By By STEVE MORRISON / Niles Daily Star
NILES – "Saving your best for last" makes the taste of winning even sweeter.
The Brandywine High School varsity wrestling team proved that Saturday afternoon at Brandywine High School, winning its own invitational with some clutch performances in their fourth and final round defeating a resurgent Marcellus wrestling team 47-41.
With the score tied at 41-41, Ralph Sater of the Bobcats, at 130 weight class, pinned Marcellus' Jeff Sweanengin to pull out the win in dramatic style in the last match of the round. It was like a home run in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, as the whole Brandywine bench exploded in a roar of jubilation.
During that final round an equally suspenseful event was Bobcat Aaron Clifford's rebound victory. Down 7-5, Clifford (160) reversed what seemed like sure defeat, as he pinned Marcellus wrestler Nate Fretter with only seven seconds left in his third and final period.
To begin the round, Nathan Balint (135) had nearly performed the same miracle by erasing a 12-2 deficit with a last ditch, explosive reversal on Marcellus' Vincent Former to pin Former with only 21 seconds left in the match. When Cat's Ben Gerber (140) followed with a win on a tech fall, with a 19-2 drubbing of Tyler Cairnes, and Brandywine's Warren Watson put a pin on Mike Barnes at 145, the home team had spurted out to a 17-0 lead.
Chad Robinson put Marcellus on the board with a pin of Chase Molica, Molica's only loss of the day. Clifford came back with his surprise victor, and the score stood 23-6, Bobcats.
Cody Woods, of Marcellus, took down Robert Basker in 1:29 in the 171 division, but Joel Perry (189) returned the favor, tying up Tucker Thompson, in only 40, to give Brandywine six more points.
A forfeit win for Marcellus' Kyle Hawkins (215) and a Marcellus victory by Bill Kink over Danny Eaglebarger in the heavyweight class catapulted the visitors back into the race at 29-24, Brandywine.
Two fortunate forfeit victories, in row, gave the Bobcats a 41-29 short-lived lead. Max Stokes, Marcellus' standout (5-0 for the day, 101 career wins) pinned Justin Batman in just 34 seconds, at 119, and teammate Jake Prim (125) pinned Chad Holden in only 20 ticks, to knot the score 41 all.
That set up Sater's heroics as he promptly flattened Sweanengin in only 26 seconds to seal the deal and bring the Bobcat's the crown and raise their season record to 8-4 after a 1-4 start.
Rex Pomranka, Brandywine's head coach, was grinning ear to ear as he discussed the outcome.
"It wasn't just one guy; we had some guys earlier, a 135 pound guy (Balint) losing, comes back and makes a five point move. We're just happy to win. We're starting to get things together, getting guys down to weight. That's the key! It was a good weekend! We're looking forward to Hartford and Bangor! It's on Wednesday night," Pomranka said.
Final Results
Brandywine 5-0
Marcellus 4-1
Lawton 3-2
Centreville 2-3
Benton Harbor 1-4
Benton Harbor Countryside 0-5
Match Scores
Round 1- Marcellus 54, Benton Harbor 18; Brandywine 69, Lawton 12; Centreville 48, Benton Harbor Countryside 21
Round 2- Marcellus 54, Benton Harbor Countryside 25; Brandywine 57, Centreville 22; Lawton 60, Benton Harbor 18
Round 3 – Marcellus 54, Centreville 24; Brandywine 78, Benton Harbor 0; Lawton 42, Benton Harbor Co. 36
Round 4 – Marcellus 49, Lawton 29; Brandywine 60, Benton Harbor Co. 18; Centreville 48, Benton Harbor 30
Round 5 – Benton Harbor 45, Benton Harbor Co. 30; Lawton 37, Centreville 30; Brandywine 47, Marcellus 41
Brandywine leader
Bryan Fisher (112) 5-0; Ralph Sater (130) 5-0; Nathan Balint (135) 4-1; Ben Gerber (140) 5-0; Warren Watson (145) 5-0; Chase Molica (152) 5-0; Joel Perry (171-189) 5-0