By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
SUAMICO – The Bay Port and Ashwaubenon wrestling teams took their Fox River Classic Conference dual down to the wire Jan. 10.
With the Pirates leading 33-30 entering the last match of the night, Bay Port’s Alex Urban gained a 7-2 decision over Jordan Vandehei in the 182-pound weight class to help propel the Pirates to a 36-30 victory on parent’s night.
Urban trailed 2-1 with 90 seconds remaining but closed with a one-point escape, a two-point takedown and a three-point near fall for the win.
“I was really nervous coming into the match because it all came down to how I wrestled,” said the senior Urban. “It took me a while to get warmed up, but I knew my team was counting on me.”
Two other exciting matches took place at 126 and 145, with the Pirates winning both despite trailing after the second period in each.
At 126, Bay Port’s Tristan Warzynski trailed 9-6 but won an 11-9 decision after recording a two-point reversal and a three-point near fall with time running down.
Carter Mischka of Bay Port pinned Tai Crowell at 145 in the third period after Crowell had taken a 6-5 lead.
“Those two matches were definitely a big key,” said Bay Port head coach Brad Shefchik. “I knew coming in that this would be a night where both teams would likely each win seven matches. Unfortunately for Ashwaubenon, they had a few forfeits in the lower weights. I think it was a good effort by both teams and exciting for the crowd.”
Drake Anderson (195), Braedan Halverson (106) and Hunter Bertrand (113) won via forfeit for the Pirates, while Cody Minor (120) did the same for Ashwaubenon.
In addition to Mischka’s pin for Bay Port, Max Meeuwsen (285) pinned James Murdock in 1:22.
Ashwaubenon’s Dawson Dembroski recorded the only other pin of the night at 152, doing so in 1:23 over Cole Kasper.
“We are disappointed in the outcome,” said Ashwaubenon head coach Jody VanLaanen. “I told the guys that it’s tough being in the hole right away with our forfeits. It all comes back to just not having enough numbers in those three weight classes. We’ve had three dual meets come down to the last match like this – we will just keep trying to get better and keep working.”
Bay Port 36, Ashwaubenon 30
195: Drake Anderson (BP) over unknown (forfeit).
220: Nathan Moynihan (Ash) over Matt Doherty (BP) (major decision, 9-1).
285: Max Meeuwsen (BP) over James Murdock (Ash) (fall, 1:22).
106: Braedan Halverson (BP) over unknown (forfeit).
113: Hunter Bertrand (BP) over unknown (forfeit).
120: Cody Minor (Ash) over unknown (forfeit).
126: Tristan Warzynski (BP) over Micky Kiernan (Ash) (decision, 11-9).
132: Noah Leisgang (Ash) over Connor Halverson (BP) (major decision, 11-3).
138: Fernando Coronado (Ash) over Austin Heim (BP) (major decision, 13-3).
145: Carter Mischka (BP) over Tai Crowell (Ash) (fall, 5:24).
152: Dawson Dembroski (Ash) over Cole Kasper (BP) (fall, 1:23).
160: Connor Ramage (Ash) over Chandler Stordeur (BP) (decision, 4-1).
170: Marty Kiernan (Ash) over Matt Grzybowski (BP) (decision, 5-2).
182: Alex Urban (BP) over Jordan Vandehei (Ash) (decision, 7-2).
