Ex-Crusader Lee wins late, stays unbeaten

Advertiser Staff

All-America collegiate wrestler Travis Lee came within five seconds of his first defeat of the season Saturday at Ithaca, N.Y.

Lee (Saint Louis '01 of Liliha), wrestling for Cornell (N.Y.), was tied 1-1 with Penn's Matt Valenti in the 125-pound championship match of the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association, but Valenti had a point pending for more than a minute of "riding time" (control).

Lee had been chasing Valenti unsuccessfully, but finally took him down with his favorite ankle-pick move in the final five seconds and won 3-1 for his 29th victory and closest match this season.

Lee has regained No. 2 in the 125-pound rankings and his injured left knee "is 100 percent," coach Bob Koll said yesterday. Now it's on to the NCAA Division I championships, March 20-22, in Kansas City, Mo. Lee is expected to be seeded second to Purdue's Chris Fleeger.

Among other collegiate wrestlers with ties to Hawai'i:

• Iowa State redshirt freshman Grant Nakamura (Baldwin '01) is ranked 17th by InterMat. He also is going to NCAAs after a fourth-place finish in the Big 12 championships last weekend.
• San Francisco State junior Joey Bareng (Moanalua '00) is ranked third by NCAA Division II coaches at125 pounds entering this weekend's national championships in West Virginia.

Bareng, who has a 24-6 record, was named Outstanding Wrestler of the All California Collegiate Tournament.

"It's like night and day from last year (when his record was 18-19)," coach Lars Jensaen said. "He really turned it on.

"This year he won six to eight matches in the last 10 seconds, where last year he would lose those. He's mentally more prepared and focused." Jensen added.