Sophomore J.P. O’Connor looks to best last year’s fifth place finish nationally but has a long season ahead of him, starting with the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational this weekend, this semester’s peak in competition.

New and returning talents are set to compete for the Harvard wrestling squad at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational this weekend. The tournament marks the highlight of the fall competition.

“Cliff Keen is our first semester peak,” Crimson Coach Jay Weiss said. “We’ll then come back [from break] and work back up. This will be our practice run for the NCAA tournament.”

Harvard placed seventh last year with two wrestlers reaching the finals. Despite stiffer competition, the Crimson looks to better last year’s already stellar performance.

Each college sends one wrestler per weight class for a total of 10 wrestlers. For the Crimson, three young faces are set to compete: freshmen Dan Kelly at 125 lbs., Shay Warren at 133, and Corey Jantzen at 141.

Returning All-Americans sophomore JP O’Connor and junior co-captain Louis Caputo are ranked third and fourth in the country, respectively, for their classes by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA). Caputo—who missed the season opener but has made a full recovery and will compete today—finished seventh in last year’s NCAA championships, while O’Connor notched fifth place.

“These guys have truly done the incredible in the past,” Weiss said. “Every year as we get closer to our goals, they help us. Having them on the squad helps show freshmen like Jantzen how it’s done.”

“O’Connor’s really got that drive to do his best,” Warren added. “Everyone wants to follow that.”

At similar weights, O’Connor and Jantzen push each other during workouts. Both hail from the New York high school circuit, where their friendship began.

“[Jantzen]’s a great wrestler,” O’Connor said. “Great relationship. Great friends. Very competitive. He helps me in my weaker areas.”

Coming off a 5-1, third place finish, Jantzen is closing in on the nation’s top 25 wrestlers in his class.

For Jantzen, Warren, and Kelly, Cliff Keen will not only be their second tourney of the year, but also the second toughest overall behind March’s NCAA finals. Jantzen looks forward to showing everyone that he belongs at the top.

“I would be lying to say I’m not nervous,” Jantzen said. “I was worried about losing at the first meet, but I now have a more relaxed attitude.”

Jantzen’s brother, current volunteer assistant coach Jesse Jantzen ’04, gave Harvard its first national champion in 66 years in 2004, the same title O’Connor seeks now four years later.

“Absolutely, you’ve got to have [the championship] as a goal,” O’Connor said. “I definitely feel very confident about a title. It’s early and we’ll worry about that in March. We take everything in stride and improve through the whole year. I’ll definitely be in a good position. I competed last year thinking that I could win the national title. This could be the year.”

The squad is setting its sights high both individually and as a team. The wrestlers look to win the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Conference championship and to place in the top five at the NCAA Division I tournament.

“We have high goals,” O’Connor said. “We’ll win the dual meets with our Ivy opponents. We’ll win conference.”

Health may be the only roadblock in the Crimson’s way, as the squad boasts few weak points. Beyond Caputo, junior Andrew Flanagan—who the NWCA ranks sixth at 165 lbs.—was sidelined for the first meet due to a high ankle sprain. Last year it was the same sprain on his other leg that cut short his season. But the junior looks to make his return in the next few weeks.

“We’re working well together and getting better,” Warren said. “While we had a couple of injuries in our first match, most of the guys are back in now.”

But if the Crimson is able to bring it all together this weekend, it will be a sign of good things to come.