Harvard Picks Up Win Over Sacred Heart at Sprawl and Brawl

Photo of Bryan Panzano courtesy of DSPICS.com.

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – The Harvard wrestling team opened its dual meet season at the Sprawl and Brawl held at Binghamton University. The Crimson went 1-2 on the day, while senior co-captain J.P O’Connor picked up three wins to remain unbeaten on the season.

The Crimson won six matches to defeat Sacred Heart, 27-14 in the final match of the afternoon. Harvard started the day off with a tough 36-6 loss to No. 17 Penn State and a 26-10 loss to Northern Iowa.

Third-ranked O’Connor, who moves into fourth all-time with 105 career wins at Harvard, handed No. 4 Cyler Sanderson an 8-2 loss this morning. The Oxford, N.Y., native went on to win two more matches, a 2-1 victory over Tyson Reiner of Northern Iowa and a 6-5 win against Anthony Priore of Sacred Heart.

Sophomore Walter Peppelman won two of his three matches on the day. He earned a 10-1 major decision over Charlie Ettelson of Northern Iowa and pinned Sacred Heart’s Zach Moran in six seconds. Classmate Bryan Panzano picked up two wins on the season as well, defeating Sacred Heart’s Sam Shepard, 5-3, and Penn State’s Michael Lorenzo, 1-0.

Freshman Steven Keith and Anthony Buxton and sophomore Spencer DeSena each recorded a win for the Crimson as well.

Harvard returns to action at the 2009 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in Primm, Nev., De. 4-5.