Tigers have four pins, lose by three points at team sectional

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

STEVENS POINT — The Marshfield wrestling team’s quest for a spot in the state team tournament came up just short as Hudson used five pins to top the Tigers 36-33 in a WIAA Division 1 sectional on Tuesday night at Stevens Point Area Senior High.

Marshfield, looking for its first berth in the state team tournament since 2003, had four pins of its own, but the fifth by Hudson proved to be the difference.

Hudson will face three-time defending champion Kaukauna in a Division 1 quarterfinal at the 2017 WIAA State Team Wrestling Tournament at the University of Wisconsin Fieldhouse in Madison on March 3. The semifinals will follow, and the championship match will be held March 4.

“Some of our guys got out of position,” Marshfield coach Jackson Hein said. “Hudson was here for a reason and has really good wrestlers. So do we. I just thought our wrestlers that got pinned, I know they are better than that. We weren’t controlling what we need to control and were too worried about what (the opponent) was doing.”

Nolan Hertel got Marshfield off to a terrific start, pinning Brandon Rothmeier just 23 seconds into the 145-pound match to give the Tigers the early lead.

After two Hudson wins, Marshfield won three-straight matches to regain control.

Marshfield’s Tanner Kanable, left, battles for control with Hudson’s Mitchell Anderson during the 120-pound match at the WIAA Division 1 team sectional Tuesday at Stevens Point Area Senior High.

Alex Brost (170) and Sam Mitchell (182) won by decision, and Conner Peterson pinned Sam Kelcher in 1:08 of the 195-pound match to put Marshfield up 18-9.

The Tigers then ran into a tough stretch.

Sam Bauman (220), A.J. Leonhardt (285), and Shane Westerhausen (106) each lost by pin as Hudson grabbed a 27-18 lead and never trailed again.

Caden Dennee had a pin at 113 for the Tigers before Hudson put the match away with two more victories.

Caden Pearce won 10-9 at 132, and Anthony Kanable had a first-period pin at 138 as the Tigers won the final two matches but came up three points short.

Marshfield has 13 wrestlers moving on to the Division 1 individual sectional at River Falls on Saturday. A top-two finish there secures a spot in next week’s WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament in Madison.

Hein said the team sectional loss should show the Tigers what needs to be done on Saturday.

“I hope it’s a wake-up call to be honest,” Hein said. “When you’re at team sectionals, you’re anticipating to wrestle a good team. Hudson is a good team. I think we didn’t compete the way could have. They wrestled their style, and we didn’t. We kind of wrestled their style.

“All year, the matches that we won, it’s because we were on the attack and on the offense. I didn’t see us winning the scrambles, getting the pins and bonus points. Our guys were giving up the pins, and it’s not like they didn’t fight, but as a team I hope it’s a wake-up call. Our technique, I know, is there. They were making mistakes that if they continue to make, their season will be done this weekend.”

(Hub City Times Sports Reporter Paul Lecker is also the publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com.)

Hudson 36, Marshfield 33

145: Nolan Hertel (M) pinned Brandon Rothmeier in 0:23.
152: Jake Midby (H) def. Payton Young 13-7.
160: Jacob Anderson (H) pinned Alex Wehrman in 3:09.
170: Alex Brost (M) def. Cody Cicha 14-8.
182: Sam Mitchell (M) def. Tyrel Busby 9-2.
195: Conner Peterson (M) pinned Sam Kelcher in 1:08.
220: Cole Godbout (H) pinned Sam Bauman in 1:09.
285: Isac Schindler (H) pinned A.J. Leonhardt in 2:24.
106: Leo Draveling (H) pinned Shane Westerhausen in 3:43.
113: Caden Dennee (M) pinned Bryce Hunsberger in 1:25.
120: Mitchell Anderson (H) pinned Tanner Kanable in 3:45.
126: Isaac Hatch (H) def. Brayden Richardson 9-6.
132: Caden Pearce (M) def. Vincent Fanning 10-9.
138: Anthony Kanable (M) pinned Caleb Hatch in 1:37.