By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
On a night when it celebrated its 50th year of wrestling, Dowagiac treated its fans to one of its most dramatic comebacks.
After honoring its first wrestling team from the 1956-57 season, the Chieftains rallied from a 28-6 deficit against Three Rivers to post a 34-28 victory.
In its first match of the night, Dowagiac rolled past Vicksburg 59-18 to maintain its third place standing in the Wolverine Conference.
The Chieftains won five straight matches, including the final four by pins, to pull off the comeback victory.
Trailing 28-6, Zach Roden got the Chieftains rolling with a major decision against Caleb Cowing. Roden scored a 10-1 win over Cowing to cut the Wildcats' lead to 28-10.
The pin parade began with Ritchie Hutchinson sticking Jacob Sandoval in 3:34 at 135-pounds.
Nathan Long then pinned Tanner Kirchner in 2:54 at 140-pounds to close the gap to just six points, 28-22.
Dowagiac would need just a pair of decision to tie Three Rivers. Both teams would have won seven bouts, so the tiebreaker would have come down to most pins.
Prior to the final two bouts of the night at 145- and 152-pounds, Dowagiac and Three Rivers were tied at two pins each.
There was no need for any tiebreaker as Dowagiac's Terry Prowoznik tied the match at 28-28 when he pinned Adam Tavernier in 3:03. DaShaun Baylock then put the finishing touches on the rally with a pin of Dave White at the 3:30 mark.
"It was a team win," an exhausted Dowagiac coach John Green said. "I could pick out guys up and down the line up to highlight and I will. Nathan Behnke prevents a state placer from getting anything but a decision at 189-pounds. Drew Staley does the same thing with a state placer at 215. Robert Wescott pulls out a tremendous win at heavyweight."
Green went on and on about his wrestlers, some of which picked up victories and others who refused to be pinned.
"Andrew Hurrle gave us a solid win at 171-pounds," Green said. "I don't say a lot about Bobby Price and John Morseau, but I asked them not to be turned under any circumstances and they did just that. I have to give them credit too."
With the match starting at 160-pounds, Dowagiac knew it would have to hang on early and give the middle of its line-up a shot at the Wildcats late.
Dowagiac did just that, giving away only two pins on the night and one major decision.
Because the Chieftains were able to keep the score down in their losses to Three Rivers, the meat of the Dowagiac line-up was able to come through with big wins.
"When you look at what Zach, Ritchie, Nathan Long, Terry and DeShaun were able to do, win five straight matches and four by pin, that was a healthy piece of work," Green said. "It's tough to pin a kid, whose job it is to stay off his back."
In the Vicksburg match, the Chieftains pretty much had their way with the Bulldogs.
Picking up wins for Dowagiac were Andrew Roden, Nathan Cottrell, Morseau, Roden, Hutchinson, Long, Prowoznik, Baylock, Behnke, Staley and Wescott.
"I am happy for the guys," Green said. "I am pleased that mentally and physically we wrestled smart matches. This was one of our best matches of the season from a mental standpoint. We knew what we needed to get done and then we went out and got the job done."
Dowagiac will be back in action on Saturday as it takes part in the Southwest Michigan Invitational at Lakeshore High School. Wrestling is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
Three Rivers…28
Dowagiac…34
103: Matt Morrill (TR) p. Andrew Roden, 2:56
112: Karl Armstrong (TR) p. Nathan Cottrell, 2:28
119: Charlie Detmar (TR) d. Bobby Price, 8-0
125: Cody Morrill d. John Morseau, 4-2
130: Zach Roden (D) d. Caleb Cowing, 10-1
135: Ritchie Hutchinson (D) p. Jacob Sandoval, 3:34
140: Nathan Long (D) p. Tanner Kirchner, 2:54
145: Terry Prowoznik (D) p. Adam Tavernier, 3:03
152: DaShaun Baylock (D) p. David White, 3:30
160: Ethan Meyers (TR) d. Mike McNeil, 8-2
171: Andrew Hurrle (D) d. Cody Hartman, 7-1
189: Zach Jones (TR) d. Nate Behnke, 10-3
215: Rusty McClain (TR) d. Drew Staley, 3-1
285: Robert Wescott (D) d. Jason Hinn, 4-2
Vicksburg…18
Dowagiac…59
103: Andrew Roden (D) p. Tim Ballard, 3:12
112: Nathan Cottrell (D) p. Nate Johnson, :57
119: Ross Cousins (V) p. Bobby Price, 1:38
125: John Morseau (D) p. Travis Short, 5:28
130: Zach Roden (D) t.f. Sean Menel, 17-2
135: Ritchie Hutchinson (D) d. Mark Beams, 10-3
140: Nathan Long (D) p. Roy Escalara, :51
145: Terry Prowoznik (D) p. Chester Moore, 2:27
152: DaShaun Baylock (D) p. Jake Jensen, 2:19
160: Jim Myers (V) p. Andrew Hurrle, 5:33
171: Ben Hetrick (V) wins by forfeit
189: Nate Behnke (D) d. Chris Harger, 9-2
215: Drew Staley (D) p. Richard Magill, :27
285: Robert Wescott (D) p. Mike Blanchard, 1:57