Wrestling | Sinfully good field at Vegas invite

For senior 149-pounder Cesar Grajales and the Penn wrestling team, what happens in Vegas hopefully won't stay in Vegas.

Grajales and the Quakers (1-1) expect their experience against top-flight competition at this weekend's Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational to carry over later in the season.

"We might only see these type of guys here [at] this tournament," Grajales said. "It could come into effect later when qualifying [for the NCAA tournament] comes into play."

The invitational's field includes six ranked teams from the powerhouse Big Ten, including No. 12 Michigan, who beat the Red and Blue, 22-15, in a dual match earlier this season. Other top teams include No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Cornell, No.7 Illinois, No. 8 Minnesota, No. 10 Lehigh, No. 11 Wisconsin, No. 14 Boise State and No. 19 Indiana.

With all that in mind, No. 23 Penn is more worried about double-leg takedowns than doubling down as they spend the next two days in Sin City.

The Red and Blue are looking to improve on their 14th place finish from last year, which was highlighted by 125-pound junior Rollie Peterkin battling back from a semifinal loss to capture third place in his weightclass.

"I think we're going to do a lot better," Peterkin said. "We have Matt Dragon back."

Dragon - currently ranked 17th by the National Wrestling Coaches Association at 157 pounds - missed all of last season after taking a medical redshirt because of shoulder surgery.

So far this season, Dragon is undefeated and looking quite fresh.

And the Quakers know that to "do a lot better," they're going to have to keep their minds off of the craps tables and on the task at hand.

Indeed, coach Rob Eiter and his team have no delusions about why they're flying out to Las Vegas on the University's dollar.

"They know what they're going out there for," Eiter said. "It's not a vacation."

Peterkin, currently ranked sixth, concurs.

"At a wrestling tournament, it's really a single-track mind," he said. "All business."

Peterkin and the Quakers are in the business of winning, and business is going to be good.

At least, Peterkin thinks so.

"I'm definitely looking to win it," he boldly proclaimed. "There's no reason that I shouldn't."

Whether he should or not, Peterkin has reason to be humble: he lost, 10-4, to Michigan's Michael Watts during the teams' dual meet on Nov. 22. Watts, ranked No. 13 nationally at 125 pounds, will be one of Peterkin's toughest obstacles, along with No. 1 Angel Escobedo of Indiana.

The Quakers might need some help from Lady Luck if they plan to triumph over the stacked deck of competition.

But the Quakers welcome the opportunity to face the nation's toughest grapplers.

Just ask Eiter.

"In order to be the best, you gotta wrestle the best," he said. "And beat them."

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