The match was already decided.

But that didn’t mean there wasn’t any drama in the air.

Lehighton held a 43-13 lead on Palmerton with one bout to go, but all eyes were focused on the mat as if the result meant the difference between a team win or loss.

The reason? The Indians’ Evan Wentz was sitting on 99 wins and needed one more to reach the coveted 100 mark.

So, what normally is an uneventful final matchup — one where other wrestlers are gathering up their gear and getting ready to make the trip home — to many this was the bout everyone had been waiting for.

Wentz, at 152 pounds, didn’t disappoint. The senior piled up 15 points in just 1:15 to register a 15-0 technical fall and write his name into the school’s record book.

“It was the last match,” said Wentz of the Jan. 16 battle with the Bombers. “Even though I knew I was probably going to win, it was still really nerve-wracking. But it was cool because everyone on the team was supportive, and they were all there.

“I remember before I ran out, everyone was yelling and screaming. I go out and I wrestle, and it’s completely silent. And then when I won, everyone was yelling and screaming again and we were all just jumping around together. It was an experience I probably will never forget.”

While Wentz probably would have liked to get the achievement over earlier in the evening, going last actually ended up being a blessing in disguise.

“That worked out pretty well, because when you’re away at an opponent and those things happen in the middle of the match you kind of want be quick but you also want to recognize them,” said Lehighton head coach Floyd Brown. “So, him getting that 100th win at the end, it worked out really well because our team was all behind it and they celebrated with him.

“The parents were there and it was right at the end, so we could make a bigger deal out of it, which was kind of nice for him and for the rest of the guys on the team — especially the younger ones — to see that accomplishment, and hopefully that’s something they want to work for too.”

At one time, Wentz was one of those younger wrestlers. He started at age 6 while in kindergarten and continued in the sport through this, his senior year.

“No one in my family had ever (wrestled) before,” said Wentz. “I was just like, ‘I want to try wrestling.’ I liked it and stuck with it. I liked it right from the start.”

And he had success right from the start, which carried over to each level.

From booster club to middle school to varsity, he wracked up wins. It made the possibility of getting to 100 a reality right from the beginning.

“He’s been a staple in our lineup all four years,” said Brown. “Right from his freshman year, he went 25-10. I remember having the conversation with him, ‘Hey if you’re over 20 as a freshman, you have a chance to get to 100.’ He kind of ran with that and every year he’s (reached 25 wins) or has done better than that and has shown improvement.”

After that 25-10 freshman season, he went 25-12 as a sophomore. Last year as a junior, he upped that to 30-15. Before the Palmerton match, he was 19-8 this season, putting his record at 99-45.

“He technically is probably one of the best wrestlers on our team, which seems obvious with him getting to 100 wins,” said Brown. “His strengths are definitely on his feet. I would say that’s his No. 1 strength.

“He’s really crafty. He doesn’t have a set go-to takedown, but based on the positions he gets himself into, he’s able to maneuver himself and score points, so that’s definitely one of his strengths. He can ad lib along the way based on the situation that presents itself.”

Wentz doesn’t just pick up wins, he also provides plenty of bonus points. Of his first 100 victories (he now has 102), 65 of them were pins while six were tech falls.

His pin total puts him within reach of the school’s career record of 71, held by Connor Frey.

“I try to get it over as quick as possible, and not waste my energy,” said Wentz. “Pins are also better for the team to get more team points.”

“In dual meets, he’s a pinner,” added Brown. “He goes out there and is able to finish matches. In dual meets, a big part of our team success is him going out there getting those pins. He’s been doing that for us for years.”

Despite reaching the century mark in wins, Wentz hasn’t had the best luck in the postseason. He’s hoping to change that in his final attempt.

“I’d really like to make it to regionals and have a chance at states,” he said.

“He’s never really had luck at districts,” said Brown. “He placed in 10th grade (sixth). The one year he was sick, and the one year he decided to move up a weight class and it didn’t work out for him. Last year during the dual meet season, he beat the kid who won districts and the kid who got second. It’s just on the day at districts he hasn’t been able to put it together yet.”

No matter what happens during this year’s postseason, Wentz’s wrestling career will come to an end. The quiet teen recently graduated early and is already holding down a full-time job.

“He’s a quiet kid, does well in school but school’s not his thing,” said Brown. “He finished school early ... and graduated early, which allows him to finish out his wrestling season.

“He’s a good kid, a great teammate, gets along with everybody. He’s like a silent leader, he’s not the vocal or rah-rah guy. He sits back and does his thing. I think accomplishing this, I think some of the younger kids will see that and set that as a goal for themselves. He shows other kids moves and helps them in the room. He’s been a positive influence all four years.”