Late pin gives Comets the win
By Greg Seubert
Talk about going down to the wire.
The Waupaca wrestling team headed into its final contested match with Fox Valley Lutheran on the short end of a 36-33 score.
However, Kai Badgley’s pin of Jeremiah Butkovich in 36 seconds put the final score in the Comets’ favor, as Waupaca won the North Eastern Conference dual meet 39-36 Jan. 16.
The Comets saw their 33-6 lead turn into a 36-33 deficit after four forfeits and a pin.
Waupaca had taken an early 15-0 lead on Jayl Azuara-Ramirez’ pin of Jonah Uhlenbrauck in 43 seconds at 113 pounds, the Foxes’ forfeit to Kaleb Mannel at 120 and John Schmidt’s 2-0 win over Blake Maxwell at 126.
Charles Ziegler put the Foxes on the scoreboard by pinning Ben Habighorst at the end of the first period of the 132-pound match, but Waupaca responded with three straight pins.
Benji Pacheco-Rojas pinned Patrick Brown in 2:29 at 138, Colby Bernhardt took care of Ryan Wichman in 1:20 at 145 and Ron Mason gave the Comets a 33-6 lead by pinning Isaac Haring in 3:24 at 152.
Those turned out to be Waupaca’s final points until Badgley and Butkovich met on the mat.
Waupaca forfeited the 160-, 182-, 195- and 220-pound matches to Jackson Wolf, Luke Knittel, Jacob Jungwirth and Richard Giese III, respectively, while Wilder Smith pinned Waupaca’s Zach Mallo in 1:28 at 170.
The Foxes did not have a chance to get the win at 106, as both teams forfeited the meet’s final match.
The meet was only the Comets’ second home meet of the season, but Waupaca will host its two final North Eastern duals.
Little Chute will head to Waupaca Thursday, Jan. 23, while the Comets will close out the regular season Thursday, Jan. 30, against Marinette.
