Triton Trojans Place One in Deep Field at UW-Parkside

[Triton College Wrestling]

Triton Trojans Place One in Deep Field at UW-Parkside

Jerry Harris earns first two collegiate wins to place fifth

Kenosha, WI--The Triton Trojans brought 11 members of their team to UW-Parkside this past weekend, coming back with one place winner, but many hard fought wins under their belts.

The Trojans entered the home of the Parkside Rangers Saturday morning preparing for battle.

"We sure had our work cut out for us today," said Head Coach Harry McGinnis with a laugh.

"For more than 40 years this tournament has regularly been very difficult, regardless of what team you represent. Yet, when you add nearly all of the redshirts from programs such as Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue on top of the likes of starters and alumni from UW-Parkside, Elmhurst, UW-Whitewater and other outstanding programs, this tournament requires you to be at your absolute peak in every match or you won't come close to the medal stand here," McGinnis continued.

Out of 60 total place winners at the tournament, 31 were from Division I programs and 12 were from Division II, including a former DII national champion. NJCAA programs accounted for three wrestlers making the medal stand on the day.

Jerry Harris (sophomore/Proviso West/Bellwood), competing unattached at 197 pounds, not only earned his first two collegiate victories, but placed fifth at 197.

"Jerry is a testament to what hard work, perseverance and buying in to what we're doing here [at Triton] can do for any student-wrestler," McGinnis quipped. "His freshman season was a very rough transition for him from the sport as it is known in high school. However, once Jerry began to listen and put into practice the things we were teaching him, he comes out and places fifth at one of the toughest tournaments on our schedule, let alone the first one he's wrestled in since last season."

Also earning wins on the day were A.J. Pascente (freshman/Lisle) at 125, Ryan Fulton (freshman/Taft/Chicago) at 149, Darius Henry (freshman/Oak Park & River Forest/Oak Park) at 149 and Joe Perez (freshman/Ridgewood/Harwood Heights) at 157.

Competing unattached and earning wins were Demond Dubose (freshman/Bremen/Midlothian) at 133 and Marcel Dubose (sophomore/Oak Park/Oak Park, MI) at heavyweight. Marcel Dubose injury defaulted from the tournament in following his second match.

Tom Angsten (sophomore/Lane Tech/Chicago), Jameel Carter (sophomore/Uplift/Chicago), Robert Turner (freshman/Sierra Linda/Phoenix, AZ), Stan Whiting (freshman/Joliet Central/Joliet), Joe Coyle (freshman/Oak Forest), Larry Juliano (freshman/St. Patrick/Chicago) and Darvell Burgess (freshman/Hope Academy/Chicago) all competed on the day. Pedro Martinez (freshman/Clemente/Chicago) wrestled unattached at 157 pounds, too, going 0-2 in his first collegiate competition.

This weekend the Triton Trojans wrestling team place host to the 24th Annual Art Kraft Memorial Open in the gym of the Collins Center this Saturday, December 14. Skin checks and weigh-ins will take place at 7:00 a.m. and wrestling will begin at 9:00 a.m. sharp. Adults are $3, students are $1 and children under the age of 18 are $1.

Triton College is a two year community college in near west suburban Chicago, Illinois. With 82 All-Americans, 15 National Champions, two Olympians, Four Team National Championships and 21 Top 10 Team finishes to date, we are seeking hard working, dedicated student-wrestlers to become part of our historic program and compete against the best teams in the country at every college level. For more information about Triton College Wrestling and Triton College, please visit us on the web at http://www.triton.edu/ and fill out our online recruitment form by clicking here. You may also find us through various social media outlets such as facebook and twitter. You may also visit us in person on campus by contacting Head Coach Harry McGinnis at (708) 456-0300, extension 3784 or by email at hmcginni@triton.edu.