Princeton University Athletics
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Wrestling Team Opens Ivy League Campaign At Harvard, Brown
February 03, 2006 | Wrestling
Feb. 3, 2006
The Princeton wrestling team has competed against a variety of programs earlier this season, but the Tigers will now turn their focus to the most familiar of foes. Beginning Friday night at Harvard (7 p.m.), Princeton will wrestle six of its next seven matches against Ivy League rivals.
Princeton wrestled a competitive match against Harvard last season but fell 27-16. The Crimson won a pair of tight decisions, including a 7-5 overtime victory at 149 pounds. Harvard also got six points from a pin at 125 pounds, a feat the Crimson will not duplicate this season as it lost its only 125-pounder to injury earlier in the season.
The Crimson is certainly not without some big guns, though. Heavyweight Bode Ogunwole (7th) and 133-pounder (8th) Robbie Preston are both ranked in the top 10 nationally, and 141-pounder Max Meltzer has cracked the top 15.
One injured competitor for Harvard is 197-pounder Joe Butler, the younger brother of Princeton 197-pounder Jake Butler. The potential for a brother-against-brother showdown ended when the younger was lost for the season; the older brother, who has already overcome two torn ACLs, will need to be one of Princeton's keys this weekend. Butler has been ranked in the top 5 of his weight in the EIWA and competed at the NCAA championships last season. Victories from him and other upperclassmen, such as 174-pounder Matt Denichilo, will be critical this weekend.
Brown defeated Princeton 32-11 last season, and local wrestling fans will be plenty familiar with the Bears' 141-pound starter, sophomore Mark Savine. The former Lawrence High wrestler is the first and only wrestler from Mercer County to ever be crowned a state champion in New Jersey. Savino's older brother, Mike, is also on the squad and a potential starter at 157 pounds.
Princeton will make its home debut next Friday night when it hosts Columbia at 7 p.m. The Tigers will then welcome the No. 13 Cornell Big Red Saturday at 2 p.m. WEEKEND PROBABLES
Princeton
125 Robert Benitez
133 Danny Scotton
141 Eric Marcotulli
149 Andrew Sichel
157 Jesse Palermo, Matt Piselli, or John Clore
165 Martin Everin
174 Matt Denichilo
184 Logan Lowe or Gordon Scharf
197 Jake Butler
285 Ian Roncoroni or Kris Berr
Harvard
125: --
133: No. 8 Robbie Preston
141: No. 14 Max Meltzer
149: Matt Button or Bobby Latessa
157: Andrew Flanagan
165: Mike Baria
174: Joseph Bechtold
184: Louis Caputo
197: Billy Colgan
Hwt: No. 7 Bode Ogunwole
Brown
125 - Jeff Schell or Nate Myers
133 - Dan Appello, John Triggas, or Greg Pace
141 - Mark Savino
149 - Mike Ashton, Shawn Cully, or Tim Smith
157 - Mike Savino, Tom Fazio, Lenny Marandino
165 - Shawn Kitchner
174 - Matt Gevelinger
184 -Branden Stearns
197 - Leo Saniuk
285 - Levon Mock or Zach Zdrada