To call the Boston University wrestling team’s weekend performance at the Colonial Athletic Association Duals dominating may be an understatement.
Complete and total control comes close, but the numbers speak for themselves – the Terriers (10-2, 6-1 CAA) posted a 4-0 record during the two-day tournament, collectively outscoring their opponents 153-21 while not allowing more than nine points to any one team.
The four victories stretched the team’s current dual-meet win streak to seven, the longest such run since the team reeled off nine straight last year.
The tournament, held last Friday and Saturday at the George Mason University Field House in Fairfax, Va., played host to all 11 CAA teams. BU downed Campbell University 40-3 on the first day of the event before dismantling James Madison University (41-3), Old Dominion University (34-9) and George Mason University (38-6) to finish the clean sweep.
Hofstra University and Rider University were the only teams other than the Terriers to go undefeated on the weekend.
“As a team, I feel we’re wrestling very well,” said BU coach Carl Adams. “Last year, we went 4-0, but this year I feel we wrestled better. We wrestled with more intensity.”
Heading the lengthy list of top Terrier performers were freshmen John DaCruz and Bret Frimer. DaCruz, who was named CAA co-Rookie of the Week last week, won all four of his matches – three by pin and another by forfeit. Besides the perfect performance over the weekend, the 197-pounder has proved that he can wrestle against top talent the whole season. Earlier this year, the grappler pinned nationally ranked Brown University wrestler Nick Ciarcia.
Frimer also went undefeated, posting one pin in the 125-pound weight class, but the freshman said he had room for improvement.
“My coach told me I beat a good kid, but I think I can wrestle better than I did,” he said. “I think I could have done a little better on my feet, but it gives me confidence to know I can beat the better kids.”
Senior Leighton Brady also won three matches, all by decision, and received a forfeit to go undefeated on the weekend in the 165-pound weight class. Senior Ben Schilens (174 pounds) and sophomore Zach Johns (157 pounds) took three wins apiece to propel BU to the flawless finish.
Junior Courtney Howard also had a good showing, winning three of his four heavyweight matches, one by pin against his George Mason counterpart.
While the four victories are a good sign of the team’s progress thus far in the season, Schilens said the fact they came against all the league teams provided an even bigger boost to a Terrier team that has not lost since it tangled with Hofstra on Dec. 11.
“The performance we had down there for myself and everybody else shows how we stand in the conference,” Schilens said. “It helps us as a team in the rankings and as individuals. It sends a message to the teams that we haven’t wrestled.”
Binghamton University, Drexel University, Sacred Heart University and Wagner College rounded out the field of conference teams, with Wagner finishing last in the pack at 0-5 for the weekend.
Although Adams said he was pleased with his team’s performance, staying focused on the task ahead is his first priority. Despite going 4-0 at last year’s Duals, the Terriers finished the 2002-03 regular season with five straight losses.
“We can never be satisfied,” he said. “There are always bigger and better things out there. We need to keep our eyes on the end of the season in the conference and the NCAA Tournament. There’s always a bigger and tougher task out there and that’s what we need to remain focused on.”