Pirates clip Jaguars in wrestling

By Murray Gleffe, Correspondent

ASHWAUBENON-The Bay Port Pirates’ wrestling team got out to a 31-6 lead and hung on for a 37-33 victory over the Ashwaubenon Jaguars (Jan. 18).

A couple key matches was all it took to decide this wrestling dual in front of 300 plus fans.

Matthew Arnoldi got the Pirates off to a fast start with a 16-8 major decision over Zach Olbrantz of the Jaguars in which points were won every few seconds.

One of the marquee matches of the evening was wrestled second on the bill.

Dawson Dembroski and Caleb Hale countered each other’s tactics by not allowing either to score.

In fact, by the start of the third period, only three points had been scored. Dembroski then put the Jaguars on top by a score of 3-1 with a reversal.

With just seconds remaining in the match, Hale got a takedown to force overtime, and he prevailed in sudden victory fashion when he manufactured two straight points.

After Marty Kiernan picked up a decision for the Jaguars, the Pirates rattled off four of the next five matches to take a 25-point lead.

The lone Jaguar win in that stretch was by Nathan Moynihan who defeated Travis Jahnke in the third extra session (sixth period).

Moynihan and Jahnke put on an exhibition so fierce that at times you couldn’t hear yourself think in the fieldhouse!

Each wrestler had a takedown through the first two periods.

Jahnke went up 3-2 early in the third after a point penalty was assessed to Moynihan because of an equipment issue.

Not to be deterred, Moynihan exhibited good wrestling skill down the stretch and took a 5-3 lead with again just seconds remaining in the match.

Jahnke composed himself by closing with two late points to force an extra session. No wrestler gained any points through the first 1:00/:30, and then Moynihan won the match on a near fall/takedown to take the tiebreaker.

The Jaguars continued their ascent forward (in the lowest classification) with a thrilling 8-6 decision by Mick Kiernan who recently returned to the lineup.

The Jaguars then picked up easy wins by Cody Minor, and Noah Leisgang, who are individually state ranked in the recent wiwrestling.com poll.

It cut the Pirates margin to 31-21 with just three matches remaining.

It was all up to Marcus Delfosse for the Pirates

Delfosse pinned his Jaguar opponent and in turn gave the Pirates the dual win over their arch rivals.

Fernando Coronado continued his dominance on the mat by picking up a quick fall.

In the last match of the evening (138 lb. classification) Jaguar Connor Ramage defeated Austin Heim of the Pirates for the second time in under a week to close the margin of defeat to four points.

The Jaguars fall to 2-2 in the Fox River Classic Conference and will next be in action on Jan. 25 when they travel to Green Bay Preble to take on the Hornets.

Bay Port 37, Ashwaubenon 33

145: Matt Arnoldi (BP) over Zach Olbrantz (ASH) (MD 16-8)

152: Caleb Hale (BP) over Dawson Dembroski (ASH) (SV-1 5-3)

160: Marty Kiernan (ASH) over Chandler Stordeur (BP) (Dec 5-2)

170: Alex Urban (BP) over Alex Hager (ASH) (Fall 0:36)

182: Nathan Moynihan (ASH) over Travis Jahnke (BP) (TB-1 10-5)

195: Jack Ehrfurth (BP) over (ASH) (Forfeit)

220: Max Meeuwsen (BP) over Jordan VandeHei (ASH) (Fall 3:16)

285: Eli Trast (BP) over Katayen Gardner (ASH) (Fall 3:01)

106: Mick Kiernan (ASH) over Tristan Warzynski (BP) (Dec 8-6)

113: Cody Minor (ASH) over Connor Halverson (BP) (Fall 2:59)

120: Noah Leisgang (ASH) over Chance Osmanski (BP) (Fall 1:12)