Wrestling Teams Take on Play-Offs

The 2020 Section 1A and 1AA wrestling team play-offs saw each of the three county programs fighting to move on.  FCLMC got the rare play-off win.  LARP was up big before upper weights hindered its plight.  Chatfield fell by a single point to the eventual section champion.  In Class AA, LARP (5-seed, 9-9) took on PEM (4-seed, 13-9) in a quartefinal.  Things went the Screaming Eagles’ way early.  Tyler Kreidemacher (113), Jordan Zibrowski (120), Carter Jonsgaard (126), Ross Herber (132), and Gable Speltz (145) came out with pins in the first seven weights, stoking a 30-8 lead.  But PEM then dominated, winning the last seven matches, six by six-point decision.  The Bulldogs prevailed 48-30.  PEM won in the regular season 46-28.  LARP finishes at 9-10.  In Section 1A, FCLMC (7-seed, 12-10) took on St. Charles (10-seed, 2-14) in a wrestle-in match.  There were decisions at 113, 120, 126, 132, and 145.  SC led 15-10 early.  But FCLMC got forfeit wins at 160 (Caleb Kunz), 182 (Carson Berg), 195 (Michael Barrett), and 285 (Stefan Nikoloski).   The Wolves won five of the final seven matches to post their first play-off win in a long time, 40-25.  Oliver Hoeltzle (152) had FCLMC’s lone pin, putting the Wolves ahead for good at 16-15.  Kyle Daniels (106) won a 10-0 major.  Bradon Knutson (120) and Ryan Kelly (132) won 4-2 and 4-3 respectively.  FCLMC (7-seed, 13-10) then wrestled Z-M (2-seed, 14-5).  The Wolves fell 56-12.  Nikoloski (285) won a 21-2 tech fall, Orion Sass (152) a 16-4 major decision, and Caden Anderson (145) a 2-1 decision.  FCLMC finishes at 13-11.  Chatfield (4-seed, 13-3) took on Caledonia (5-seed, 11-9) in the quarters.  The Warriors won three of first four weights to lead 12-5.  The Gophers took 132 thru 152 to lead 25-12, then 170 and 182 to lead 35-18.  A.J. Karver’s first period pin at 220 clinched the match.  Chatfield prevailed 41-30.  Thad Evans (138), Tate Karver (145), and Campbell Berge (17) also had pins.  Cael Bartels (113) won a 27-12 tech fall.  Cody Guenther (132 > 10-2), Seth Goetzinger (152 > 13-3) and Grady Schott (182 > 14-4) won major decisions.  The Gophers (4-seed, 14-3) then took on GMLOS (1-seed, 21-3) in a semifinal at Mayo Civic Center on Saturday.  The Bulldogs never trailed, but won by the slimmest of margins. GMLOS took 106 and 113. Chatfield took 120 and 126. GMLOS took 132 and 138. Chatfield then took 145 and 152. Eight weights in, each team had won four matches, GMLOS led 21-17.  The Bulldogs then broke the take-two-give-two run.  They took three of four from 160 to 195.  Cameron Sneed’s pin at 195 gave GMLOS an insurmountable 36-23 lead. The Gophers won the final two to fall 36-35.  After falling behind 9-0, 21-7, and 27-17, Chatfield closed to 9-7, 21-17, and 27-23.  They couldn’t get over the hump.  Goetzinger (152), Berge (170), Hunter VanDyke (220), and A.J. Karver (285) had pins.  Bartels (120 > 18-5) and T-Karver (145 > 12-3) won majors.  Kail Schott (126) won a 5-2 decision.  The Bulldogs entered having won 15 straight, last loss to Chatfield 39-36 in December.  Travis Bartels’ group finishes at 14-4.  GMLOS beat D-E 43-30 for the section title.