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Wrestling Looks To Keep Pushing Forward, Opens Season Sunday In Binghamton
November 07, 2014 | Wrestling
The rebuilding process can be both slow and painful, but the milestones of success along the way can be enough to keep the traveler moving forward.
When head coach Chris Ayres took over the Princeton wrestling program in the summer of 2006, he knew there was plenty of work to be done. He didn't know, however, how involved and time-consuming the journey would be.
About to enter his ninth season, Ayres knows his program is still on that journey. But the milestones have been there, including a highly impressive 2013-14 team season. Princeton went 11-4, meaning it had both double-digit wins and fewer than five losses for the first time since the 1980-81 season; it also shared second place in the Ivy League. Five Tigers placed at the EIWA Championships, including four underclassmen, and each will return this season.
Ayres and his All-America coaching staff want the team to remain greedy and continue moving forward, a process they hope begins this Sunday at the season-opening Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat Open in Binghamton, N.Y.. This has historically included a strong field, including the likes of reigning NCAA champion Penn State and multiple-time Ivy League champion Cornell.
Here is an early weight-by-weight look at Princeton as it enters the season:
125: Senior Ryan Cash can build off a year of experience at this weight, where he won seven matches last season and represented Princeton at the EIWA Championships. He has come up with a couple of important Ivy League wins during his career, including a key one at Harvard in 2012 when the Tigers knocked off a nationally ranked Crimson squad. Classmate Jake Intrator doesn't have much match experience, but his work ethic in training has put him in position to make an impact during his senior season.
133: The first of three freshmen who could be potential starters is Christian Innarella, a three-time placewinner at the New Jersey state championships. Innarella won 136 matches in his career at Delbarton, and he has proven to be a tough competitor early on.
141: Jordan Laster won 23 matches, second-most for any Princeton freshman, and represented the Tigers during the EIWA Championships last year — and Ayres thinks he made a major jump during the offseason. He is both stronger and possesses stronger technique, and he could be one of the dark horses at any weight in the league. Laster kicked off the season in style with a win at the NWCA All-Star Classic last weekend, and Ayres thinks it could be the first of many. Freshman Coy Ozias, a Top 75 national recruit last season and a four-time Virginia state champion, gives Princeton good depth at the weight.
149: Senior Adam Krop broke through on the national scene during the 2011-12 season, when he won 31 matches, placed third at Midlands and reached the NCAA Championships. A late-season knee injury limited his postseason capabilities and cost him the next season, but he returned last year and won 32 matches. He was an All-Ivy honoree, ranked among the Top 20 and an EIWA placewinner, but he fell short of a return trip to the NCAA Championships. You can feel sure that stayed with Krop during the offseason. Juniors Chris Perez, Nick Maselli and Max Rogers all bring strong experience at the weight as well.
157: Freshman Francesco Fabozzi is a two-time placewinner at the Pennsylvania state championships who placed as high as fifth for nearby Central Bucks East, and he has made an early claim for the starting spot at this weight. He won nearly 150 matches in his high school career, and he brings a toughness that will be necessary as he tries to overcome his inexperience at the collegiate level. Senior Josh Ellis will also compete for time at the weight.
165: Freshman Jonathan Schleifer was a Top 25 recruit nationally, as well as the fourth-ranked recruit at his weight, and he could be in line for the type of freshman season that Princeton has gotten recently from the likes of Garrett Frey, Scott Gibbons and Brett Harner. Schleifer was an undefeated New Jersey state champion last year, and he was a 2013 FloNationals champion.
174: The two likeliest starters at this weight moved in different directions to get here, and also have far different levels of experience, but they could also be one of the most interesting competitions to watch early in the season. Junior Judd Ziegler is a two-year starter for Princeton who won 26 matches at 165 last season, while sophomore Troy Murtha won 18 matches at 184, including a run of seven of eight wins late in the season. Freshman Sam Button and senior Grayson Shepperd will also factor into this deep weight.
184: The afore-mentioned Harner was Princeton's top freshman last season, winning 28 matches and falling one place short of the NCAA Championships. His fifth-place finish at the EIWA Championships was a positive debut, and his dual wins over Hofstra, Boston University and Columbia highlighted comeback team wins. He won't sneak up on anybody this season, but he also has the added experience and training on his side.
197: Nobody captivated the Princeton wrestling community last season like Abram Ayala, who seemingly came out of nowhere to win 27 matches and reach his first NCAA Championships. He upset the third seed a the EIWA Championships and was one of the most dependable fixtures in the lineup during the 11-win team season. His success only energized his offseason, and Ayres can't wait to see how his talented junior builds on last season. Freshman Ian Baker, a California state champion, adds depth at the weight.
HWT: Sophomore Ray O'Donnell represented Princeton at the EIWA Championships, but he did so after moving up from 197 during the season. He gained weight during the offseason to better handle the physicality of the weight, though he was still able to place at EIWAs last season. O'Donnell is a former Pennsylvania state champion, and he could provide stability at this weight for the first time in years for Princeton. Cole Lampman and Jake Moore are also viable starters here.