The Milan News-Leader
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Big Reds reach final of Brandywine invite
Vivian, Pegouskie and O'Keefe lead Milan with 5-0 reocrds
By Brian Cox, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: January 18, 2007
The Milan varsity wrestling team tore into the Niles Brandywine Team Invitational last Saturday and came within 10 points of taking first place.
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The Big Reds went 4-1 on the day, scoring more than 60 points in three of their wins.
Milan defeated Mendon 66-14, Eau Claire 64-15, and Climax-Scotts 66-12. In their closest match of the day leading into the finals, the Big Reds outwrestled Cassopolis 40-9.
In the finals, Milan came up short against the tournament host, Niles Brandywine, falling 39-30.
Three Milan wrestlers went undefeated on the day. Sophomore Dan Vivian (119) and junior Josh Pegouskie (171) boosted their season win records to more than 20 with 5-0 performances at the invitational. Vivian has a record of 23-6 while Pegouskie leads the team with 25 wins and only five losses. Cody O'Keefe (125) also went undefeated, chalking up his 17th win against 11 losses.
Seven Big Reds went 4-1, including Josh Ford (130), Jayme Gruber (160), Isaac Smith (140), Jacob Nelson (145), Garrett Gimson (152), Jarryd Gotts (160), and Jacob Hill (285).
"It was a good tournament," said Milan coach Gary Jonseck. "We competed well. We made some mistakes in the final that we shouldn't have, though, and you can't win the championship matches when you make those kinds of mistakes."
The Big Reds came into the tournament after receiving a huge confidence boost from a 33-24 win over Huron League rival Monroe Jefferson last Thursday. It was Milan's first win over the Bears in Jonseck's three years coaching the team.
Jonseck said he was pleased with how his wrestlers battled back to win matches or at least keep them close.
"We had to come through and beat some kids we'd lost to in the past," he said, "and we did that."
Vivan, O'Keefe, Jayme Gruber, Smith, Nelson, Gotts, Pegouskie, and Hill all won matches for the Big Reds.
Jonseck said the recent run of wins is a reflection of hard work.
"The kids can reflect back to the hard work they put in after a win like the one against Monroe Jefferson," said Jonseck. "You start to realize all the hard work was worth it."
That same night, the Milan junior varsity team defeated Monroe Jefferson in a close meet 25-22. Winning matches for the Big Reds were Josh McDonald (135), Jeff Flecher (140), Ryan Hasten (160), Warren Losse (189), and Travis Turk (130).
The Milan varsity team is now 17-9 and faces a tough New Boston Huron team Thursday.
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