Harvard wins 2 close calls to finish day 3-0

Harvard's Tyler Kramer (on top) wrestles Grant's Joe Finerty in a 152-pound match Saturday at the Woodstock Quadrangular. Kramer won by pin. (Lance Booth – lbooth@shawmedia.com)

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WOODSTOCK – Harvard needed every point it could muster against Grant and Zion-Benton on Saturday at the Woodstock Wrestling Quadrangular.

The Hornets were down to Grant, 33-30, heading into the final match at 220 pounds. Cody Melson won by a 3-2 decision for Harvard to tie the score at 33. The Hornets won on a criteria tiebreaker with the most pins.

Melson said those are situations in which he expects himself to succeed.

“That’s a job you’ve got to do as a senior,” Melson said. “We needed a decision to win the dual.”

Adam Freimund was in a similar situation in Harvard’s next dual against Zion-Benton. This time the Hornets were up, 30-27, before the last match at 285 and needed Freimund to preserve the win.

Freimund got the pin and the 36-27 win for the Hornets.

“You know the situation,” Freimund said. “You don’t win for yourself, you win for your team.”

Even though Harvard (15-1) would have won on criteria if Freimund had lost by decision, he said it was important to him to win the match outright.

“I wanted to prove to myself that I could help the team out,” Freimund said.

Against Grant, Hornets coach Tim Haak implored his wrestlers not to give up extra team bonus points. Wrestling in close matches is great experience, he said.

“I think you want to be put in those situations,” Haak said. “You’ve got to wrestle smart.”

Anthony Luis at 106, Dan Stott (170/182), Nathan Cowan (182/195) and Melson went 3-0 on the day for Harvard. Haak said Luis, a sophomore, had two big wins against Grant and Zion-Benton.

“From where [Luis] was, he’s making big strides,” Haak said.

The Hornets also defeated Woodstock, 55-16.

Woodstock also lost to Zion-Benton, 58-16, and Grant, 46-27, but Blue Streaks coach Jon Grell said his he took some positives out of the meet. Joe Hunt went 3-0 at 132 after going 0-3 the Saturday before at the Glenbard West Quadrangular.

“[Hunt] rebounded like a senior ought to rebound,” Grell said. “You have to let that fuel you in the practice room.”

Giving up five to six forfeits every match makes it difficult to win as a team, but Grell said he is taking a multiyear approach to rebuilding the program. He is pleased with the progress the feeder program is making at the younger grades.

“It goes all the way through kindergarten,” Grell said. “As much as I’d like it to happen quickly, it doesn’t.”