Port wrestlers look for comeback

Numbers are up for the Port Washington High School wrestling team this season, as are expectations.

The Pirates have 29 wrestlers, up from the low 20s last season, and hope to improve from last year, when Port sent one wrestler to state.

“Last year was a down and disappointing year as far as standards and our program in general. We are planning not to let that happen again,” coach Angelo LaRosa said.

Two-time state qualifier Blake Peiffer at 138 pounds leads the way this season after qualifying for state twice already in his career.

“He’s really quiet. He’s definitely a leader by example,” LaRosa said.

Other captains named in the offseason are junior Lucas Schumacher and sophomore Jacob Peacy.

“They do things the right way,” LaRosa said.

Other returning wrestlers who will contribute are Nolan Makoutz, Cody Pierron, Hunter Kanneberg, Ryan Brandt and Aldon Phillips.

With a large number of wrestlers, LaRosa said, everyone will have to compete for their spot and there isn’t a lot of drop off from one to the next.

“It’s a fun group to be around. There’s a lot of good things happening in the room,” LaRosa said.

The Pirates, down a few wrestlers, took fourth at the six-team Luxembourg-Casco Spartan Duals last Saturday. The hosts won.

Port beat Green Bay Preble, 54-27, and Sheboygan Falls, 60-6. They lost to Oshkosh West, 52-30; Bay Port, 54-21; and the hosts, 46-25.

“They wrestled really good and hard. They have a really good attitude. I think they’re starting to get really scrappy, even though we’ve got a lot of young guys,” LaRosa said.

Kaiden Schumacher at 126 pounds went 5-0 with one forfeit.

“That’s awesome for a freshman,” LaRosa said.

Pierron at 170 went 3-0, all by pin. Lucas Schumacher at 182 and 195 went 3-1 with three pins. Peiffer went 3-2.

Port beat West Bend West at home on Dec. 4, 54-24. The Pirates went 6-3 in non-forfeited matches, winning all by pins.

Port was to host Nicolet on Wednesday and wrestle at Grafton on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

Grafton’s wrestling team returns state qualifiers Ellis Pfleger and Austin Greefkes and has 25 wrestlers with varying levels of experience.

“It’s nice to have the numbers and be able to put people in the lineup,” coach Mike Dodge said.

Pfleger, a senior who took sixth at state last year, is doing more than working on his game.

“He’s wrestling hard in the room but he’s also pulling guys aside, helping out with the coaching. He’s a great kid to have in the room. He models what we’re trying to do,” Dodge said.

At the Papermaker Invitational in Kimberly last Saturday, the Black Hawks scored 215.5 points and finished 12th of 16 teams.

Pfleger won the 160-pound weight class, pinning three opponents, beating another by technical fall and winning a 9-2 decision in the final over Preston Morgan of Berlin.

“He just wrestled amazing the whole day. Solid. Dominated at every position,” Dodge said.

Greefkes at 113 and Cameron Jacobs at 152 each took fifth and pinned their final opponents of the day.

Nathan Eichhorn was seventh at 220.

Grafton beat Whitefish Bay on the road, 54-24, last Thursday, going 3-3 in matches wrestled.

Dodge said he wants his team to compete in duals but said he has to be realistic. The Hawks are on the side of the bracket with strong programs such as Slinger, Hartford and West Bend East.

“We’re looking to get these guys experience, and we’re looking to have them go out there and battle,” he said. “Our guys are working hard and we’re focused on the daily things, trying to be as good as we can get and improve.”

Grafton hosts West Bend West on Thursday, wrestles at a Sun Prairie tournament on Saturday and hosts Port on Wednesday, Dec. 18.