By Wendi Reardon Price
Staff Writer
ROCHESTER HILLS — Oxford Varsity Wrestling added two more wins in the OAA Red as they defeated Rochester Adams and Lake Orion on Jan. 17.
“We were very solid,” said Oxford Wrestling Head Coach Ross Wingert. “Our kids did a really nice job. We wrestled very hard top to bottom to two convincing varsity wins and one for JV, 20-8. We try to keep in their minds we are chasing perfection and that’s something we know going in there is no such thing as perfect but still try to chase it anyway. Our kids have been accepting with it.”
The Wildcats defeated Lake Orion, 53-18. Senior Niko Hatzigeorgiou opened the meet with a win by decision in the 144-pound weight class. Sophomore Nolan Freytag (150) and sophomore Finn McDevitt (157) added more points to the score winning their matches by decisions.
The next three matches finished in the first period with falls from junior Luke Johnson (165), freshman Preston Wilder (175) and senior Micah Roper (190).
Also, winning with falls were junior Dominic Benjamin (120), junior Chase Beall (126); and senior Ryan Thompson (138).
Sophomore Gavin Lewis won by technical fall in the 106-pound weight class and sophomore Cheyenne Frank (113) won by decision.
Oxford won their dual against host Rochester Adams, 46-23. Wins came from Johnson, Beall, Thompson with falls; McDevitt, Lewis and Benjamin by decision. The Wildcats took three weight classes by voids.
The Wildcats finished the week on a busy note.
“We are setting another program record,” Wingert shared, adding four rosters were out competing.
The girls competed at Birmingham Groves while the JV team went to Port Huron. Varsity Blue competed in Mayville on Saturday as Varsity Gold competed in Hudson Super 16.
“I love when we are representing our roster across Michigan,” he said. “It’s a gratifying feeling. It’s a proud feeling. It’s an accomplishment in more ways than one.”
Roper (175) and Johnson (157) finished in second place at the Hudson Super 16. Lewis and Benjamin (113) finished in third place. Beall finished in fourth.
Oxford hosts Rochester and Clarkston this Wednesday during Senior Night. Both the Wildcats and Clarkston head in with a 4-0 record in the OAA Red.
“Rochester has a good staff,” Wingert said. “We feel confident. Clarkston, it’s been a little bit for us to get it back from them. I feel real confident our wrestlers are going to be able to go out and find victory. They are a very solid program for getting ready for the post season and wrestling in the dual format. Every team point matters, every match point matters. We just continue to do what we have been doing and adding that little bit of extra work. We feel confident we will be able to do just fine.”
Oxford begins the night against Rochester at 5:30 p.m.
Then, the Wildcats will finish the last of the regular season and focus on the essentials, Wingert said.
They head to the OAA Red League Meet at Lake Orion on Friday, Feb. 2. Then, head into the postseason with districts the week of Feb. 7.