The Milan News-Leader
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Big Reds just short of state
Hill, Pegouskie, Box gain critical experience for 2008 run
By Brian Cox, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: March 1, 2007
There will be no Big Reds wrestling at the state meet at the Palace next week.
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Milan's three last-standing wrestlers saw their season end last Saturday after they came up short in their bids to advance out of the Division 2 regional individual tournament at Milan High School.
Despite the disappointing outcome, Josh Pegouskie (171), and heavyweights David Box and Jake Hill gained valuable experience competing at regionals and are expected to mature as wrestlers because of it, said Milan head coach Gary Jonseck.
"I know they're disappointed, but they'll have to use this as a catalyst for improving their work ethic for next year," Jonseck said. "Any time you get experience at one of these MHSAA competitions, it's crucial."
Juniors Hill and Pegouskie and sophomore Box make up one of the youngest groups of wrestlers Milan has advanced to regionals. Only two Big Red wrestlers made regionals last year, and they were both seniors.
It's the third year in a row that the individual regionals have been held at Milan High School.
The day started out on a positive note for the Big Reds when Pegouskie (35-15) took control early in his quarterfinals match against St. Clair Shores Lakeview's Mitch Sand (26-21). In the first period, a dominating Pegouskie built a 5-0 lead and used the second period to double his advantage to 10-0. Less than 25 seconds into the third period, Pegouskie pinned Sand to advance.
In the semis, Pegouskie faced Josh Close (47-8) of Carleton Airport, a wrestler he had defeated twice before during the regular season –– by one point margins.
It was an epic battle that went into triple overtime tied 4-4.
In the final 50 seconds of the third period, Pegouskie stubbornly fended off several takedown attempts by Close to force the first OT. In the 30-second double-overtime, Pegouskie needed only to pull off a one-point escape for the win. He gained his feet, but time ran out as he plied futilely at his opponent's grip around his waist.
It took Close just over 20 seconds in the third OT to break Pegouskie's hold and seal a 5-4 win. He went on to place second in the tournament.
In the consolation round, Pegouskie lost a heartbreaking 1-0 match to Nevin Bogaert of Hazel Park, who placed fourth.
Milan's Box and Hill were heavyweight bookends, opening their quarterfinal matches at opposite ends of the gym. Box pinned his opponent Todd Lombardo of Warren Lincoln (28-21) at 3:25 after mounting a 6-2 lead, but Hill fell to senior Greg Burlager (43-10) of Hazel Park, who would go on to prove to be Box's downfall as well.
Box, who at the end of the regular season was out for six weeks recovering from a fractured pelvic bone and only returned just in time for the postseason, struggled to score against Burlager in the semi-finals. The Hazel Park wrestler put together an escape and two takedowns in the second period to gain a 5-0 lead, from which Box could not recover. As he had Hill, Burlager knocked Box into the consolation round with a 6-2 win over the sophomore.
Hill (19-8) lost in the next round to Lombardo 10-4, and Kyle McCormick of New Boston (40-16) pinned Box at 2:49 after Box led 5-0 in the second period.
"When you get to this point in the season, it's the little things that matter," said Jonseck. "There's a tremendous amount of pressure on these kids. On another day, the outcome may have been different, but that's what makes these tournaments so tough. It's being able to come out on that particular day and make it happen on the mat."
The Milan varsity wrestling team will hold its banquet March 25.
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