Kiernan and Moynihan lift Jaguars past Phantoms in wrestling dual

By Murray Gleffe

Correspondent

ASHWAUBENON—Despite falling behind 24-0, the Ashwaubenon Jaguar’s wrestling team battled all the way back and defeated the West De Pere Phantoms by a final of 39-36, Jan. 3, in a non-conference match held at Ashwaubenon High School.

“I wasn’t happy to get down that quickly, but we couldn’t control that,” said Jody VanLaanen, Ashwaubenon coach. “With Fern (Fernando Coronado) being out, Micky and Nathan wrestled well. They needed to get us some points and we were able to make that final push with our top wrestlers and get a good team win.”

After Cody Minor won a decision to mount a Jaguars comeback, Micky Kiernan (Jaguars) and Alec Ukkola (Phantoms) wrestled an entertaining bout that in the end had implications on the team score.

Ukkola took an early 1-0 lead after Kiernan got penalized a point for an improper move and added to his lead after he garnered a one-point escape.

Kiernan fought back with a late second period takedown and added three points down the stretch to defeat Ukkola in a decision and get three important points for the Jaguars.

“I knew this would be an important swing match to decide the outcome,” said Nick Winch, West De Pere coach. “Alec wrestled well, and it came down to their kid made a couple of extra moves in that final period.”

The Jaguars then forged ahead after getting two forfeits of their own and the stellar wrestling of Dawson Dembroski, and Connor Ramage (who pinned his opponent in just 15 seconds) to push Ashwaubenon out in front 34-24.

The Phantoms, though, had one final surge left in them as West De Pere senior Evan Frisque and junior Quinton Schuyler both gathered falls to give them a 36-34 lead heading into the final match of the evening.

The 195 lb. classification between Owyn Neuman of West De Pere and Nathan Moynihan of Ashwaubenon was not only an individual match amongst the 14, but a match that would decide the outcome of the match between the two rivals.

It was all Moynihan early as he had four take downs and two escapes in taking a 10-2 lead after the first two minutes.

The Jaguars wrestler added to his margin after two periods (15-4), and he closed out the victory for himself and his team in the third and final period after the match was stopped at 19-4 with a technical fall.

Ashwaubenon 39, West De Pere 36

220: Zach Sallie (WDP) over (ASH) (forfeit).

285: Bryce Graef (WDP) over (ASH) (forfeit).

106: Brock Vaughn (WDP) over (ASH) (forfeit).

113: Jake Hendricks (WDP) over (ASH) (forfeit).

120: Cody Minor (ASH) over Trent Francois (WDP) (Dec 5-0).

126: Micky Kiernan (ASH) over Alec Ukkola (WDP) (Dec 5-2).

132: Noah Leisgang (ASH) over (WDP) (forfeit).

138: Tai Crowell (ASH) over (WDP) (forfeit).

145: Marty Kiernan (ASH) over Tyler Mudd (WDP) (fall 1:27).

152: Dawson Dembroski (ASH) over Lucas Milheiser (WDP) (MD 9-1).

160: Connor Ramage (ASH) over Chance Green (WDP) (fall 0:15).