ALBANY — For the first time since 2002, Albany High School hosted wrestling. Albany has previously combined with Juda (1993-2003), Evansville (2003-2019) and now Parkview (2020-present) for wrestling co-ops. Albany was the host school for just the Juda co-op, hence the lengthy span without a home event.

Parkview-Albany head coach Joel Steinmann said a match at Albany has been in the works for years, but the logistics finally worked out this season. He was especially happy to provide the opportunity to Albany wrestlers Nate Stokstad and Jayden Anderson.

On the same note, Albany Athletic Director Derik Doescher was excited to bring wrestling back to the school.

“Joel does a great job at building relationships in our co-op,” Doescher said. “He is always looking for the betterment of the entire program. It was an exciting night for our community to be able to host wrestling again.”

The Vikings took care of business against Clinton (37-27) and Marshall (42-23) before running into Brodhead-Juda. Steinmann knew it would be a tough task, purely on filled weight classes. 

Although Parkview-Albany’s Balin Lacy (138) pinned Brodhead-Juda’s Dysel Groebner to close within one point, Marcus McIntyre’s (144) pin of Peter Roth decided the match.

Parkview-Albany had four wrestlers go undefeated in the quad — Sam Schwengels (190), Wesley Egan (215), Slater Valley (113) and Danny Finley (132). Egan and Valley had two forfeits and one decision each. Schwengels tallied two pins and one forfeit, while Finley won by pin, tech fall and forfeit. 

Brodhead-Juda also defeated Clinton and Marshall.