Ryan Bonfiglio & Joe Clarke, Wrestling

Sending only four wrestlers to the VerticalNet Open this past weekend in Chapel Hill, N.C., Princeton wanted some big match experience but was not expecting to put forth a impressive showing. In a tournament filled by some of the top-ranked wrestlers in the East, the Tiger wrestlers just hoped to put their best foot forward.

They did much more than that.

Led by senior Ryan Bonfiglio and sophomore Joe Clarke, Princeton placed second behind host North Carolina for the most first place finishes at the event.

Capping an all-around great effort by four Tiger wrestlers, both Bonfiglio and Clarke were dominant - placing first in the 165-lb. and 141-lb. weight classes, respectively.

Bonfiglio, coming off his fall stint with the sprint football team, showed no signs of wear and tear. The senior overmatched his three early opponents by sizable margins of 11-3, 11-3 and 11-4. He then went on to defeat Jake Reynolds of UNC - an experienced member of one of the strongest wrestling teams in the ACC - by a 4-1 score.

Clarke, meanwhile, solidified his claim as one of the East's top wrestlers at 141 lbs. Breezing through his early competition without a close match, the sophomore closed the tournament with an overpowering 12-4 victory over Corey Williams of Greensboro to allow the Tigers to finish with half of their competing wrestlers in the top position.

The performances of Bonfiglio and Clarke certainly bode well for the Princeton squad as it begins the heart of the winter schedule. Perhaps these performances are the ones that will finally help turn Tiger potential into a championship season.