By MIKE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
Before its match with Waupaca even began Tuesday night, the Pacelli High wrestling team theoretically held a 30-0 lead. With five Comet forfeits over the 13-match dual meet, the Cardinals had a huge advantage and went on to beat Waupaca 52-14.
Even though Pacelli won five of the eight matches, with two by pin, coach Jay Yenter wasn't thrilled with the way his team wrestled.
"We didn't wrestle that well. It's hard to get up when you see all the forfeits," Yenter said. "It's too bad because we had a big crowd tonight for Alumni Night.
"There were a couple of weights where they chose not to wrestle us," Yenter added.
After Mike Kaczmarek won by forfeit at 103 pounds, Franz Klein (112) started the action on the mat by taking care of Robert Werchowski. Klein, a senior, had his way with Werchowski and held a 15-3 lead in the third period before pinning the Comet wrestler in 4:47.
"Franz Klein looked tough at 112," Yenter said.
Following Brian Warzynski's win at 119, Waupaca took three of the next four weight classes to pull within 21-14. Pacelli's Tim Schwarz (130) received a forfeit while the Comets won matches at 125, 135 and 140.
The Snow brothers got the Cardinals back on the winning track. Greg, a junior, disposed of Alfredo Estrada, Jr. at 145, 5-1, while the senior Tim (152) beat Robert Forseth 10-2.
Greg Snow scored a takedown about 30 seconds into the first period to take a 2-0 lead. In the down position at the start of the second, Snow escaped and then got another takedown with 39 seconds in the period for a 5-0 advantage.
Then in the third, Estrada escaped with 50 seconds remaining to get within, 5-1 but was unable to score again.
"Greg Snow wrestled well. That was their best kid and he handled him," Yenter said.
Tim Snow used a late first period takedown to grab a 2-0 lead. With Forseth in the bottom position at the start of the second period, Snow received two near-fall points with 1:07 left after rolling Forseth on his back. The Waupaca wrestler got within 4-2 after scoring a reversal with 23 seconds left.
In the decisive third period, Snow got two points on a reversal after starting in the bottom position. He then put Forseth's back on the mat twice, getting two-point near falls each time for the 10-2 win.
"Tim got the job done," Yenter said. "He wasn't his sharpest, but he was good enough to get the job done."
Forfeit wins by Neil Jurgella (160), Matt Schulist (171) and John Sniadajewski (189) set the stage for senior Ben Kissel to close out the dual meet victory.
Kissel (275) didn't waste any time, pinning Keith Stille in 1:28. He held a 5-0 lead at the time of the pin.
"He's been wrestling really well," Yenter said of Kissel. "He's just dominating. He's only wrestled three years. Some of his mistakes are because he's aggressive."
In the lower weights, Waupaca's Jerry Wanty topped James Duncan-Zook 6-0 at 125 pounds. Nate Cate then pinned Pacelli's Mike Barnett (135) in 1:09 and Doug Hazer won by technical fall over Simon Hesch (140).