Ellsworth wrestlers survive scare to win sectional title
SOMERSET - Ellsworth's seventh straight WIAA team wrestling sectional title did not come easy as the No. 3 ranked Panthers had to rally to beat No. 8 Neillsville/Loyal/Greenwood Tuesday 36-27.
Ellsworth won the first three matches to take a 13-0 lead but the Warriors, 22-1 overall, then won five out of the next seven, including pins at 160 and heavyweight which put them ahead 24-21 with four matches to go.
But EHS's Cody Raebel scored a crucial pinfall at 106 pounds which put his team back in front. Combined with a technical fall by Jens Lantz at 113, the avoidance of a pin by Brad Cain at 120 despite a loss and major decision by Brent Stockwell at 126 won Ellsworth the Division 2 Somerset Sectional crown.
The Panthers, 18-3 overall, had no problem winning their semifinal match over Middle Border Conference rival Amery 58-6. Ellsworth recorded six pins, a technical fall and two major decisions in nine of their 12 wins. Stockwell wrecked any hopes Amery, 11-6 overall, had of winning by winning the first match of the dual 8-1 over the Warriors' Conner Friese, his first-ever win over the MBC champion.
Neillsville/Loyal/Greenwood won the other semifinal dual meet 55-21 over Rice Lake.
WIAA Division 2 Somerset Team Wrestling Sectional
Semifinal - No. 3 Ellsworth 58, Amery 6
126 - Brent Stockwell (Ellsworth) over Connor Friese (Amery) Dec 8-1 (Ellsworth leads 3-0)
132 - Roarke Langer (Ellsworth) over Austin Klugow (Amery) TF 17-2 (Ellsworth 8-0)
138 - Dan Langer (Ellsworth) over Brett Melby (Amery) Pin 0:56
(Ellsworth 14-0)
145 - Logan Kemmerer (Ellsworth) over Mitch Nichols (Amery) Dec 7-0 (Ellsworth 17-0)
152 - Ryan Dickhausen (Ellsworth) over Michael Cree (Amery) Pin 0:40 (Ellsworth 23-0)
160 - Gabe Paulson (Amery) over Dennis Schutz (Ellsworth) Dec 7-1 (Ellsworth 23-3)
170 - Gable Frandson (Ellsworth) over Broden Schock (Amery) Maj 12-4 (Ellsworth 27-3)
182 - Derek Donnelly (Ellsworth) over Chazz Hegna (Amery) Pin 2:31 (Ellsworth 33-3)
195 - Parker Hines (Ellsworth) over Hunter Hubred (Amery) Pin 0:24 (Ellsworth 39-3)
220 - Henry Holdorf (Ellsworth) over Kenny Gates (Amery) OT 3-1
(Ellsworth 42-3)
285 - Matt Ziegler (Amery) over Brody Kemmerer (Ellsworth) Dec 5-2
(Ellsworth 42-6)
106 - Cody Raebel (Ellsworth) over Brian Burke (Amery) Maj 13-0
(Ellsworth 46-6)
113 - Jens Lantz (Ellsworth) over Keenon Luke (Amery) Pin 1:13
(Ellsworth 52-6)
120 - Brad Cain (Ellsworth) over Joe Gates (Amery) Pin 3:33
(Ellsworth wins 58-6)
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Finals - No. 3 Ellsworth 36, No. 8 Neillsville/Greenwood/Loyal 27
132 - Roarke Langer (Ellsworth) over Zach Friemoth (Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal) Pin 3:00 (Ellsworth leads 6-0)
138 - Dan Langer (Ellsworth) over Michael Chadwick (Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal) Maj 8-0 (Ellsworth 10-0)
145 - Logan Kemmerer (Ellsworth) over Jake Rueth (Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal) Dec 5-3 (Ellsworth 13-0)
152 - Damien Luchterhand (Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal) over Ryan Dickhausen (Ellsworth) Maj 8-0 (Ellsworth 13-4)
160 - Mitchell Pohlman (Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal) over Dennis Schutz (Ellsworth) Pin 1:39 (Ellsworth 13-10)
170 - Gable Frandson (Ellsworth) over Sandy Bautch (Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal) Maj 12-2 (Ellsworth 17-10)
182 - Winter Smith (Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal) over Derek Donnelly (Ellsworth) Maj 11-3 (Ellsworth 17-14)
195 - Parker Hines (Ellsworth) over Travor Bauer (Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal) Maj 26-13 (Ellsworth 21-14)
220 - Dan Schoen (Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal) over Henry Holdorf (Ellsworth) Maj 11-3 (Ellsworth 21-18)
285 - Tyler Hartung (Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal) over Brody Kemmerer (Ellsworth) Pin 2:55 (Neillsville/Greenwood/Loyal leads 24-21)
106 - Cody Raebel (Ellsworth) over Zachary Stift (Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal) Pin 2:46 (Ellsworth leads 27-24)
113 - Jens Lantz (Ellsworth) over Morgan Malm (Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal) TF 17-2 (Ellsworth 32-24)
120 - Phillip Opelt (Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal) over Brad Cain (Ellsworth) Dec 8-3 (Ellsworth 32-27)
126 - Brent Stockwell (Ellsworth) over Jared Boon (Neilsville/Greenwood/Loyal) Maj 12-2 (Ellsworth wins 36-27)