Princeton soph earns redemption, to meet state champion in all-N.J. quarterfinal

CLEVELAND - It was the same position he was in a year ago.

Princeton 125-pounder Marc-Anthony McGowan was clinging to a small lead in the second round of the NCAA Wrestling Championships.

Last year, the lead slipped away in a last-second loss to eventual national champion Vincent Robinson of North Carolina State. This time, the 10th-seeded McGowan held on, locking up seventh-seeded Nico Provo of Stanford in the final seconds for a 4-2 victory.

It was redemption for last year’s loss and also avenged a 2-1 tiebreaker loss to Provo earlier this season.

McGowan admitted the defeat in Philadelphia a year ago crept into the back of his mind in the final seconds.

“100 percent, I had to sit on that for a whole year,” said McGowan. “Losing in short time, it stinks. Of course, being in the same scenario is going through my head, but I had to push it out. I’m a much better wrestler than I was last year.

“I did better than last year, but at the same time I expected to be here, I’ve been envisioning it the entire year. The theme has been redemption, especially this past week and getting my hand raised on Saturday night (after the NCAA final) and to do that I had to be in the quarterfinal.”

McGowan’s quarterfinal match will be against Virginia Tech two-time All-American Eddie Ventresca, a former state champion from Pope John. McGowan wrestled at Blair in high school.

“In high school he was on a rival team, so I’ve known him a while, but he’s somebody I have to get through,” said McGowan. “Line them up and mow them down. It’s just one more stop on my journey to a national title.”

The second-seeded Ventresca advanced to the quarterfinals with a 5-2 decision over Illinois’ Spencer Moore.

Iowa’s Dean Peterson, a St. John Vianney graduate and two-time blood rounder at Rutgers, advanced to the quarterfinals for the second straight year. The No. 8 seed used a third-period takedown to defeat Oregon State’s Maximo Renteria, 4-1.

Peterson will face Penn State No. 1 seed Luke Lilladahl in the quarterfinals. Lilladahl won both matchups between the rivals this season.

Rider’s Tyler Klinsky lost in the second round of the 125-pound bracket to Minnesota’s Jared Volk, 2-0. Klinsky dropped into wrestlebacks.

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