The Stevens Point Area Senior High School (SPASH) wrestling team took third at the Northern Badger Wrestling Tournament on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 29 and 30.
"This tournament helped us in that we got to wrestle kids we don't usually see and were able to test ourselves against outstanding competition," said SPASH coach Gee Pope. "Physically we were as good as anybody there. It was the mental part that did us in."
The Panthers were in first place midway through the tournament, but struggled in the quarterfinals, winning only one of eight matches. "The kids wrestled hard but ran into a few mental mistakes in the quarterfinals. I was happy with the way they came back the rest of the tournament," Gee Pope said.
After the quarterfinals the Panthers dropped to fourth, but fought back to finish only one point back of second-place Boyceville. The team finished with 224.5 points to Boycevile's 225.5. Marshfield took first with 275.5 points.
Individually, SPASH had two first-place finishers with Grey Pope (17-0 on the season) taking first at 171 pounds and Bob Pliska (4-0) winning at 215 pounds. "Congratulations to Grey and Bob for winning the championship at a big holiday tournament," Gee Pope said. "Bob was the first-ever 215-pound champion. The Northern Badger is the first tournament in Wisconsin to have a 215-pound weight class.
Jon Slezak (15-3) finished fifth at 135 pounds while Josh Pzrekurat (13-5) took fifth, at 160 pounds. Adam Kurzynski (12-5) and Nate Kurzsewski (14-4) took sixth at 130 and 140 pounds respectively.
Jake Calhoun (14-3) and Dan Pawelski (9-5) each finished seventh in their weight classes (119 and 152). Steve Bachinski (14-4) and Kevin Duda (7-4) both finished ninth (at 125 and 145).
Aaron Nelson (4-15) took 10th at 103 pounds and Adam Sandstrom (8-6) took 11th at 186 pounds.
Justin Cieslewicz (8-8) and Brandon Raikowski (7-9) competed, at 275 and 112 pounds, but didn't place.