Garett’s legacy grows in Port High wrestling

The Duffy Invite is more improtant to the Port Washington High School wrestling team than any other, and the Pirates on Friday posted their highest place in tourney history.

Behind titles from star Garett Kawczynski and Carter Melichar and a second from Graysen Koepke, Port scored 152 points, edging Mukwonago’s 148.5 for second. Powerhouse Luxemburg-Casco won with 192 points.

Kawczynski, the defending Division 1 state champ at 215 pounds and ranked No. 1 in Division 2 on Wisconsingrappler.com, plowed through his three opponents, pinning the first in 25 seconds and the second in a minute.

In the finals, Kawczynski (17-0) pinned Luxemburg-Casco’s Calvin Henderson (26-6), ranked 10th in Division 1, in 25 seconds for his second Duffy title.

He loves the event.

“There’s nothing like looking up in the stands seeing all your friends here, cheering you on. You’ve got guys from past years. The amount of support you get here you don’t see anywhere else. It’s really just special,” Kawczynski said.

The tournament is named for Duffy Brelsford, a longtime Port coach who still helps with the program and is a member of the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame and the Port Washington Athletic Hall of Fame.

“It’s cool because I’ve grown up with Duffy. I’ve known him for well over a decade. To have that kind of cap-off moment of the senior year is pretty special.”

In addition, Kawczynski picked up his 149th, 150th and 151st career victories. He’s second to Alex Dieringer’s 172 wins in Port school history.

“The 150-mark is pretty cool. Today is one of those days when you can sit back and smell the roses a little bit. We’re doing all right and I really enjoy it,” Kawczynski said. “The day-to-day in wrestling gets pretty hard. It’s not always the easiest to reflect back and be confident in yourself. Certain days like this help.”

Coach Angelo LaRosa said, “He’s just at another level than most of these guys and he wants to kill everybody.”

Melichar (18-4), a sophomore ranked sixth at 157 pounds, won a 20-3 technical fall in 1:55 and by pins in 3:16 and 3:36 before beating Luxemburg-Casco’s Mason Boulanger, (24-8), ranked ninth in Division 1, in a 15-5 major decision in the finals.

“It means a lot. This is our home tournament, my first time winning it,” Melichar said.

He chalks his success up to offseason training, one-on-one training with coaches, extra work at practices and watching film.

“I want to be the best wrestler I can be,” Melichar said.

“He had a really good tournament. He’s just getting better every day. He works crazy hard,” LaRosa said.

Koepke continued his rivalry with Lodi’s Owen Dorshorst. Koepke (21-3)  finally beat Dorshorst (23-4) at the Bi-State Classic a couple of weeks ago, but got beat in the final of The Duffy in a 4-0 decision.

Three Pirates took fourth — Chase Barber at 144 pounds, Ashton Steinert at 175 and Jackson Hatfield at 190. Austin Knapp was sixth at 150 pounds and Grant Melichart was seventh at 165.

“We had a really good tournament. It’s just a really fun event. I thought it went really well,” LaRosa said.

“It’s a really fun group of kids. They’re having a good time going to practice every day and they’re working hard.”

Stewart keeps stomping the competition

Freshman Cora Stewart led three Port girls competing in the Lancer Invite at Brookfield Academy on Friday.

Stewart (22-2), ranked No. 2 at 114 pounds, won her bracket, going 4-0. She pinned opponents in 1:18,. 1:38 and 1:16, then beat 13th-ranked Brooke Williamsom (9-1), of Kettle Moraine in a 15-5 major decision in the finals.

“She puts the work in. She’s wrestled for years,” her coach and father Jim Stewart said.

The Port boys wrestle at Kewaskum on Thursday, Jan. 15.

The girls wrestle in a Wausau West invite on Saturday, Jan. 17.