By PRESS TIMES SPORTS
DE PERE – In a match filled with pins, it was the West De Pere wrestling team that got the edge, beating host De Pere 42-36 on Dec. 20.
The Phantoms won eight of the 14 matches, five via pin along with one forfeit. The rival Redbirds scored four pins and two forfeit wins.
In the only two decisions in the match, West De Pere was victorious.
“Have to give credit to the Phantoms, they came ready to go and did what they needed to do to pull out the win,” De Pere coach Zach Hendzel said.
“We were missing a few guys and needed some underclassmen to step up big for us. Unfortunately, we are young and still learning quite a bit about ourselves. You have to take each match and get better from it, and we will definitely be learning from this one tonight and through the rest of the season.”
West De Pere jumped out to a 27-6 advantage, winning five of the first six matches.
Ethan Agnew (126) opened the match with second-period pin. Phantoms teammates Daniel Beaupre (132) scored a hard-fought 7-4 victory over Ryan Rouse to go up 9-0.
Connor Schenian (138) got a forfeit to get De Pere on the scoreboard.
West De Pere then picked up 18 quick points as Lincoln Vogel (145) received a forfeit and Bryce Vanderlogt (152) and Zac Wotruba (160) both logged pins.
Peyton Cappelle (170) earned a first-period pin to get De Pere back on the winning track and make it 27-12.
West De Pere’s Thomas Mudd (182) dominated his match and De Pere’s Brennan Kincade (195) scored a forfeit.
Cole Watermolen (220) won by fall for De Pere and it was 33-18.
In the swing match, Connor Hoerth (285) took down Jackson Bromberek, 4-0.
Brooke Corrigan (106) got a forfeit.
Lucius Janquart (113) make quick work of his opponent with a first-period pin for West De Pere. Mycah Beckett (120) closed out the match with a victory by fall.
“We will run into these guys (West De Pere) a few more times before the year is up, so I’m hoping we can get another chance at some of the matches that didn’t quite go our way,” Hendzel said.