Gopher Wrestling Wins FCLMC Invite

When Chatfield wrestling takes on the FCLMC Wrestling Tourney, the Gophers are typically one of the favorites.  For the fourth time in seven years, favorite turned into champion.   Travis Bartels’ group (211) topped Pipestone Area (194) for the team title.  Leading the way was Seth Goetzinger (5-0), who won 145 pounds.  He did so with just a pair of wins (5-1 D, 11-2 MD), but both were over former state participants (FCLMC’s Caden Anderson, Pipestone’s Grant Budden).  Goetzinger (ranked #7 at 138) was Chatfield’s only champion at last year’s Invite, making him their only repeat champion.  Tate Karver (4-1) also won twice (11-4 D, pin) in taking 152 pounds.  Grady Schott (6-0) scored three first period pins to take 170 pounds.  Isaiah Froese (6-0) also had three pins.  He won 220 pounds.  The four first’s is the most Chatfield’s had at the FCLMC Invite since 2014.  Taking second for the Gophers were Carson Rowland (106 > W pin, W pin, W pin, L 14-2 MD), Cael Bartels (126 > W 14-5 MD, L pin), and Campbell Berge (160 > W pin, L pin).  Bartels’ loss was to tourney Most Outstanding Wrestler Ryan Henningson of Winona.  Cael is #3 at 126 in A, Henningson #3 at 126 in AAA.  Ryan House (106 > 2-2) and Luke Ihrke (182 > 2-2) each took third.  Finishing as high as it has finished in a long time, FCLMC took third.  Joe Cullen’s Wolves had a guy (sometimes two) at every weight, a rarity for a program historically short on numbers.  Senior Michael Barrett (5-3) was the lone champion, pinning his way to a title at 195.  His longest match took 1:17.  Devin Troendle (182 > W pin, L pin, W pin, W forfeit) and Stefan Nikoloski (285 > W pin, W pin, L pin) each took second.  Bradon Knutson (120 > 3-1), Cale Anderson (138 > 2-1), Caleb Kunz (160 > 3-1), Carson Berg (170 > 1-2), and Cooper Ferrie (220 > 1-2) each took third.  LARP took fourth. Ross Herber was the highlight, as he won the 132 pound title (W 12-2 MD, W 17-12 D).  Herber (#5 at 132 in AA) was nearly pinned in his championship match, but came back to win.  Caleb Mueller (138 > W 7-3 D, W pin) took the 138-pound title.  Tyler Kreidermacher (113 > W pin, W 15-0 TF, W 12-0 MD, L 7-3 D), Jordan Zibrowski (120 > W pin, W 4-3 D, L pin), and Kolton Riser (152 > W pin, W 18-12 D, L pin) took second.  Carter Jonsgaard (126 > 3-1) and Gable Speltz (145 > 3-1) took third.  Six teams total competed. Pipestone, Winona, and La Crescent were the other squads. Some weights had just four competitors.