The 13th-ranked Pride of Hofstra University jumped out to an 18-3 lead after five bouts and never looked back on the way to a 31-11 victory over Harvard University Sunday afternoon at Hofstra Arena. The Pride, who won their fourth straight dual match, improved to 4-1 on the season while the Crimson fell to 0-5. Hofstra captured seven of the 10 bouts in the match to spoil the homecoming of Harvard senior and Long Island native Jesse Jantzen. The Shoreham, New York wrestling legend and top-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds did win his match, downing Hofstra's James Strouse 18-3. But that was the only real highlight for the Crimson on Sunday.
The match opened with the 184-pound bout as Hofstra senior Brad Christie (pictured) posted his second fall of the season with a pin of Harvard senior P.J. Jones with 47 seconds remaining in the match. Christie improves to 11-5 on the year. At 197 pounds, Pride junior Chris Skretkowicz, the fifth-ranked wrestler in the country, improved to 18-2 on the year with a 6-0 victory over senior Reginald Lee. It was Skretkowicz's 13th shutout of the year. In the heavyweight class, Harvard junior Jonas Corl put the Crimson on the board with a 4-2 victory over Pride sophomore Dan Garay that closed the deficit to 9-3.
Hofstra senior Tom Noto boosted the Pride lead to 14-3 with a 25-10 125-pound victory over freshman Brent Kakesako. Noto, ranked fifth in the country, led 12-4 after two periods and added 12 more points plus the riding time point in the third period. Noto improved to 16-3 this season. Pride junior Ricky LaForge used an eight-point third period to down junior Greg Cook 13-3 and give Hofstra the 18-3 lead. LaForge is now 8-5 in 2003-04.
Harvard sophomore Max Meltzer, ranked 18th in the country, gave the Crimson some life with an 8-5 victory over freshman John Manarte. With the score tied at 5-5, Meltzer posted a takedown in the last 10 seconds of the match and held on for the riding time (1:01) point to post the win. Jantzen, who received a heroes' welcome from the Hofstra crowd, brought Harvard back to within seven points (18-11) with an 18-3 victory over Hofstra freshman James Strouse. Jantzen jumped out to a 7-1 lead after one period and cruised to the win.
But Hofstra closed the door after that match as 12th ranked senior Paul Siemon posted a 10-2 win over freshman Bobby Latessa at 157 pounds, eighth ranked senior Ralph Everett posted an 8-3 win over senior Brandon Kaufmann at 165, and 10th ranked senior Noel Thompson won by forfeit at 174. Siemon improved to 16-4 on the year while Everett is now 17-2.
The Pride will return to action next Saturday and Sunday, January 17-18 when they compete in the NWCA National Duals at Cleveland State University.
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(#13) Hofstra 31, Harvard 11
184 Brad Christie (HOF) pinned P.J. Jones (HAR) at 6:13
197 Chris Skretkowicz (HOF) defeated Reginald Lee (HAR) 6-0
HWT Jonas Corl (HAR) defeated Dan Garay (HOF) 4-2
125 Tom Noto (HOF) defeated Brent Kakesako (HAR) 25-10
133 Ricky LaForge (HOF) defeated Greg Cook (HAR) 13-3
141 Max Meltzer (HAR) defeated John Manarte (HOF) 8-5
149 Jesse Jantzen (HAR) defeated James Strouse (HOF) 18-3
157 Paul Siemon (HOF) defeated Bobby Latessa (HAR) 10-2
165 Ralph Everett (HOF) defeated Brandon Kaufmann (HAR) 8-3
174 Noel Thompson (HOF) won by forfeit
