Antigo Wrestling vs Medford
FOR ANTIGO TIMES
The Antigo wrestling team traveled to Medford on Thursday to battle the 11th ranked team in Division 2, Medford.
The first match of the evening occurred at 220 pounds. The expected match-up of Nick Roller against defending state champion, and currently third ranked Jake Rau did not happen due to Rau not making weight. Instead, Medford sent out Dalton Krug at 220 pounds.
Roller, as he has all year, started the match off strong with a takedown in the first 4 seconds. The match didn’t get any better for Krug, as Roller piled on the points with another takedown in the first period, and after choosing to start the second period on the bottom, a reversal, two more takedowns, and a nearfall. Leading 12-3, Roller mercifully ended the match with a pinfall victory at 3:46.
After the Roller victory, the aforementioned Rau competed at heavyweight, defeating Talik Bussey of Antigo by pinfall.
At 113 pounds, Christopher Mackey dropped a match to Ty Sova by second period fall.
In the most entertaining and evenly matched bout of the evening, Seth Beaber competed against Blake Schilling. Beaber scored first, with a takedown 40 seconds in. Beaber was then able to ride the rest of the period out without allowing an escape, but did concede a point for locked hands, ending the first period 2-1. In the second period, Schilling chose to start in the bottom period, and then escaped. Despite many near takedowns by both competitors, the period ended tied at 2.
Beaber chose to start the third period on bottom. Beaber was able to escape. After another exciting minute of near takedowns, Schilling was able to finally earn a takedown with 21 seconds to go, putting the Medford wrestler on top 4-3. Beaber refused to lose this match though, and in the waning seconds was able to score on a reversal to take the match with a 5-4 victory.
At 126 pounds, Connor Dettman was defeated by Eric Rehbe in by pinfall.
At 132 pounds, Logan Edwards and Carson Church did battle. Edwards was able to score first with a takedown, ending the first period with a 2-0 lead. Church chose to start the 2nd period on the bottom, and score with a reversal and nearfall to take a 4-2 lead into the third.
In the third period, Edwards chose bottom, and after an Edwards takedown, Church was able to secure a takedown off of a scramble and win the match by pinfall at 4:47.
The matchup at 138 pounds saw Jaden Schoeneck compete with Dane Higgins, the 4th ranked wrestler in the state. Schoeneck was able to defend against many of Higgins onslaught of attacks, but eventually dropped the match by pinfall at 5:35.
Neil Bretl took the mat at 145 pounds for the Antigo team, facing Trevon Drallmeier. Bretl was able to score a takedown in the first 20 seconds, and added a 3-point nearfall to take a 5-0 lead into the second period. Drallmeier chose to start the second period on bottom, and after spending nearly the entire period on his back, was pinned by Bretl at 2:54 to give the win to the Antigo wrestler.
Robby Hagerty dropped a match by pinfall to Emett Grunwald, the 11th ranked wrestler in the state at 152 pounds.
In the most dominant performance of the evening, Joshua Heuss needed just over 20 seconds to takedown and pin Jake Brunner at 160 pounds.
The evening ended with Gideon Sass losing by pinfall to Hayden Johnson at 170 pounds.
Earlier in the evening, Kyle Kamin won a Junior Varsity match by pinfall, with Xavier Lenzner and Lucas Meidl also competing on JV.
Up next for Antigo is a home dual meet with Tomahawk on Thursday, February 23rd. There will be pre-match festivities to acknowledge the youth program, and post-match festivities to honor the seniors, whom will be competing at the Sheldon Fieldhouse for the last time.
The highlight of the pre-match festivities will be a 5-team middle school tournament that starts at 4 pm. Competing will be Antigo, Medford, Crandon, Elcho, and Three Lakes. Come enjoy a solid afternoon of middle school wrestling, and stay for the Varsity action that starts at 7 pm.
The full box score for Medford will be posted if and when it is uploaded to trackwrestling.