The Milan News-Leader
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Milan pins Rams in final dual meet
Big Reds finish sixth in Saturday's Huron League meet at Milan
By Brian Cox, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: February 15, 2007
The Milan varsity wrestling team ended its regular season on a high note, notching its 24th dual win of the year after defeating the Flat Rock Rams 42-31 last Thursday.
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"It was a good way to end the regular season heading into districts," said coach Gary Jonseck. "The kids wrestled well."
Winning for the Big Reds were Aaris Gruber (103 pounds), Dan Vivian (119), Josh Ford (130), Jacob Nelson (152), Aaron Householder (171), Ben Snider (189) and Jake Hill (285).
Householder, the lone senior on the team, was able to end his regular season high school wrestling career with a victory, finishing with a 13-18 record.
Gruber's win brought her win-loss record to .500 at 24-24. Ford's season record is 18-14, while Vivian continued to lead the team in wins with 37 against nine losses. Nelson, who leads the team in pins, stands at 31-13. Gimson holds a 16-12 record and Hill stands at 16-5.
Snider, who has been out because of sickness since the second week of the season, returned to earn his 12th win.
Jonseck said he was pleased with his young team's performance, noting that the three freshmen (Aaris Gruber, Sean Domas, and Cody O'Keefe) have wrestled almost 48 matches this year –– experience that will pay off big in upcoming years.
It was the team's youth that largely contributed to the Big Reds' sixth-place finish Saturday at the Huron League meet.
"If you want to finish in the top three, you better have 70 percent of your wrestlers being juniors and seniors," Jonseck said. "We don't have that right now."
The league meet featured the return of sophomore David Box, who had fractured his pelvis weeks ago. Box (285) came back strong, going 2-1 and earning a second place finish.
"Being able to bring Box back was huge for us," said Jonseck. "He's a great wrestler and he keeps getting better by the day."
Cody O'Keefe (125), David Nelson (145) and Josh Pegouski (171) placed third, while Householder placed fourth at 160 pounds.
Jonseck said he was pleased with O'Keefe's and Pegouski's efforts in particular. Both wrestlers came back to win their match, with O'Keefe defeating an opponent he lost to earlier in the year.
Aaris Gruber came within one win of placing. Isaac Smith (140) and Domas (215) each won a match, but didn't place.
Milan also held the Milan Junior Varsity Invitational last Saturday. Eric Santure took first place and Willy Boyd took second.
Placing third were Tim Simms, R. J. Gaskill and Jim Householder. Spencer Hays placed fourth and John Householder finished fifth.
The Big Reds entered team districts Wednesday night at home, facing Adrian in the first round. A win over Adrian, a team the Big Reds have not competed against in recent years, would bring Milan face-to-face again with powerhouse Tecumseh, a challenge Jonseck is looking forward to.
"It's a matter of preparing and getting ready," he said.
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