By TOM NYHUIS
Niles Daily Star

BUCHANAN – Buchanan wrestling coach Frank Mucha knew coming into Wednesday night’s Lakeland Conference match his team would have their hands full.

The Bucks hosted Edwardsburg, Coloma and Brandywine as the Bucks squared off against the Eddies and Comets in the Bucks first league matches of the season.

“These were two tough opponents and we were awful leery coming in. They have had our number the last couple of years,” Mucha said of the Eddies and Comets. “Our kids rose to the challenge.”

Buchanan opened up against a quality Edwardsburg team, jumped out to an early lead and held on down the stretch to clinch a 36-26 win over the Eddies.

Against the Comets, the Bucks once again used a great start to take a 43-27 win over Coloma.

“Quick starts and then it is a game of match ups. They (Coloma) are tougher then all get out from 25 to 45 and we knew we had to build us a big lead in order to hang on and fortunately we were able to do that,” Mucha said of his teams win over the Comets.

Coloma opened the night with a 54-21 win over Brandywine and the Eddies handed the Bobcats their second loss of the night with a 51-21 win.

In the opener for the Bucks T.J. Miller (152) got the Bucks rolling with a 1-0 decision win over Ryan Loupee. Gage Hutchison (160) picked up a pin at 3:08 over Justin Steinke  and John Kuntz (171) pinned Brad Brasfield at 3:55 to give Buchanan a 15-0 lead. Devin Bywaters (189) got the Eddies on the board with a 13-4 decision win over Jacob Ferris.

With Buchanan leading 15-4 Mack Green (215) of Buchanan continued his perfect season with a pin of Stephen Coble at 4:43. The Eddies Josh Williams (285) countered with a pin of Dustan Craig at 1:23 and the Eddies trailed 21-10.

After a 9-4 decision win by Taylor Glavin (103) Edwardsburg rolled off three wins. Mike Kempton (112) scored a 16-0 technical fall, Caleb Watson (119) picked up a 11-0 win over Alex Eger and Cameron Warren (125) notched a 9-1 win over Andy Ketchum and closed in on the Bucks lead 24-22.

Freshman Patrick Wheetly (130) came through with a big pin victory at 3:23 over Lane Smouse to give the Bucks a little breathing room.

The Eddies Brandon Parsons (135) picked up three points with a 6-2 decision win over Alex Darmos leaving the Eddies trailing 30-26 with two matches to go. Another freshman for the Bucks, Jeff Mucha (140), secured the Bucks win with a pin of Alex Bendix at 1:48 and senior Adam Byrdak finished with a 13-8 decision win over Terry Brasfield.

“All 14 kids stepped up. We had kids that went the distance, didn’t allow the pin and saved us team points. We had a technical fall there but at least it wasn’t a pin and it was a big, big match with Patrick Wheetly coming through against their best freshman. The score was 6-6 or 6-4 at that point and Patrick caught him and put him away. Fortunately he has been wrestling a long enough time and once he got it there he knew how to finish it,” Mucha stated.

Against Coloma the Bucks had a 31-0 lead before the Comets could get on the board. Hutchison started the match with his second pin of the night followed by a Kuntz pin, a 4-2 decision win for Ferris, a 13-0 decision win for Green. Craig added a pin along with Glavin’s pin and the Bucks were rolling.

After a Coloma pin over Johnson by Ethan Street Buchanan’s Eger took Matt Thomas to a 7-6 decision picking up the winning point as time was quickly vanishing from the clock in the matches third overtime period to give the Bucks a 34-6 lead.

“Alex’s was a big match. Our freshman are starting to come of age. They need to keep making strides because we have some goals. We wrestled well tonight but we want to be wrestling better in the middle of February,” Mucha said of his teams performance.

Josh Giabrneau, Luke Faultersack, Reuben Navarro and John Tanner scored wins for the Comets to shorten the Bucks lead to 40-27 but the outcome had already been decided with Byrdak putting the icing on the cake with a 3-2 decision win to wrap up the night for the victorious Bucks.

Buchanan improves to 13-4 and 2-0 in the Lakeland and will be back in action as they host a super dual on Saturday.

Edwardsburg…26
Buchanan…36
103: Taylor Glavin (B) d. Ivan Shaw, 9-4
112: Mike Kempton (E) t.f. Josh Johnson, 16-0
119: Caleb Watson (E) d. Alex Eger (B), 11-0
125: Cameron Warren (E) d. Andy Ketchum (B), 9-1
130: Patrick Wheetly (B) p. Lane Smouse, 3:23
135: Brandon Parsons (E) d. Alex Darmos, 6-2
140: Jeff Mucha (B) p. Alex Bendix, 1:48
145: Adam Byrdak d. Terry Brasfield, 13-8
152: T.J. Miller (B) d. Ryan Loupee, 1-0
160: Gage Hutchison (B) p. Justin Steinke, 3:08
171: John Kuntz (B) p. Brad Brasfield, 3:55
189: Devin Bywaters (E) d. Jacob Ferris, 13-4
215: Mack Green (B) p. Stephen Coble, 4:43
285: Josh Williams (E) p. Dustin Craig, 1:23

Coloma…27
Buchanan…43
103: Taylor Glavin (B) p. Ty Hess, 2:12
112: Ethan Street (C) p. Josh Johnson, 1:30
119: Alex Eger (B) d. Matt Thomas, 7-6 OT
125: Josh Giabrneaau (C) p. Andy Ketchum, 1:39
130: Patrick Wheetly (B) wins by forfeit
135: Luke Faultersack (C) p. Alex Darmos, 2:30
140: Reuben Navarro (C) d. Jeff Mucha, 6-2
145: John Tanner (C) p. T.J. Miller, 2:34
152: Adam Byrdak (B) d. Bryan Sayrell, 3-2
160: Gage Hutchison (B) p. Matt Bailey, 1:06
171: John Kuntz (B) p. Donovan Browing, 1:49
189: Jacob Ferris (B) d. Lucas Hettig, 4-2
215: Mack Green (B) d. Mas Murrayll, 13-0
285: Dustan Craig (B) p. Justin Johnson, 1:24