By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
SUAMICO – The De Pere High School wrestling team saved its best for last in a Jan. 17 Fox River Classic Conference dual against Bay Port.
Trailing 37-32 entering the last match of the night and needing a pin to win, the Redbirds’ Hunter Mashl pinned Matt Arnoldi at 145 pounds to help De Pere escape with a 38-37 victory before a large crowd at Bay Port High School.
“I had only seen (Arnoldi) wrestle once before,” said Mashl, who recorded the pin at 3:19 of the match. “I wasn’t quite sure how I’d do it, but I got it done. I was definitely nervous going in.”
The win for the Redbirds improved their conference record to 4-1, while the Pirates fell to 4-1.
Pulaski leads the FRCC with a 5-0 mark.
“That is a really good team,” said De Pere head coach Matt Kincade about the Pirates. “Bay Port’s kids never get in bad positions, but we did what we needed to do. Our younger guys are taking a few lumps this year – we’ve got to find a way not to give up bonus points. I’m proud of how the guys fought back and showed a ton of heart. We told Hunter to go out there and leave everything on the mat. It wasn’t just him that got the job done, though.”
The night started at the 152, with Bay Port’s Chandler Stordeur getting a 13-5 major decision over Preston Ehlinger.
After Matt Grzybowski was victorious for the Pirates at 160, Daniel Fernandez got De Pere on the board with a pin at 170.
Charlie Hooyman (220) and Sam Bruss (132) also had pins for the Redbirds, while Alex Urban (182), Max Meeuwsen (285), Tristan Warzynski (120) and Connor Halverson (126) did the same for the Pirates.
At one point, Hooyman trailed 5-0 to Drake Anderson before getting the pin with just six seconds remaining in the second period.
Shane Corrigan (106) recorded the only forfeit win of the night for either team.
A key match late in the night took place at 138, with Bay Port’s Austin Heim getting a 7-3 decision win over Andrew Lopez. With Lopez leading 3-2 with under a minute remaining, Heim recorded a two-point takedown and a three-point near-fall with seconds left but couldn’t get the pin as time ran out.
“We knew it would come right down to the wire,” said Bay Port head coach Brad Shefchik. “We had a few matches where if we had saved a point or two, it would have been a different outcome. The kids wrestled hard – it’s hard to always win the close ones.”
De Pere 38, Bay Port 37
152: Chandler Stordeur (BP) over Preston Ehlinger (DP) (major decision, 13-5).
160: Matt Grzybowski (BP) over Zane Selner (DP) (fall, 5:25).
170: Daniel Fernandez (DP) over Trevor Nys (BP) (fall, 3:23).
182: Alex Urban (BP) over Hayden Kincade (DP) (fall, 1:15).
195: Charlie Hooyman (DP) over Drake Anderson (BP) (fall, 3:54).
220: Tommy Kratz (DP) over Matt Doherty (BP) (decision, 4-1).
285: Max Meeuwsen (BP) over Brody Upton (DP) (fall, 0:46).
106: Shane Corrigan (DP) over Unknown (BP) (forfeit).
113: Collin Hansen (DP) over Hunter Bertrand (BP) (technical fall, 17-2).
120: Tristan Warzynski (BP) over Shayn Quick (DP) (fall, 4:45).
126: Connor Halverson (BP) over Jared Fietz (DP) (fall, 1:36).
132: Sam Bruss (DP) over Luke Henkel (BP) (fall, 1:46).
138: Austin Heim (BP) over Andrew Lopez (DP) (decision, 7-3).
145: Hunter Mashi (DP) over Matt Arnoldi (BP) (fall, 3:19).