Ready?  Let’s Wrestle…

160

In a much closer match than anticipated, Brendan Leis kept things close for Cashton by losing to Iowa-Grant’s Travis Halverson by a decision of 6-3.  Going into the third period of the match, the score was 4-3 Halverson.  Leis began the period on top, and Halverson escaped within the first :15 seconds.  Halverson’s final point was awarded for stalling on Leis.  Despite the loss, it was an impressive performance for unranked Leis against #3 Halverson. (IG 3, C 0)

171

After an entire period of attempting to turn him, Cashton’s #5 Jeremiah Hatfield pinned Iowa-Grant’s Brett Durni in the second period with a time of 3:41.  (IG 3, C 6)

189

#1 Rory Edge received a forfeit.  (IG 9, C 6)

215

Drew Hinderman of Iowa-Grant dominated with a pin over Cashton’s Joe Cunitz in 1:16.  (IG 15, C 6)

275

Things weren’t looking too good for #5 Derek Laufenberg of Cashton in the first period.  They weren’t any better in the second.  Iowa-Grant’s #2 Cody Soderstrom had him on his back with a score of 8-2, pounding him with his aggressive crossface.  Whether Soderstrom began to tire out or Laufenberg caught his second wind, I don’t know, but Laufenberg started scoring points with reversals and near falls.  He fell short 10-8 to Soderstrom but secured only a decision for Iowa-Grant.  (IG 18, C 6)

103

Cashton’s #4 Cameron Flock pinned Iowa-Grant’s Bryce Moen in 1:23.  (IG 18, C 12)

112

Andrew Dahl, the #1-ranked sophomore for Cashton, pinned Iowa-Grant’s Hunter Burghy in 1:18.  (IG 18, C 18)

119

Iowa-Grant’s #10 Garrett Kite completely controlled the first period, keeping Cashton’s HM Tyler Mlsna on his back almost the entire time, much to the Cashton crowd’s disappointment.  But Mlsna did not give up.  He overcame a weak stomach and drained body to throw Kite to his back in the second period and walk away with the decision of 10-7.   (IG 18, C 21)

125

Cashton’s #1 Andrew Dahl, the 41-0 junior who has not been taken down yet this year, walked away with a pin, as expected.  What wasn’t expected was the 5:18 he took to do it.  Iowa-Grant’s Justin Washburn resisted the pin for two whole periods while being thrown around by Dahl, who kept trying to run a half.  Resistance or no resistance, the result was the same.  Dahl gained another six for Cashton.  (IG 18, C 27)

130

Iowa-Grant’s Sean Olson controlled Cashton’s Jason Schmitz the entire first two periods.  Schmitz was on and off his back, fighting to not get pinned.  With a score of 11-1 going into the third period, Cashton chose top and rode Iowa-Grant the whole period, keeping the decision at a major of 11-1.  (IG 22, C 27)

135

#5 Brandon Arentz of Cashton looked on top of his game in this match, and that was what Cashton needed from him.  The first period was key, and Arentz did not hesitate.  He picked up #1 Cade Sarbacker’s leg in the first :20 and got the first takedown.  Sarbacker reversed, but Arentz countered with a reversal of his own.  With Arentz leading by a score of 4-2 going into the third period, Sarbacker fought back to a lead of 5-4.  Sarbacker’s final point was a stalling point on Arentz and a final score of 6-4.  (IG 25, C 27)

140

Cashton put #10 Travis Brueggen in to wrestle Iowa-Grant’s unranked Brent Belken, and he got a decision of 4-2.  (IG 25, C 30)

145

Cashton bumped up their usual 140-pounder #7 Justin Flock to wrestle Iowa-Grant’s #4 Tyler Bollant.  Flock did his best to hang with him, but Bollant’s strength out-powered him.  Bollant lead 9-1 in the third, and Flock pulled a reversal in the final :30 to ensure only decision points for Iowa-Grant.  (IG 28, C 30)

152

It all came down to 152.  Could Cashton’s HM Myles Elsen hang on for the win and keep his team ahead, or would Iowa-Grant’s #7 Brandon Welu pull the win that his team needed to take the championship?  Welu took the lead early in the match, and at one point Elsen was even down 7-1.  Elsen, however, battled back to tie it up and put the match into overtime.  Of course!  With :40 left in overtime, Welu threw a headlock in on Elsen and took him down on the edge of the mat, and it really did look over for Cashton.  Elsen had something else to say.  He miraculously rolled through it to land on top of Welu, but they were off the mat.  With :23 left Elsen went in for it, and Welu just couldn’t hold on.  Elsen got the takedown, the win, and ensured the dual win for Cashton.  (IG 28, C 33)

In the dual with Riverdale, who defeated Clinton in the semis 46-25, the wrestling started at 171.  Cashton put Eli Harter, back to the team after a month of no wrestling, in against #2 Jason Campbell.  Harter surprised a lot of people by staying in the match and going the whole three periods.  Campbell majored him 11-0.

Cashton put their 171-pounder, #5 Jeremiah Hatfield, at 189 against Riverdale‘s #5 Andrew Rognholt.  Hatfield wrestled a good (and bloody) match.  After his 11-7 win, he left the dual, most likely for the hospital.  He allegedly broke his nose in the third period when Rognholt’s head jacked him in the face on a stand-up from bottom.

Cashton finished the dual with three pins, three tech falls, and two forfeits, which gave them the win and the team sectional championship, advancing them to team state.