Wrestling should wrap up Ivy title

All that remains is toAll that remains is tobeat Princeton, aAll that remains is tobeat Princeton, aprogram in disarray The long wrestling season finally turns the corner towards the finish this weekend. Tomorrow at 11 a.m., the Penn team will journey to Lancaster, Pa., for a quadruple meet against host Franklin and Marshall, East Stroudsburg, and Princeton. Wrapping up the Ivy League title, its second in three years, with an undefeated record should be a mere formality for Penn (9-2, 4-0 Ivy). The Tigers' program is currently in such disarray that the administration at Princeton was considering abandoning it as recently as December. They likely will not contest all 10 weight groups against the Quakers, who are presently ranked No. 1 in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association. Penn and East Stroudsburg have a history in recent years. Two years ago, when Penn also won the Ivy title, the Warriors (14-5) scored a key upset. The Quakers will seek to avoid a repeat of that result tomorrow. The final opponent will be the host school, Franklin and Marshall, which is currently in a rebuilding phase. "I wouldn't think that we would lose more than five or 10 matches if we wrestle the way we are supposed to," said freshman Brett Matter, who is ranked first in the East and 12th in the nation in his 142-pound weight class. Matter is just one of five Quakers ranked in the Top 20 nationally, the others being Josh Bailer (17-8 at 167 lbs.), Joey Allen (10-0, heavyweight), Clinton Matter (11-2, 177) and Brian Eveleth (26-6, 126). Those five, and several others, have realistic chances of qualifying for wrestling's big show-- the NCAA tournament. This weekend's action is an opportunity to begin to the final push before the EIWA meet, which determines who will get the coveted spots. "There are a few things we need to work on," Eveleth said. "It's a good weekend to evaluate where you are." Penn will have another distinction on the line tomorrow afternoon -- its undefeated mark in the EIWA. Wins this year include a key home defeat of No. 25 Cornell and last week's win against Lehigh. That has put confidence on the upswing within the team ranks. "What we want to get our of [the weekend] is aggressive performances," Quakers coach Roger Reina said. "We won't settle for less." After a two-week layoff, the competition could not come too soon for the Quakers, who are beginning to see the light at the end of wrestling tunnel. "I think in the middle of the year, you get into the doldrums," Eveleth said. "Now we're coming out of it. It gives you a lot of energy." An Ivy League championship and a number of NCAA qualifiers should be a cure for any end-of-the-year blues.