By Murray Gleffe, Correspondent
ASHWAUBENON-The Ashwaubenon Jaguars wrestling team ended the regular season on a high note with a 63-12 victory (Feb. 1) over the Manitowoc Ships.
Katayen Gardner was honored before the match on Senior Night.
The dual started with the Jaguars Zach Olbrantz (160 lbs.) picking up a quick fall in the first period after generating a 5-1 lead.
It was the start of many good things for the Jaguars!
Nathan Moynihan and Hayden Lodel then took to the center circle and wrestled the second longest and most entertaining match of the evening.
No wrestler generated any points in the first period.
The Jaguars Moynihan went up 1-0 after an escape to start the second but quickly found himself tied after the head official awarded the Ships a point for a Jaguars stall.
Lodel received two points for a takedown late in the third, but Moynihan flipped the switch on the Ships wrestler just a short time later.
With just 19 seconds left in the match, Moynihan used his strength and stamina to turn Lodel over and got the pin (fall).
“We obviously got off to a great start,” said Jaguars Wrestling Coach Jody VanLaanen, about his team’s performance. “We wrestled extremely well down in Grafton and I felt like it carried over to today. We had some quick falls and the momentum just kept going our way.”
After Mick Kiernan, Noah Leisgang, Fernando Coronado, and Connor Ramage all picked up wins in the first few minutes of their matches, the Jaguars had generated a huge lead in which the Ships weren’t coming back from.
The only match to go the distance on this night came at the 138 lb. classification in which Dawson Dembroski (Jaguars) and Evan Clark (Ships) went at it.
Dembroski methodically controlled the match throughout but could not get the fall against the stingy Clark.
Dembroski built a 2-0 lead after the first period, 5-0 after the second, and then won a 7-0 decision after a late takedown.
Marty Kiernan provided the final points for the Jaguars.
He won his match after his Ships opponent had to default because of a medical injury.
The Jaguars finish at 4-3 in the FRCC and 11-3 overall.
They will have nine days off before heading to Kaukauna on Feb. 10 for the WIAA Regionals.
“The kids are ready for Regionals,” added VanLaanen. “Our biggest competition will come from Kaukauna, Kimberly, and Appleton North. The Ghosts have tremendous depth on their team, but I know we can wrestle with them at quite a few weights.”
Ashwaubenon 63, Manitowoc 12
160: Zach Olbrantz (ASH) over Angel Ramirez (MAN) (Fall 1:26)
170: Alex Hager (ASH) over (MAN) (Forfeit)
182: Nathan Moynihan (ASH) over Hayden Lodel (MAN) (Fall 5:41)
195: Jordan VandeHei (ASH) over (MAN) (Forfeit)
220: Double Forfeit
285: Tanner Wigand (MAN) over Katayen Gardner (ASH) (Fall 3:36)
106: Cody Minor (ASH) over (MAN) (Forfeit)
113: Noah Leisgang (ASH) over Jordan Craft (MAN) (Fall 0:44)
120: Mick Kiernan (ASH) over Josh Boldt (MAN) (Fall 2:48)
126: Fernando Coronado (ASH) over Ethan Gretz (MAN) (Fall 1:05)
132: Connor Ramage (ASH) over Walker Bergene (MAN) (Fall 1:33)
138: Dawson Dembroski (ASH) over Evan Clark (MAN) (Dec 7-0)
145: Jacob DeBruin (MAN) over (ASH) (Forfeit)
152: Marty Kiernan (ASH) over Matt Maser (MAN) (Inj. [time])
