By Rick Rissetto , Special To The Chronicle
By most accounts, the Hofstra wrestling team performed well at the Cliff Keen-Las Vegas Invitational.
The Pride finished 10th as a team out of 34 squads, its second consecutive top-15th finish. Hofstra wrestlers, senior 166-pound P.J. Gillespie, junior 125-pound Steve Bonanno, and junior 149-pound Justin Accordino all placed in the top 10 in their respective weight classes. Coming back from Las Vegas, you would think everyone would be happy with the result — but not first-year head coach Rob Anspach.
“I think we kind of had an up-and-down potential.”
Bonanno went into the Cliff Keen Invitational as the fifth seed in the tournament. After falling in the quarterfinals to the top-seeded wrestler, Bonanno battled through the consolation bracket to a third-place finish.
“It was a really good, solid tournament for Steve,” said Anspach. “And something for him to continue to build on as we move long.”
Unfortunately for the Pride, Gillespie turned in the last outstanding performance at the tournament.
Freshman Jermaine John was taken down in the second round at the 174-pound class. Senior Ben Clymer, who was ranked number seven in the 184-pound class, lost to the 10th-seeded wrestler in the second round. Sophomore Matt Loew and junior Paul Snyder, in the 197-pound and 285-pound classes respectively, were both bounced in the first round.
“I feel we’re a better team and we should win this match fairly easily,” said Anspach, “If we don’t go in with the right mindset, it will be