Brandywine wins Division 4 Team District championship

Published 10:17 pm Thursday, February 10, 2022

By Staff Report

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By MIKE MORRISON

Leader Publications Contributor

 

NILES — Veteran Brandywine wrestling coach Rex Pomranka came into the 2021-22 season with high expectations for his young team.

Without any seniors in the line-up and forfeiting five weight classes all season due to injury, academics, and athletes who didn’t return to the sport for the season, the Bobcats (11-14) were able to rise to the challenge and clinch their first district championship since 2019 with a 48-22 victory over Eau Claire Thursday night.

The win was the Bobcats’ 22nd district championship in the past 22 years in Division 4. Brandywine competed in Division 3 in 2018, 2020 and 2021.

Eau Claire advanced to the championship after defeating Cassopolis 36-3 in their semifinal. Brandywine received the bye after River Valley opted out of the tournament.

“This team ranks right up there with some of the other district champion teams I’ve coached in the past,” said Brandywine Coach Rex Pomranka following his team’s win. “We are very competitive with the guys we got and as a whole, we’re pretty solid. We have a great group of kids. They are young, they listen, and they just keep working hard every day to get better. I’m excited to see what we can do individually. Our motivation is Ford Field. We want to pack the van to regionals and to Detroit with as many as we can get.”

Brandywine will travel to Lawton at 6 p.m. next Wednesday for its team regional, where it will face White Pigeon (18-18) in the semifinals. Brandywine defeated White Pigeon 42-33 during the season. The other semifinal is between two top 10 ranked teams in Division 4 — Decatur (10th) and Lawton (sixth).

Lawton defeated Decatur 59-24 during the season. Both Decatur (53-30) and Lawton (53-24) defeated Brandywine during the regular season.

Brandywine, Cassopolis and Eau Claire will be in action Saturday at Schoolcraft for the individual district tournament. Wrestling begins at 9 a.m.

 

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