Union Grove Falls to Wilmot Union 58-18 Despite Three Bronco Victories
Union Grove dropped a tough dual to Wilmot Union on Thursday night in the Union Grove Multi Team Dual, falling 58-18 despite several strong individual performances from the Broncos. Union Grove picked up three bout victories, including two by fall, but a string of forfeits and pins for the Panthers created a deficit the Broncos could not overcome.
The dual started on a high note for Union Grove at 113 pounds, where undefeated junior Camden Rugg improved to 30-0 with a fall over Wilmot freshman Maxx Rogers. Rugg’s pin staked the Broncos to an early 6-0 lead and continued his dominant season at the lower weights. Later in the lineup at 138, freshman Xavier Marquez added another spark for Union Grove, recording a fall over fellow freshman Mayson Spalla to give the Broncos their second pin of the night and six more team points.
Union Grove’s third victory came in one of the tightest bouts of the dual at 126 pounds. Senior Braxton Storbeck edged Wilmot’s Reece Vendegna, who entered with a 32-8 record, in a 7-6 decision. Storbeck’s win added three points to the Broncos’ team total and showcased his veteran poise in a matchup against one of Wilmot’s high-performing underclassmen.
The Broncos’ remaining team points came from sophomore Jax Braun at 150 pounds. Braun battled through a high-scoring contest with Wilmot’s Colton Vroman, earning a 12-9 decision. The three-point victory capped Union Grove’s scoring at 18 team points and marked another competitive highlight for the Broncos in the middle of the lineup.
Wilmot, however, controlled the dual through a combination of bonus-point victories and forfeits. The Panthers collected three forfeits at 144, 157 and 165 pounds, totaling 18 points without contested matches in those weights. Wilmot also recorded multiple falls in the upper weights, including pins at 175, 190, 215 and 285, as the Panthers steadily pulled away on the team scoreboard.
Technical falls further expanded Wilmot’s advantage. At 132 pounds, junior William Du Chemin, now 36-2, earned a 19-3 technical fall over Union Grove’s Paul Keeku III. The dual concluded at 106, where Wilmot’s Cael Anderson closed out the night with an 18-2 technical fall against Union Grove freshman Lucas Dickman, securing the final margin of 58-18.
Despite the final score, Union Grove saw encouraging performances from wrestlers at different stages of their careers. Rugg’s perfect record remained intact, Storbeck notched a quality win over a 30-match winner, and younger wrestlers such as Marquez and Braun delivered important victories. The dual provided the Broncos with a clear picture of both their strengths and areas for growth as they continue through the heart of the winter schedule.
