The Penn wrestling team made a bold statement in its home gym at Sunday’s Keystone Classic, reclaiming the team trophy that it last held in 2008.
The first-place finish was a marked improvement from last season, in which the Quakers finished fourth out of nine competing teams.
Five Quakers wrestlers earned individual championships — Rollie Peterkin at the 133-pound weightclass, Zack Kemmerer at 141, Scott Giffin at 184, Micah Burak at 197 and Kyle Cowan at 285.
The Palestra’s atmosphere provided a boost for the Quakers, as family and fans energized the squad.
And the Red and Blue took advantage of the allure of the gym’s rich history and tradition.
“There’s a certain magic wrestling at the Palestra,” senior Rollie Peterkin said. “These teams come into our house and we have to step it up.”
Freshman Kyle Cowan certainly stepped up for his teammates, who delivered what was perhaps the most unpredictable and impressive win at 285 pounds. Unseeded heading into the tournament, Cowan pinned and defeated two seeded opponents on his way to the finals.
According to Cowan, he entered the finals match with a simple game plan: “Wrestle hard and try to get the other guy tired.”
He succeeded, defeating his opponent 4-2 to take home the title.
Senior Scott Giffin also had a noteworthy victory as he was wrestling up a weight class and coming off an injury. Fortunately for the Quakers, neither obstacle was enough to hinder Giffin on his path to the championship.
Meanwhile, senior Zack Kemmerer followed up his 141-pound title at the Binghamton Open last week with another individual championship.
“I’m real happy and real pleased,” coach Rob Eiter said. “We need to work on some areas, but we’ll address those in practice this week.”
“Some younger guys got a good taste and responded very well. Overall, I’m happy with the conditioning and technique of the team,” Either added.
And success was not the only thing shared by the Quakers Sunday — they also shared a sense of team pride and camaraderie. The wrestlers all watched and encouraged their teammates during their matches.
“I’m real happy with the way the guys interact,” Eiter said. “Tournaments at home promote team camaraderie because the wrestlers’ families are all here. Camaraderie is something that we stress here.”
The Quakers head to Albany next weekend for the Northeast Duels, where they look to build on this weekend’s success.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.