Seven of the eight bouts contested resulted in bonus points – six of which came down in Penn’s favor. Each team also picked up a forfeit win, adding to the extra points on each side.
The Quakers were pin happy, scoring four falls in the match. 133-pounder Bryan Ortenzio, no. 18 Gabriel Burak at 165, No. 19 Scott Giffin at 174 and heavyweight Tyler Blakely all came through with falls to help Penn dominate the dual in 43 minutes. Mark Rappo (125) and No. 20 Micah Burak (197) also scored major decision wins.
Mark Rappo began the dual with a thoroughly dominant 12-3 decision over Steven Keith at 125. Rappo came out firing, needing only nine seconds to take a 2-0 lead. After Keith escaped at 1:14, Rappo came back again with a low double at 1:30 to increase his lead. From top position in the second period, Rappo hooked in a cradle, flipping Keith over for three backpoints at 3:40. Keith evaded the fall and slipped out at 4:00, but Rappo gave him no room and countered a shot into two more points at 4:17. In the third, Rappo rushed a double leg at 5:59 and his 5:02 of riding time locked up the major for Rappo, avenging an earlier loss to Keith at the Binghamton Open.
Bryan Ortenzio, not content with a fall in 0:51 earlier in the day at Brown, took some time off that mark against Harvard, pinning Chad Eason in 0:38. Ortenzio attacked quick again taking Eason down five seconds before locking the shoulders down with a walk-up cradle.
After a forfeit by Harvard at 141 increased Penn’s lead to 16-0, No, 9 Cesar Grajales added to the big lead with a 6-2 decision over Paul Liguori. The first period took a while to develop until Grajales patiently worked a scramble at 2:15 for the two points. Both men were locked up, but Grajales was able to pull his head out after a deep shot to collect up Liguori’s legs. In the second, Grajales escaped at 3:18, hopping out of Liguori’s grasp. In the third period, Grajales piled up the riding time with a series of big lifts before Liguori escaped. Grajales added a takedown at the buzzer for the final 6-2 score.
No. 1 J.P. O’Connor got Harvard on the board with a forfeit win at 157.
No. 18 Gabriel Burak and No. 19 Scott Giffin ran off back-to-back pins at 165 and 174 pounds to extend Penn’s lead to 31-6.
Burak’s fall came at 2:14 after he had already compiled an 8-0 lead over Nick Brazeau. Burak scored the takedown which led to the fall at 0:22 before adding a pair of three-point nearfalls.
Giffin’s second pin of the day came at 3:43 over David Lalo. Giffin was ahead 9-0 early in the second when he earned the pin after a takedown to a cradle.
No. 6 Louis Caputo added five points for Harvard at 184 with an 18-0 tech fall at 4:28 over Harrison Cook.
At 197, No. 20 Micah Burak avenged a loss earlier at Brown with a 15-5 major decision over Sean Murphy. Burak was in control throughout, turning a 4-1 lead after two periods into the big win. In the third period, Burak went 2-for-1 on takedowns, snap-circling Murphy for two points and then – after cutting him – immediately going back in for the score. Burak went the same route in the final 34 seconds, with takedowns at 6:26 and 6:42 sandwiched around an escape.
Tyler Blakely capped the impressive win with a quick fall of his own at heavyweight. Blakely needed 47 seconds to lock in a cradle on Spencer DeSena. Blakely started the bout with a takedown at 0:09 to gain control.
The Quakers improve to 8-4 overall in duals and 2-0 in Ivy matches. The Quakers are back in action at The Palestra against No. 7 Cornell on Feb. 13 at 1 p.m.
Match Notes
Ortenzio’s fall at 0:38 is the fastest by a Penn wrestler this season. Blakely’s pin at 0:47 is the second-quickest … with his two wins today, Ortenzio established a new career-high in wins with 25 … the win extends Penn’s winning streak over Harvard to 19 … Gabriel Burak’s two wins today give him 29 on the season – one more than his career total entering the season.
Results:
125 – Mark Rappo (Penn) def. Steven Keith (Harvard), 12-3; Penn leads 4-0
133 – Bryan Ortenzio (Penn) def. Chad Eason (Harvard), FALL 0:38; Penn leads 10-0
141 – Zack Kemmerer (Penn) wins via forfeit; Penn leads 16-0
149 – No. 9 Cesar Grajales (Penn) def. Paul Liguori (Harvard), 6-2; Penn leads 19-0
157 – No. 1 J.P. O’Connor (Harvard) wins via forfeit; Penn leads 19-6
165 – No. 18 Gabriel Burak (Penn) def. Nick Brazeau (Harvard), FALL 2:14; Penn leads 25-6
174 – No. 19 Scott Giffin (Penn) def. David Lalo (Harvard), FALL 3:43; Penn leads 31-6
184 – No. 6 Louis Caputo (Harvard) def. Harrison Cook (Penn), 18-0 (4:28); Penn leads 31-11
197 – No. 20 Micah Burak (Penn) def. Sean Murphy (Harvard), 15-5; Penn leads 35-11
285 – Tyler Blakely (Penn) def. Spencer DeSena (Harvard), FALL 0:47; Penn leads 41-11
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