Parker claims EIWA title with last second pin in final match

A quick glance at the score table revealed a three-point deficit and a measly 40 ticks of the clock remaining in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association wrestling career of senior captain Greg Parker (23-4 overall). Last year's 174-pound champion surged forward, pushing the action and looking for an opening in his opponent's seemingly impregnable defenses.

He shot in low on a single leg takedown and flipped his surprised and flailing opponent, driving his inverted shoulders into the mat. Parker locked his hands, wrenching the final pinning combination, and the referee slapped the mat acknowledging the stunning comefrom-behind victory.

With his dramatic third round pin, Parker captured the 2002-2003 EIWA title at 184 lbs. by unseating the returning champion, Clint Wattenberg of Cornell. The match started with Wattenberg, ranked No. 2 in the nation, scoring a pair of first period takedowns that opened him up a 4-0 lead.

Parker narrowed the gap by a point with an escape in the second period but did not score again until his final fury late in the third which earned him the pin and the victory.

"It is such a great crowd, and the fans were terrific," Parker said following the win. "Clint (Wattenberg) is a great wrestler and he came out banging on my head a little and I kind of got a little tired there. I needed to get more confidence in my shots and finish them. We knew we were both going to NCAAs, so the pressure was off and we were just wrestling for pride. I was trying to get a take down and get rid of his riding time, but his shoulders were going down to the mat and I kept working it."

Parker certainly 'worked it' all weekend, giving up only one point in his two matches leading up to the championship bout. His performance earned him the Outstanding Wrestler title for the whole EIWA tournament, only the fourth time a Princeton wrestler has won this honor in 99 years of competition. This weekend's championship victory was Parker's second over Wattenberg this year. The first was an equally dramatic double overtime match during Princeton's regular season dual meet with Cornell. Despite the previous victory, national polls had continued to rank Wattenberg ahead of Parker throughout the season. Those will have to be reevaluated after Parker's convincing performance this weekend. Whatever the rankings, as EIWA finalists both wrestler's have earned spots in the NCAA championships two weeks from now in Kansas City.

"This will be my last NCAA tournament," Parker said. "I'm just looking to relax and have fun. We have a great team going there from the EIWAs and hopefully we can do well."

Princeton wrestling fans who remember his miraculous run at he NCAA tournament last year, where he upset No. 1 ranked Otto Olson of Michigan en route to the national finals match, know Parker is capable of winning the national championship this year.

Favorite

As a returning All-American, national finalist, and two-time EIWA champion, he will be a favorite for this year's national title.

This year Parker will be the lone Tiger representing the team at the NCAAs. Junior's Joe Looke and Brian Kirschbaum and senior Joe Clarke all placed at the EIWA tournament, but none received one of the 16 wildcard bids to the national tournament awarded to non-finalists.

In the final EIWA tuornament of his career. Clarke made it to the semifinals undefeated, but he faced the eventual 141 lb. champion, Phillip Simpson, losing 15-5. Clarke then battled Byron Warner of Cornell in the match for fifth place, but Warner pulled out a tight 5-4 win.

Their performance along with Parker's, however, did help Princeton earn 50.5 team points which was good for a ninth place finish in the tournament's team scoring. The tournament was the final team event for the year and all the focus will now turn to Parker and his quest for the NCAA championship.