Pommerenke adds national freestyle title to accomplishments

by Angie Asam, Staff Writer

Being a two-time state champion, winning a national title and setting numerous school records at Rogers City High School isn?t enough for junior heavyweight wrestler Devin Pommerenke. Pommerenke continues to work out and expand his list of accomplishments as he traveled to Brockport, New York and won a junior freestyle title over the weekend. Devin wrestled four matches on Saturday winning them all en route to another title at the national level.

Traveling to New York wasn?t all too exciting as Pommerenke left Auburn Hills around 5 p.m. Friday and got into New York around 2:30 a.m. After driving around to find a hotel room, he was finally able to go to bed around 3:30 a.m. Saturday he was up at 7 a.m. to make weight and then wrestled until 5 p.m. before getting back in the vehicle to travel back to Michigan. ?It was a grind,? said Pommerenke about his travel.

Freestyle wrestling is a little different than high school wrestling as it is scored differently. To record a decision in a match, a wrestler must win two of three periods, not necessarily have the most total points. Takedowns can range from one to five points depending on how the occur. Back points are still awarded the same, reversals are worth just one point and any time a wrestler steps out of the circle he gives up one point.

?If you can get somebody up in the air and slam them for five points, that?s what is sweet about freestyle. I think freestyle is way more aggressive. I find myself being twice the aggressor at freestyle than I already am in high school wrestling,? said Pommerenke. He won his first match via the pin. In his second match he scored the maximum five-points on a throw to win the first period by technical fall and pinning that opponent in the second period.

From there, Pommmerenke?s road would get much tougher as he was up against Brooks Black of Blair Academy, New Jersey. Black is currently ranked #10 in the nation and was a double-title winner at Fargo Cadet nationals at 215 pounds in 2009. ?Brooks Black is the best hand fighter in high school wrestling I would say. He?s young but smart and he has a lot of matches under his belt. I believed in myself that I could go hand-to-hand with him. I felt like I was a little stronger than him; so I just tried to move him around, changing my levels and getting in his face,? said Devin.

Pommerenke earned a pushout in the first period before playing it careful to take that period. In the second period, Pommerenke had a ?whoops? as he would call it and ran out of bounds to give up the pushout point, he would go on to lose that period. When the third period started Pommerenke?s coach Joe Wood told him ?this is it you are going to beat him; just don?t do anything desperate. If we have to go to the clinch, we will.?

Pommerenke worked to tire out his opponent but was unable to get anything going. He won the flip in the clinch and was able to get him up in the air for a point and the win as well as a ticket to the finals. In the finals, Pommerenke faced off against Lance Moore who is ranked #6 in the nation and has committed to Cornell University. Moore controlled Pommerenke in the first period to win 3-0. Pommerenke kept Moore uncomfortable in the second period; but with no one scoring, they went to the clinch. Pommerenke lost the toss and had to present a leg.

?When he locked and the action

started I threw him right over top of me and got the points before he did. That was close,? said Pommerenke who admits he won by the skin of his teeth. Pommerenke finally wore Moore down in the third period as he was gassed and hung his head. Pommerenke snapped him down and threw him over in a chokehold to seal the deal via the pin. Next up for Pommerenke will be two team tournaments in Virginia Beach. On Memorial Day weekend, he hopes to win a national team title wrestling for Team Michigan. Devin will return home for three days before heading to Fresno, California to wrestle on Michigan Grappler?s Dream Team.

Following that in mid-July, Pommerenke will go to ?the big daddy of them all, the best of the best? at the Fargo Cadet Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota. How does Devin stay in shape with wrestling season over? ?I work out with Caleb (his younger brother) like everyday. We get in the room and we go for about an hour and a half everyday. I feel myself improving and the biggest thing is that he (Caleb) is improving a lot. Not only is that good for the team, it?s good for him and it is good for me because he is getting better and pushing me to get better. That is a triple-win situation right there,? said Devin who is more than thankful for his brother?s support. Caleb along with Evan Lamb and Keegan Urban will all join Devin in Virginia Beach on Memorial Day weekend.

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