Despite leading rival teams, family comes first for Crivelli brothers
At the Presidents’ Athletic Conference wrestling championship on Feb.12, the same last name went on two different trophies. The Crivelli brothers, Filippo and Marco each, won two matches at their respective weight classes, one at 141-pounds the other at 197-pounds, to earn the conference gold.
Filippo wrestled in the 141-pound weight class this season after winning a PAC Title at 133-pounds in 2014. Filippo defeated Robert Ritschard of Thiel to set up a championship match with Daniel Pommerer of Washington and Jefferson. Filippo won the match by an 8-3 decision to take the title.
“Filippo wrestled two pretty good kids,” said Waynesburg head coach Ron Headlee. “Not an easy win, but he controlled the Thiel match and Pommerer wrestled strong against him, but Flip wanted to get his title back.”
Marco started off the 197-pound weight class bracket with a win over Waynesburg’s Josh Sneeringer. Marco then completed the title run with a win by fall over Washington & Jefferson’s Ezekiel Stroupe. The title pushed Thiel to a PAC team title
“Marco is a go getter and finds ways to win,” said Headlee. “You can’t count him out. He wrestled at the right weight class and that helped his team.”
Despite a team rivalry, the brothers are supportive towards one another.
“We want to see our team win, but like to see him have individual success,” said Filippo. “But if a teammate beats him it is all in sports, but I’ll still be happy for both of them.”
Marco shared similar feelings with Filippo.
“I don’t care if I hurt anyone’s feelings, I’m still going to root for my brother no matter what,” Marco said. “Sometimes I’ll keep it to myself if he is wrestling one of my teammates but I’m still rooting for my brother.”
The Crivelli parents are the same way with mom having a shirt that is half Waynesburg and half Thiel.
“The parents sit in the middle at matches,” said Filippo. “And they try not to favor anyone.”
“It was good for them both to win PAC titles,” said Headlee. “The parents are good supporters of both their boys.”
While the brothers have similar support groups, their styles on the mat contrast.
“Flip is more of a technical wrestler,” said Waynesburg wrestling graduate assistant Gennaro Bonaventura. “Marco just lets it fly and is flunking all-round the mat. Both know how to win.”
“I am more shifty and technical and use my quick feet,” said Filippo. “Marco is more brutal mentally and out-muscles you and do whatever it takes to win.”
“Filippo’s weight class is a lot quicker and more technical,” Marco said. “With my weight class, you can use more brute strength along with technique. I am more of a scrapper. He [Filippo] knows how to step up more for the different moves.”
For both wrestlers, they saw each other again this past weekend at the NCAA Division III Mideast Regionals on Feb. 27.
Marco Crivelli wrestled at the 184-pound weight class for the tournament. Marco started weekend off with a 15-5 major decision over Mount Union’s Tyler Siefke. Crivelli then went on to face the seventh ranked wrestler in the class, Kyle Diesel. The match went into over time but Crivelli wasn’t able to pull off the upset.
Marco Crivelli rebounded in the consolation bracket by picking up a 5-0 decision over Jesse Huber of York. Unfortunatley for Marco Crivelli, the event, and his career, ended on a 16-4 major decision to Jeff Palmeri in the fifth round of the consolation bracket. Thiel College finished 11th out of 18 teams at the event.
“For the most part, I thought I wrestled well,” Marco said. “My first two losses came against the second and third seed who are both nationally ranked. I wrestled the best that I could and I had a good four years at Thiel.”
Filippo Crivelli fell one win short of wrestling for third place. The junior competed at the 141-pound class going 2-3 en route to sixth place. Crivelli lost by one point to the top seed and eventual champion, where he fell into the consolations, eventually going 2-2.
“Considering the overall goal is to place in the top three, I wasn’t pleased with my performance,” Filippo Crivelli said. “Sixth is best I’ve done at tournament but it was hard to lose those close matches.”
Filippo also talked about getting the opportunity to watch Marco’s matches.
“It was special to be able to be there for each other,” Filippo said. “I am glad I got to see all of his matches and him compete in his last tournament of his career.”
“I was in his corner on his side of the mat every match he wrestled,” Marco said. “When he wrestled my teammate for his final match I stayed in the middle but both teams know I am going to root for my brother.”
Marco also talked about how he will be at every match of Filippo’s next year.
“I’ll try to be there every match,” Marco said. ” [Filippo] works hard and I think he can make it to nationals for his senior year.”