Jack Forth became a wrestler after he arrived at Sandwich as a freshman.
On Thursday he was among the seniors Sandwich celebrated during its final dual meet of the season, a 55-19 Senior Night victory over Plano.
“Honestly, when I came in as a freshman I really thought I’d be here forever,” Forth said. “And as the years went by I didn’t notice until senior year, but wow it’s my last year doing all this stuff. I know most people get sad about Senior Night, but I was more excited than anything. I thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to get to do that. All four years I finally get to do it. I’m lucky enough to be on varsity after only doing it for four years.”
Forth was somewhat driven to wrestling by the pandemic, but even more so from another wrestler.
“I just love the sport,” he said. “My grade was the one that came in from Covid so it was the all no touchy thing and it was middle school and I wasn’t interested or anything and then my freshman year there was this one senior, he convinced me to come in on the first day, and ever since then I’ve loved it and did it ever since. I think his name was Garrett. He just went by Garrett.”
Forth pinned Plano’s Isaias Martinez to win at 157.
“I did pretty good, I pinned the kid, lucky me,” Forth said. “I wrestled the kid before and it was a pretty OK match but I decided I was able to do the same move I did before and decided I should try it and it worked.”
The added challenge for Forth is literally bigger opponents.
“Jack has been bumping up to 157 all year at 150,” Sandwich coach Derek Jones said. “And he’s competing and getting better wrestling bigger kids, so he’s figuring it out a bit, turning it on at the right time.”
He proved to be a quick learner, too.
“He came in as a freshman as a tiny, skinny 113 pounder and picked up a few things and had a successful freshman year,” Jones said. “He didn’t make it super far or anything but it sparked his interest and showed he could do some good things and I’m glad he stuck around.”
Plano forfeited four matches to sophomore Dom Urbanski (126), senior Kai Kern (190) junior Luis Murillo (215) and senior Kaden Clevenger (285).
Kern said he reflected on how far he’s come as a wrestler and as a person and that he simply wanted to wrestle.
“It’s unfortunate I didn’t get a match but it is what it is,” he said. “My dad ran his own wrestling club so I started at the age of three and didn’t really like it, but kept doing it and kept doing it and still didn’t like it. And he told me I could quit as soon as I got to high school but I didn’t quit because I realized it’s a great sport. I’ve wrestled for a while.”
Clevenger also wanted that final home match.
“I wish I would’ve had a match, it sucked to watch everyone have their Senior Night and not have mine, but it is what it is,” Clevenger said. “Normally I’ve wrestled. This was just my second forfeit all year and one medical forfeit and a bye and stuff, but not really any dual forfeits. It just sucks because it was Senior Night.”
And it’s unfortunate because Clevenger’s doesn’t have many matches left.
“I just try my best, it’s my last year, because I don’t plan on doing any college wrestling because I don’t want to go to college, it’s not really my thing,” he said. “I want to be in the trades for sure, hopefully electrical, but if I start to lose interest I think I’ll find something else. But would like to get into construction. I’ve always worked with my hands. And I can’t sit still so I got to doing something active.”
Kern and Clevenger don’t have to wrestle to make an impact.
“Kaden and Kai are very meaningful kids to the program, they’re good wrestlers, but just good kids, good leaders,” Jones said. “They try to keep the other kids doing things the right way, showing them things the right way.”
Sandwich freshman Isaac Brunoehler pinned Tristan Almeida (1:35) to win at 138. Leo Harbacek (120), junior Cooper Corder (150) and sophomore Joshua Kotalik (175) picked up tech fall victories.
“It was good to get all our seniors in the lineup tonight,” Jones said. “Leo at 120 was able to wrestle. He has been at the junior varsity level all season so it was nice for him to come in and get a win.”
Senior Jacob Cassie (144) scored a 12-2 major over Plano’s Liam Soyk.
“Jake (Cassie) has dealt with some injury bugs and random things throughout his years in the high school program and so far this year has been able to stay on the mat for the whole season which has been great,” Jones said. “He has a little knee thing but wrestled through it.”
Shining for the Reapers, Shane Downs took down Logan Torrance in 3:30 at 132.
“Everyone went out there and gave their best, which is all we can ask for,” Downs said. “We’ve got a whole new team. It’s been great being able to lead the team and get to see all these new wrestlers to see the improvement.”
Sam Mussa pinned Aiden Sinetos at 5:54 for Plano’s second win by pin. Wyatt Crown scored a 13-0 major over Hunter Whitecotton at 106 and Isaac Nevarez earned a 9-2 win over Brody Stone at 145 for the Reapers’ other two victories.
“We’re feeling good,” Plano coach Dwayne Love said. “The guys are starting to work and wrestle all the way to our potential now and wrestling for six minutes, and I’m excited about that. They’re doing a good job, and we’re young, and I got two seniors in the lineup that do a great job for me.”