The Hurons are ready to win conference title; bring home newly designed trophy
r After destroying Pinconning, 72-7, and Bangor John Glenn, 61-13 last week, the Huron wrestlers are on the home mats one last time this season, tonight against Whittemore-Prescott and Maplewood Baptist Academy of Kinross. Rogers City brings in a record of 19-3, but one of the losses was against Whittemore during the Bill Barrett Invitational last month and the Hurons would like to get one back from the Cardinals.
W-P defeated the Hurons 46-27 to win the tournament. The match was much closer than the final score indicates. With the score tied at 27, four of the Cardinals toughest wrestlers came up with victories. A victory against W-P heading into the eight- team Straits Area Conference meet Saturday in Sault Ste. Marie would give the boys some momentum in returning the conference title to Rogers City, after a two-year absence. Mio won the SAC last year, while St. Ignace took away Rogers City’s stranglehold on the honor two years ago.
COACH PAT LAMB said there is a plan in place against W-P and some of the final details won’t be put in place until after the coin flip tonight. “Against Whittemore you have to avoid getting pinned and pick up some pins where you don’t expect them,” said Lamb. The action begins at 6 p.m.
Saturday, the post season gets under way. “I’m excited about it for two reasons: one that we get a chance to win that trophy back,” said Lamb. “Number two, this is a new setting with a new conference.” This is the first school year with the Soo and Cheboygan in the conference and Cheboygan should provide the biggest challenge for Rogers City. The Hurons faced off against the Chiefs two weeks ago and were victorious, 45-20, but there were a lot of tight matches.
“YOU WANT everyone on your team to at least place fourth in order to come up with that trophy,” said Lamb. “There is no room for error. You can’t have one or two guys having a bad day and not placing at all.” A new trophy also has been designed, which Lamb had a hand in developing. It is made out of birch and will have the names of the winners engraved on it.
“We want to be the first team in Rogers City to win one of them,” said Lamb. “What we have to hope for is to be dominant in the weight classes we are supposed to. I’m expecting to come out of there with seven or eight champions and if we do that then things should pretty much take care of themselves.”
Health wise, the flu bug appears to have run its course and other wrestlers are returning from injuries. Senior Matt Tomas continues to be hampered by a shoulder injury that may keep him out for the rest of the season. The Michigan High School Athletic Association tournaments begin next Thursday w
THE TRIANGULAR at Pinconning brought a lot of travel but not a lot of competition. Double winners were: Brian Krueger (103), Michael Vogler (112), Tharin Wilk (119), Brent Freel (125) , Dylan Centala (135), Cody Wenzel (140), Chris Rhode (189), Tyler Gorlewski (215), and Scott Kamyszek (275). Brent Freel was bumped to 125 and against Bangor John Glenn he took out one of that team’s best wrestlers, 8-3. Single winners were Alex Matthews (130), Schuiteman, Jerome Gapczynski (152), Chase McLennan (160), and Mark Grulke (171).
McLennan put up a tremendous battle against an opponent from Bangor who is rated number one in Division II. The final score was 13-6. Pinconning only had five wrestlers on its roster.