By By TOM NYHUIS / Niles Daily Star
BUCHANAN - In the biggest Lakeland Conference wrestling showdown of the season, the Buchanan varsity wrestling team came out on top with a 40-24 win over the Brandywine Bobcats Wednesday night in the Bucks' gym.
Both teams entered the match with a 6-0 league mark and it was the Bucks that kept their perfect record intact when all the noise from the fans and action on the mat was over.
"I knew it was going to be a tight match," Brandywine coach Rex Pomranka said after the battle with the Bucks. "A couple of matches that I thought would go our way didn't. I knew our upper weights were tough and they came through. Two good programs going after each other, someone has to give.”
The Bucks got on the board first with what Buchanan coach Frank Mucha considered an upset win by his freshman at 119.
Tony Taylor picked up an 8-4 decision over Pat VanLaere in the first match of the night.
"We got a real big upset at 119," Mucha said. "The opening match was a big upset. VanLaere is a heck of a wrestler. Tony is a good freshmen, but he's in a big match and freshmen sometimes act like freshmen. He came through in the clutch for us.That set the tone. This was just a great high school event.”
From that point, the Bucks rattled off 22 consecutive points to take a 25-0 lead over the Bobcats.
Nick Wheetley held on for a close 4-1 decision over Warren Watson at 125. Drew Medlin picked up a pin at the one minute mark over 130 Tyler Wecher.
At 135, Travis Reith tacked on four more points for the Bucks with a 17-4 decision over Chase Molica. Bryant Miller recorded a 6-3 decision win over Brian Krisher at 140. David Medlin made it a 25-0 lead for the Bucks with a pin at 3:52 over the Bobcats Kyle Perry.
Brandywine got on the board with a 7-4 decision over Auston Ferris at the152 weight class. Joel Perry followed that up with the Bobcats first pin of the night over A.J. Long at 3:17 in the 160 class and cut the Bucks lead to 25-9. Ryan Harrington came away with a 10-5 decision over Kyle Jones at 171.
Adam Simons pinned Jim Connors at 1:51 in the 189 class and Jeremy Hechtl, 215, brought the Buck lead down to seven points, 28-21, with a pin over Daryll Milnikel at 2:37.
Aaron Edquist battled Phil Metz to a 2-1 double overtime win at 275 and the Bucks lead was now a mere four points with two matches to go. "Phil had a hard time getting his weight down. We finally got him down and now he is starting to put together some good matches and is starting to do some good things. Unfortunately, he has only 15 matches were everyone else has 40. Phillip did a nice job for us. He's going to win a lot of big matches wrestling that way," Mucha said.
David Knisely assured the Buck victory with a pin of Bryan Fisher at 4:48 in the 103 class and Todd Taylor capped off the evening with a pin of Bryton Hutchings at 1:36 at 112.
"They made a run and we knew they would. This is a great rivalry and both teams had great fan support and this was fun to be involved with," Mucha said. Buchanan will take a 25-2 record into this Saturday's super duals hosted by the Bucks.
This is the first undefeated Lakeland Conference season for the Bucks that coach Mucha could recall.
"That is all well and good, but now we have to take care of business at the tournament," said Mucha.
The Bucks will look to lock up the outright conference title with a win at the Lakeland Conference Tournament to be held at Brandywine on Saturday, February 11.
Brandywine's over all record is 21-5.
Brandywine…24
Buchanan…40
103: David Knisley (BU) p. Bryon Fisher, 4:48
112: Todd Taylor (BU) d. Bryton Hutchings, 6-0
119: Tony Taylor (BU) d. Pat Van Laere, 8-4
125: Nick Wheetley (BU) d. Warren Watson, 4-1
130: Drew Medlin (BU) p. Tyler Weedon, 1:00
135: Travis Reith (BU) d. Chase Molica, 17-4
140: Bryant Miller (BU) d. Brian Krisher, 7-2
145: David Medlin (BU) p. Kyle Perry, 3:52
152: Justin Price (BW) d, Auston Ferris, 7-4
160: Joel Perry (BW) p. A.J. Long, 3:17
171: Ryan Harrington (BU) d. Kyle Jones, 12-11
189: Adam Simons (BW) p. Jim Connors, 1:51
215: Jeremy Hechtl (BW) p. Mike Connors, 2:37
275: Aaron Edquist (BW) d. Phil Metz, 2-1