By SCOTT NOVAK
Niles Daily Star

Cross-town rivals Niles and Brandywine squared off in a tune up match Monday night for the upcoming state tournament.

Both the Vikings and the Bobcats will wrestle in the Michigan High School Athletic Association team tournament on Thursday and then in the individual tournament on Saturday.

But on Monday night it was all about bragging rights.

Niles will have them for at least another year after posting a 59-17 decision.

The win was the 20th in the year for the Vikings.

“Obviously with me having coached there with Bob Galvin, the kids came out a little bit fired up,” Niles coach Todd Hesson said. “It was a good win. They have some good young kids. They are well coached and they wrestled hard.”

The first bout of the evening at 125-pounds was quite a battle between the Vikings’ Colin Burandt and the Bobcats’ Chanc Ravish.

The score went back and forth before Burandt ended up with a pin in the later stages of the third period.

Brandywine would win two of the next three bouts with Robert Nickless pinning Cole Allison at 130-pounds and Ralph Sater winning by forfeit at 140-pounds.

In between Niles’ Donte Stevens defeated Adam Earles 18-5 to leave Brandywine with a 12-6 advantage heading to the 145-pound match.

Robbie Legus edged Alex Humphreys 3-2 before the Vikings’ Rashad Harris pinned former Niles wrestler Matt Bricker in just over a minute at 152-pounds.

Niles would win seven straight bouts between 145 and 285 to open up a 47-6 lead.
Fritz Findeisen was a 13-1 winner at 160-pounds, while Ryan Casey, Chandler King and James Asmus were all winners via the pin.

Mike Gentry received a forfeit to end the Vikings’ run.

Jeff Cornell snapped the streak with a pin of Tyler Baber in 1:04 at 103-pounds.

The Vikings would wind up the match with a pin by Dakota Wright at 112-pounds and a technical fall from Gage Pearison at 119-pounds.

“We have to go back to work,” Brandywine coach Rex Pomranka said. “We have to work on stuff and get ready for Thursday. This was kind of a warm up match to see where we needed to go.”

Niles…59
Brandywine…17
103: Jeff Cornell (BW) p. Tyler Baber 1:04
112: Dakota Wright (N) p. Arthur Morris 1:20
119: Gage Pearison (N) t.f. Jimmie Wright 15-0
125: Colin Burandt (N) p. Chanc Ravish 5:34
130: Robert Nickless (BW) p. Cole Allison 2:30
135: Donte Stevens (N) d. Adam Earles 18-5
140: Ralph Sater (BW) wins by forfeit
145: Robbie Legus (N) d. Alex Humphrey 3-2
152: Rashad Harris (N) p. Matt Bricker 1:01
160: Fritz Findeisen (N) d. Max Hostetler 13-1
171: Ryan Casey (N) p. Shane DesRosiers
189: Chandler King (N) p. A.J. Shell :53
215: James Asmus (N) p. Bryan Lee 3:18
285: Mike Gentry (N) wins by forfeit