Lopez rolls on after notching 100th victory

Team results aren’t going to be a highlight for the 10-member Ozaukee High School wrestling team this season, but the Warriors have one standout.

Senior Jovan Lopez at 285 pounds has eclipsed the century career victory mark and hopes to return to state and earn a medal like he did when he finished sixth last season.

His milestone victory came in the Tom McGarvie Early Bird Scramble in Watertown. In his first match of the day, Lopez made quick work of Ethan Leinstock, pinning him in 24 seconds.

“I was kind of nervous that I was going to lose. You’ve just got to go in with a great mind,” Lopez said.

Reaching that mark didn’t look likely just a few years ago.

“That I started from freshman year and I’m able to get 100 wins, and freshman year being my first year ever wrestling, I feel like I’ve done something good,” Lopez said.

It was upperclassmen who nudged Lopez to join the team.

“All the seniors my freshman year, they really have a special place in my heart. They pushed me to join wrestling and I stuck through with it,” he said.

He had to sit behind star Zach Bell before earning a spot in the lineup.

Now, Lopez is taking on the role of those seniors. He hopes to inspire the small Warriors’ team.

“I hope that they stick through with it and I hope to see the team get bigger,” he said.

Last Thursday, the Warriors hosted their only home meet of the season. They beat Manitowoc Lutheran, which has four wrestlers, 36-18. Lopez pinned Collin Rounds 1 minute, 54 seconds.

They then took on powerhouse Random Lake and lost, 71-9. Ozaukee forfeited six matches.

Lopez took on co-op football teammate Elijah Fassbender in what turned out to be a classic battle.

After a scoreless first period, Fassbender started the second period down. Lopez had to ride Fassbender to not give up a one-point escape.

Fassbender nearly got out a couple of times, but Lopez held on, even when the two flipped over.

Lopez started the third period down and was able to get out from under Fassbender for an escape.

The 1-0 score held up.

“He’s used to dominating a lot of matches,” coach Ted Schanen said. “It’s important that he closes out close matches, too. Even if it’s not quite what you hoped, there’s skill in winning when you have to win.”

“I thought he was going to get me over, and I was like I can’t let that happen,” Lopez said.

The Warriors’ other victory was a forfeit by Jake Delleree at 113 pounds.

For Schanen, in his first year at the helm, the plan is to develop each wrestler.

“For us, it’s how do we best move forward from this event. That’s kind of the theme of this year, moving forward in the best way possible. For each kid that’s a little bit different,” he said.

“Right now, I’m just kind of gauging where our kids are at.”

The team celebrated youth and senior night at the event.

“There’s a lot of excitement in the other duals too. I haven’t heard this gym that loud in quite a while,” Schanen said, referring to the match at 106 pounds between Ozaukee freshman Aleczander Krenz and Random Lake’s Hayden Jones.

“They’re used to wrestling the older kids and trying to survive,” Schanen said. “The whole team rallies around them. It’s fun to see.”

Ozaukee wrestles in the Duffy tournament in Port Washington on Friday, Jan. 10, at a Valders invite on Saturday, Jan. 11.