Wrestling | Controversy can't quell Quakers

Penn senior 141-pound wrestler Rick Rappo takes a very zen approach to dealing with crunch-time pressure.

He seemed totally focused and undaunted in tackling his enormous task in an 18-16 home upset by the Quakers (8-5, 3-0 EIWA) over No. 21 Hofstra (7-4, 4-1 CAA) on Saturday.

With the Red and Blue down 16-15, Rappo stepped on the mat against the Pride's Justin Accordino knowing one simple fact: win and the Quakers win; lose, and everyone's going to need an extra pint of Ben & Jerry's to drown their sorrows.

Actually, make that a protein bar and some sprints.

Either way, Rappo was totally calm in the midst of the minor chaos.

"To be honest, I don't try and think of it that way," Rappo said. "Just go out and wrestle my match, and hopefully good things will happen."

And good things did happen. Rappo struck first with a quick takedown and three quick near-fall points.

Leading 5-0, Rappo had little left to do but cruise to an 8-2 win that secured three crucial points for the Quakers.

Rappo wasn't the only one to impress coach Rob Eiter, though.

"That is kind of how the team is now: very solid, top to bottom," Eiter said. "Up and down the line, now we can rely on each weightclass to get us going and to finish us off."

Senior star Cesar Grajales got the match going for the Red and Blue, notching a dominating pin win at 149 over Hofstra's Jeff Rotella.

Grajales built an 11-3 lead before finally getting Rotella's shoulders to the mat near the end of the third period.

But the timing doesn't bother Eiter.

"Short time is a good time to score," he yelled from the bench during matches.

The Red and Blue then failed to score very much in any of its next three matches, racking up three losses and a slew of controversial calls.

First, 157-pounder Gabe Burak got out-muscled and thrown around by No. 17 Jonny Bonilla-Bowman, who turned in a stellar 15-6 effort.

Then the controversy began.

It looked to Eiter like 165-pound Andrew Coles had scored three near-fall points when taking down Hofstra's No. 20 Ryan Patrovich. The ref saw it differently.

"Call it right," Eiter bellowed.

Just one match later, the referee voided a stalling call that would have tied the bout between Hofstra's 10th-ranked 174-pounder Alton Lucas and Penn's Scott Giffin.

The call would have been in Giffin's favor.

"There's always matches where the official plays a big part," Giffin said. "I have always been taught since I was growing up wrestling that you can't leave that in the hands of the referee."

But Giffin eventually lost the match, 6-4, which extended Hofstra's lead to 10-6.

Despite a last-second Colin Hitschler loss in the very next match, the Quakers were able to mount a 4-1 record in the final five matches and wrap up with Rappo's clincher.

"We didn't miss a beat," Eiter said. "Guys stepped up to the plate and did what we had to do to win."

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