Millikin hosted Aurora University Wrestling this Friday, on December 5th, and it was a match that saw the Big Blue make an incredible comeback to continue their dual win streak.
Millikin started slow, losing their first three matches. They were 12-0 heading into senior Sabri Sino’s first match against Aurora’s Ashton Massaro.
The match went the distance, with Sino getting an 8-3 Decision win, cutting the deficit to 3-12.
“[It] feels good,” Sino said. “[It’s] definitely not the best I’ve wrestled all year, but sometimes you need to find a way to squeak out those tough ones.”
However, that didn’t end Aurora’s winning, as they went on to 21-2, technical fall, Chase Mirelez. That made it 17-3 going into junior Michael Hutchison’s match.
This match saw a dominant win for Hutchison, who went on to win 16-1 via a technical fall, adding another five points for the Big Blue.
This would create a wave of momentum heading into the next matches. Hutchison shared his confidence in the team after his win.
“We know we’re always a tough team; we’re just going to put our heads down and grind,” Hutchison said. “Every match is going to be a dogfight. As long as my boys give all the effort they’ve got, I’m all good.”
5th-year Joey Jens made his season debut and won his first match in a very close 10-6 Decision, adding another 3 points to the score.
“[It was] sloppy, but first ones out of the way,” Jens said.
Millikin’s next match featured sophomore Kody Marshner, who was coming off a 1st place finish at the Coe Invitation tournament.
The match would go all the way, but Marschner took a precarious move, going for a Major Decision instead of a Decision. A Major Decision would add more points to the team’s total score.
“I feel great,” Marschner said. “It was one of the most selfless moments. At the end, I could have just sat in the front head [and] not gotten the major, but I knew it would be better off if I got the takedown there and got the major.”
After this, the score remained 15-17 in favor of Aurora, but freshman Mateo Casillas took the mat looking to take the lead.
Casillas had a 13-second pin, which added a six-point addition to the Big Blue. This allowed the team to take the lead.
This was the first lead Millikin had all night.
“That’s all I needed,” Casillas said. “My goal is to get in and get out and put my team in the best position to win.”
The final match saw senior Leno Campbell take the mat for his duel this season for the Big Blue.
Campbell would go on to pin his opponent late in the 3rd round. This allowed the Big Blue to come back and win 27-17, extending the Big Blue’s win streak to three.
The team maintained a calm and confident composure throughout the match. This attitude allowed them to excel and win those late matches that helped it over the edge.
“I knew that we still were going to win even though we were down… I just have that much confidence in our team,” Marschner said. “I wasn’t worried in the slightest.”
Head Coach Ryan Birt shared his afterthoughts on the duel and how he felt throughout.
“My blood pressure’s a little high right now, but I think all in all, when you can come away with a win, that’s a good thing, but we have a lot of things we need to get corrected,” Birt said.
The win may feel good, but the Big Blue still has a lot to work on as the season progresses and as they start competing against the best of the best.
Birt shared what’s next for the team and how they plan to help the wrestlers.
“We’re going to have a really nice week of practice next week,” Birt said. “It’s not that we’re frustrated because we don’t believe the kids are putting out their best effort. But these kids put their faith in us to bring out the best in them, and if we’re not seeing it, it’s our job to bring it out. We’re going to find a way to dig deep and open some scabs this week and really push hard and make them believe they can go further.”
The team was thankful for all the support they have received this year from the Big Blue Community and for how the atmosphere at home matches has been.
“It’s electric, man,” Hutchison said. “I love the feeling. It keeps me up at night.”
The team moves to 3-0 in duels this season and will next compete in the Holiday Duals event on December 13th in Tiffin, Ohio.
