. Princeton, defending champion, lost most of its squad through graduation, but the Tigers had a good freshman nucleus. Penn has been recruiting heavily and should have some strong freshmen, and Cornell has an undefeated freshman team that should help them regain Ivy supremacy. Even Columbia nearly upset the Crimson last fall.
Lee feels the entire level of competition in the Ivy League has improved. "There has been an influx of younger, more aggressive coaches," he explained, "and the recruiting for Ivy schools has increased tremendously. When one school recruits, we're all forced to keep pace."
Harvard faces its toughest schedule this fall with matches against Franklin & Marshall and Navy, four-time Eastern champion. Next year, Lee hopes to upgrad the competition with Lehigh and Cal. Poly.
The Crimson opens its Ivy schedule against Penn on December 11, its second match. Franklin & Marshall is in the same quadrangular, so Harvard will have a challenging match very early in the season. The results of those matches could give an early indication of the strength of the squad.
Unlike many Harvard sports, Lee will have to be concerned with scouting the strength of the opposition ahead of time. "In this sport A can beat B, B beat C, and C beat A," Lee said. He will have quite a bit of flexibility this winter. "I have four wrestlers at 118 besides Blakinger. So there may be matches where Blakinger could be moved up a notch. Starr could shift to 190, and Scanlon could shift as a stronger entry in the unlimited."
Looking ahead to the season, Harvard has a good chance to win its first Ivy title, and with matches against Massachusetts and Springfield, it can lay claim to the New England title. The Crimson certainly has more talent at some positions than it has ever had before. Now Harvard must wait to see if it can develop a depth on the squad to replace the eight graduated seniors.
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