Five Journal-covered wrestlers entered their individual section tournaments ranked in state. Four earned berths to the 2020 state wrestling meet. Chatfield’s Cael Bartels (#2 at 113), Seth Goetzinger (#5 at 145), and A.J. Karver (#7 at 220), LARP’s Ross Herber (#4 at 126) fought their way to St. Paul. Goetzinger makes his third trip, Bartels and Herber their second, Karver his first. The Chatfield guys were all crowned section champions. Goetzinger claimed his third straight title, using a bye and a pair of first period pins to make the finals. There the junior faced GMLOS’ Rece Voigt (#8 at 145, 39-8). Seth G. trailed on points when he secured a second period pin for the 145-pound title. Goetzinger pinned Voigt during the regular season also. Seth’s three pins in 6:56 was tops of all 1A champions. Only GMLOS’ Noah Sayles also pinned his way to a title. Goetzinger (36-5) had previously claimed 106-pounds and 126-pounds (2018, 2019). Seth G. didn’t place at state last year, but took third in 2018. At 113, Bartels used a bye, a first period pin, and a 14-2 major to make the finals. Versus GMLOS’ Cohen Wiste (#9 at 113, 37-5), Bartels grabbed the 4-0 decision win. The senior (34-3) repeated as Section 1A 113-pound champ. Bartels will look to improve upon last year’s fifth place finish at state. Karver’s road was quick. In a 220-pound weight class that featured just six competitors, he wrestled twice, pinning both of his opponents in less than a period total (0:16, 1:43). He downed Reece Lemke (21-15) in the finals, Karver’s third win over the D-E senior in four tries this year. The junior Karver (26-9) is the 220-pound champ. He took third last year. LARP competitor Ross Herber’s trek was made a bit more difficult by section realignment. His team moved up to Class AA, and the section included the top two programs in the state, #1 Simley and #2 Kasson-Mantorville. Herber used a bye, a first period pin, and a 1-0 semifinal decision (over K-M’s 27-12 Giovanni Ruffo) to make the finals. There he faced Simley’s #1 ranked Chase DeBlaere (41-2) and fell by first period pin. Without a true second, Herber (27-5) clinched his second state berth, as Section 1AA’s 126-pound runner-up. The senior was last year’s Section 1A 120-pound champion. Herber will look to improve upon last year’s fourth place finish at state. Chatfield’s Campbell Berge (160) and FCLMC’s Caden Anderson (145) wrestled to go to state. Berge used two pins to make the 160-pound final, only to lose to GMLOS’ Daniel Smith (#4 at 160) by pin. In a true second match, the sophomore (22-15) fell by 13-2 major to D-E’s Tyler Shea (22-10). Berge pinned Shea at one tourney this year, while forfeit losing to him at another. FCLMC junior Caden Anderson, a former state entrant, went bye and loss (6-1 D) in the winner’s bracket before ripping off three pins on the consolation side. In a true second match, Anderson (29-17) fell to GMLOS’ Voigt (39-8) by 5-1 decision. Brother Cale Anderson (126 > 20-13) also took third. He went 3-1 with three decision wins (4-2 in SV 1, 6-3, 2-1), but didn’t wrestle for state. Chatfield sophomore Grady Schott (170 > 32-11) went 3-1 and took third, but didn’t wrestle for state. Former state entrant, LARP’s Gable Speltz (138 > 32-10), took third. He went 3-1, but had no true second match. He was the only Journal-covered ranked wrestler (#10 at 138) to miss state. Cale, Grady, and Gable all lost in the semis. Taking fourth was Chatfield 8th grader Kail Schott (126 > 25-14) and junior Cody Guenther (132 > 24-15), LARP junior Carter Jonsgaard (120 > 31-10). Chatfield, D-E, and GMLOS tied for a Section 1A best three state entrants. Simley had seven Section 1AA champions.
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