Wrestling attempts to prove it's worthy

They shocked the world, and now its time to clean up the pieces. After staging a major upset last weekend over national-powerhouse Cornell, the Penn wrestling team hopes to hold on to its precious momentum when it faces Brown today and Harvard tomorrow. The Quakers (11-4) will grapple with Brown (6-5-1) tonight in a dual match and will take on Harvard, Rutgers and Albany State in a quad meet Saturday. A successful weekend would serve as vital fuel for Penn's now-raging fire. "I hope people realize that we're here to stay," Penn senior tri-captain Gary Baker said. "We've built a tough program and beating Cornell was just the tip of the iceberg." Cracking the Top 25 has been an uphill battle for the Quakers. They are taking on some of the best squads in the nation, as well as a lack of name recognition. Knocking off Cornell was a modern-day David versus Goliath, as the Big Red had reeled off 41 consecutive wins in the Ivies, its last defeat coming back in 1986. The Quakers also turned several heads by shutting out Columbia last weekend, 39-0. It was the first time the Lions had been shutout since March 4, 1967. "I think it's clear that we should receive some consideration after beating Cornell when they were No. 17," Penn coach Roger Reina said. "Coming off of last weekend, we need to stop for a second and take a look at what we've done so far." Brown has been receiving votes in the polls and has finished second to Cornell in the Ivies in recent years. Their 6-5-1 record is deceiving. The Bears have faced stiff competition, including a visit to the prestigious Virginia Duals. The top wrestlers for Brown are sophomore Willie Carpenter and junior Paul Collier. Carpenter was an NCAA qualifier last season as a true freshman, and finished third in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association championships. He normally weighs in the 126-pound class, but Reina said that he would not be surprised if Carpenter dropped down to 118 pounds to match up with Baker. Perhaps the Bears' best wrestler is Collier, at 134 pounds. He is expected to square off against Penn sophomore Sean O'Hara who earned the start with his solid performance last weekend. Then on Saturday, the Quakers will face a series of opponents. Rutgers finished well ahead of Penn at the Lehigh tournament in December, and are considered to be the Quakers' toughest foe of the day. The Scarlet Knights have defeated Penn in recent years in very close matches. The Quakers enter the contests with a tremendous amount of confidence and a healthy lineup. Top freshman Brandon Slay returned from a severe jaw injury last weekend to go 3-1, regaining much of his impressive form which he showed earlier this season. "Brandon made some freshman mistakes on Friday," Reina said. "He looked at some film and came back on Saturday and began to show his true colors and potential. He was dominant." Also enjoying a victory run has been sophomore Joe Allen, Penn's top heavyweight. Allen, who does double-duty on the Quakers' champion football team, went 4-0 last weekend and is beginning to hit stride after joining the squad after the conclusion of the season on the gridiron. "It feels really good to be able to come back and get in there," Allen said. "I feel very comfortable right now. But, of course, there's always room for improvement." Improving is exactly what Penn has been doing all season. On the verge of breaking into the coveted ranks of the wrestling elite, now is the time to show the voters exactly what the Quakers are made of. And that's just what they plan to do.