Port wrestlers reach a peak at Bi-State Classic

The scores may not look like it, but Garett Kawczynski was wrestling some top competition last week.

The Port Washington High School senior and defending Division 1 champion at 215 pounds just keeps dominating each opponent.

Kawczynski won the 215-pound title at the Bi-State Classic on Dec. 29 and 30, going 6-0 and improving his season record to 13-0.

“He pretty much is a buzz saw through most of these tournaments, but he’s wrestling the best guys in the state,” coach Angelo LaRosa said.

Kawczynski won by pins in 37, 31, 71 and 48 seconds, then a 7-0 decision over Niko Kleinschmidt (15-3) of DC Everest, someone LaRosa said could win this year’s Division 1 state championship.

“He only won 7-0 and he didn’t wrestle well that match,” LaRosa said.

In the final, Kawczynski beat Stoughton freshman Kade Splinter (21-1) in a 6-2 decision. LaRosa said Splinter could win three state titles at his pace.

“He wrestled him really well. He controlled him,” LaRosa said. “That guy got hit for stalling a few times. Garett was pushing him all over the mat.”

Kawczynski has won his weight bracket twice and finished second and third in his career at the Bi-State Classic. He said the Pirates’ altered team culture helps drive him.

“I give a lot of credit to the team around me. We have made wrestling more fun this year than ever before. I’ve spent a lot of my wrestling career feeling isolated, but with this new culture I have a lot more confidence heading into mid-season,” he said.

The Pirates as a team picked up some confidence as well, scoring 186.5 points and placing eighth of 68 teams.

“This is the best we’ve ever done at that tournament,” LaRosa said.

Mount Horeb/Barneveld won with 294.5 points. Chatfield, Minn., was second with 290.5 and Holmen was third with 273.

Sophomore Carter Melichar (14-4) was Port’s next top finisher, taking second at 157 pounds.

He won a 19-1 technical fall, a pin in 5:08, a 4-1 decision and a 12-5 decision.

In the finals, Melichar lost a 13-1 decision to Gabriel Metzler (23-1) of Waunakee.

“He had a great tournament. For a sophomore to get on the stage is really awesome,” LaRosa said.

Sophomore Graysen Koepke (18-2) went 6-2 and finished fifth at 113 pounds. He won by pins in 33 and 54 seconds, a 15-2 major decision and 8-2 and 7-1 decisions. He lost by 7-0 and 9-2 decisions.

In the fifth-place match, Koepke won a 7-2 decision over Owen Dorshorst (20-4) of Lodi, avenging a 7-0 loss in the quarterfinals.

The two will likely match up again at Port’s home tournament on Friday, The Duffy.

“He had some really good wins. He lost to Dorshorst a bunch of times and got him now, which will be the springboard for the rest of season,” LaRosa said.

How the pair fares this week will have major implications in seeding the state tournament, he said.

Chase Barber (12-6) went 5-2 and finished seventh at 144 pounds. He won a 16-1 technical fall in 4:00, a 13-10 sudden victory and by pins in 5:19 and 2:31. He lost an 11-0 major decision and by an 8-5 sudden victory.

In the seventh-place match, Barber beat Rocco Iallonardo (9-5) of Hastings, Minn., in a 21-1 technical fall in 3:49.

“Chase had an amazing tournament. He was on junior varsity last year,” LaRosa said. “He put in a ton of time. He won a bunch of close matches. He’s getting over the hump. He’s going to have a big second half.”

Senior Ashton Steinert (11-9) at 175 pounds went 4-4 and placed 12th. Junior Jackson Hatfield at 190 went 3-4 and finished 12th, despite being banged up.

Half of the wrestlers LaRosa brought  — six — earned medals.

“It was really awesome,” he said.

Stewart continues to cruise

Port freshman Cora Stewart (18-2) blew through the girls’ 114-pound bracket. She won by pins in 1:37 and 1:35, an 18-3 technical fall in 4:14, a 14-2 major decision and a 6-0 decision.

In the final, she pinned sophomore Brinley Miller (23-1) of Brillion in 3:31.

This is Stewart’s first time wrestling at 114. She had been at 120 pounds.

“She’s a beast. She just kind of crushed everyone. She looked great,” LaRosa said.

Port’s boys host The Duffy on Friday, Jan. 9, while the girls wrestle at Brookfield Central the same night. The boys wrestle at Kewaskum on Thursday, Jan. 15.