By STEVE MORRISON
Niles Daily Star

After trailing 12-0 to begin its match, the Brandywine wrestling team rebounded to take a hard fought 51-27 victory over the visiting River Valley Mustangs on Wednesday evening at Brandywine high School.

After Arthur Morris (112) won a key double overtime match against Joe Louison, 8-5, a decisive pin by Jimmie Wright put the Bobcats ahead for the first time at 21-18 to inspire the Brandywine comeback.

The Mustangs started out with consecutive pins by Tommy Doepker (171) and Nick Mercer (189) to forge the 12-0 advantage for River Valley.

Brian Lee (215) scored the first points of the night for Brandywine, pinning Travis Lee in their second round. After being tied 2-2, Lee’s reversal spirited his onslaught to help spark the ‘Cats.

Alex Kacmar (285) won, by forfeit, for the Mustangs to increase their lead to 18-6.
Then the Bobcats reeled off four victories in a row.

Nick Pugh (103) stuck River Valley’s William Newton to make the score 18-12, still in favor of the Mustangs.

Then the tide turned for the Bobcats.

In the most embattled event of the evening, Morris outlasted Louison. Starting out ahead, 2-0, against Louison, Morris found himself in trouble, down 4-2, due to Louison’s recoveries and reversals. With three points, two by penalties on Louison, Morris was able to secure a 5-5 tie at the end of regulation.

With a third penalty on a hand-lock by Louison awarded by referee Chuck Rubino and an escape, Morris was able to prevail 8-5.

Trailing 18-15, after Morris’s recovery triumph, the Bobcats took their first lead of the event (21-18) when Jimmie Wright hogtied Cody Allwood in the 119 weight class.

Chanc Ravish followed that up for the Bobcats with a pin of Joey Schedller in 1:34, extending the lead to 27-18.

The Mustangs wouldn’t go away. Lucas Prentice (130) stuck Brandywine’s Robert Nickless in their second period and regional qualifier Alex Ehlert (135) came back from a 5-0 deficit to defeat Brandywine’s Adam Earles to tie the match at 27-27.

Justin Batman (140), coming back from a concussion injury was awarded a forfeit win for the Bobcats and Ralph Sater took only 40 seconds to dispose of Ethan Zeiger in the 145 class.

That put the ‘Cats in an insurmountable lead at 39-27.

Brandywine polished it off with Matt Bricker’s pin of River Valley’s Steven Backus (152) and Shane Derosiers’ void win.

In junior varsity competition, Brandywine’s Nick Wright (125) pinned Chris Sebring, while Dillon Peterek, of River Valley, bested Kelsey St. Clair in a tech-fall 20-5.

Brandywine coach Rex Pomranka was appreciative of his team’s comeback effort.

“We knew our upper weight (class) was going to be our weak spot this year but we’re getting better,” he said.

Pomranka indicated a possibility of an underclassman soon being able to fill the heavyweight void.”We’re also getting a guy back from ACL (injury), Josh Hayden.”
Brandywine will now take part in the Berrien County meet on Saturday at St. Joseph High School.

River Valley…27
Brandywine…51
103 – Nick Pugh (B) p. William Newton (RV)
112 – Arthur Morris (B) d. Joe Louison (RV), 8-5
119 Jamie Wright (B) p. Cody Allwood (RV)
125 – Chanc Ravish (B) p. Joey Scheller (RV)
130 – Lucas Prentice (RV) p. Robert Nickless (B)
135 – Alex Ehlert (RV) d. Adam Earles (B) , 10-5
140 – Justin Batman (B) won by forfeit
145 – Ralph Sater (B) p. Ethan Zeiger (RV)
152 – Matt Bricker (B) p. Steven Backus (RV)
160 – Shane Derosiers (B) won by forfeit
171 – Tommy Doepker  (RV) p. Max Hostetler (B)
189 – Nick Mercer (RV) p. A.J. Shell (B)
215 – Brian Lee (B) p. Travis Wood(RV)
285 – Alex Kacmar (RV) won by forfeit