With the score tied 30-30, Holley’s wrestling team won the final five bouts to spoil Byron-Bergen’s senior night with a 57-30 victory. The Bees recognized seniors Hunter Leach and Jared Fregoe prior to the match.
The Bees jumped out to a 12-0 lead as 138 lb. Malachi Smith and 145 lb. Zach Hannan registered second period pins in 3:44 and 3:39 respectively before Holley rebounded with Erik Balys receiving a forfeit and 160 lb. Dawson Custer getting a fall in 1:27 to tie the match.
Eli Stanton and Cade Aina each received forfeits for the Hawks at 170 and 182 lb. before Byron-Bergen’s Alex Dean, who was trailing 7-2 after the first period, used his second, second period reverse to pin his 195 lb. opponent in 3:04. A forfeit to the Bees’ Leach tied the match 24-24.
Holley’s Frank Flynn rebounded from a takedown to reverse and pin his opponent in 1:43 at 285 lb., but the Bees Daniels Dawson duplicated the same thing one match later at 99 lb. in 1:20 to again tie the match 30-30.
The Hawks then dominated the end as Bruce Rasmussen bumped up one weight class and won a 9-5 decision at 106 lb. Dylan Clemons building a 10-2 advantage before his fall in 3:45 at 113 lb. and Antonyo Geska (120 lb.) and Tristyn Moyer (126 lb.) both received forfeits before Jayden Pieniaszek made quick work of his 132 lb. opponent with a :30 pin.
Holley head coach John Grillo earlier in the day announced that he will be retiring from coaching at the end of the season. He will be honored at the Hawks senior night on January 15. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. in the Holley Middle School/High School Gym, 16848 Lynch Road, Holley. Many members of past Holley wrestling teams will return to honor Grillo.
“It is difficult to do what I used to do like recruit, motivate and keep the kids physically and academically sound without being in the building every day,” Grillo, who retired from teaching one year ago, said.
He joined Holley after 12 years in Pavilion and has been leading the Hawks successful wrestling program for more than 30 years. He was named a National Coach of the Year finalist, was named Genesee Region Coach of the Year 16 times and Section V Coach of the Year six times.
Heading into this season, his Holley wrestlers have won 22 Genesee Region League titles and 12 Section V championships. He has more than 780 career wins.
