The PEM wrestlers completed a wild week of wrestling competition last week with a triangular on the road Thursday, followed by another triangular on Friday, and finishing by hosting the PEM Invitational on Saturday.
The marathon week of competition began in Lake City where the Bulldogs began Thursday evening facing off versus the Pine Island Panthers. Pine Island scored wins with their top two wrestlers at 120 and 138 lbs, but the rest of the meet was all Bulldogs. Picking up pins versus the Panthers were 106 Isaac Walch (10), 113 Riley Boland (10), 126 Garrett Olson (11), 132 Austen Michel (10), 145 Kael Lamb (11), 160 Joe Stucky (12), 170 Dereck Boyum (11), and 285 Logan Wingert (12). Also collecting forfeit victories for PEM were 152 Cael Marx (11), 182 Anthony Roberton (10), 195 Martin Prieto (10), and 220 Josh Peterson (8).
Pictures of the PI/Lake City Tri are available here!
PEM 66 Pine Island 12
106: Isaac Walch (PEM) over Gavin Twaddle (PI) (Fall 1:07)
113: Riley Boland (PEM) over Gavin Twaddle (PI) (Fall 0:54)
120: Luke Williams (PI) over Alex Hinrichs (PEM) (Fall 1:36)
126: Garrett Olson (PEM) over Jackson Campeau (PI) (Fall 1:32)
132: Austen Michel (PEM) over Andrew Rodgers (PI) (Fall 1:13)
138: Dan Krier (PI) over Dominic Michel (PEM) (Fall 3:07)
145: Kael Lamb (PEM) over Colton Allhiser (PI) (Fall 1:35)
152: Cael Marx (PEM) over (PI) (For.)
160: Joe Stucky (PEM) over Mason Pike (PI) (Fall 0:58)
170: Dereck Boyum (PEM) over Cooper Williams (PI) (Fall 0:35)
182: Anthony Roberton (PEM) over (PI) (For.)
195: Martin Prieto (PEM) over (PI) (For.)
220: Josh Peterson (PEM) over (PI) (For.)
285: Logan Wingert (PEM) over Jack Swanson (PI) (Fall 2:27)
In the 2nd dual of the evening, the Bulldogs ran into a buzzsaw in the host Lake City Tigers. The Tigers won the first match of the dual at 106 in a thriller and seized the early momentum collecting wins in the next 6 weight classes, including 3 by fall. The Bulldogs would finally get on the board with a pin by Cael Marx at 152. PEM would win 4 of the last 7 matches including a pin by Dereck Boyum at 170, a major decision victory for Martin Prieto, and a forfeit win by top ranked heavyweight Logan Wingert at 285. But it was not nearly enough to overcome the deficit as the Bulldogs would drop the meet 52-22.
Pictures of the PI/Lake City Tri are available here!
Lake City 52 PEM 22
106: Nate Evans (LC) over Isaac Walch (PEM) (SV-1 3-2)
113: Steven Ramirez (LC) over Riley Boland (PEM) (MD 11-0)
120: Jonathan Harvey (LC) over Alex Hinrichs (PEM) (Fall 1:32)
126: Nash Nelson (LC) over Austen Michel (PEM) (Fall 1:32)
132: Aaron Meincke (LC) over (PEM) (For.)
138: Luke Skifton (LC) over Cooper Hofschulte (PEM) (Dec 3-1)
145: Joe Kozlowski (LC) over Kael Lamb (PEM) (Fall 1:36)
152: Cael Marx (PEM) over Harold Schumacher (LC) (Fall 1:51)
160: Dominic Goihl-Krier (LC) over (PEM) (For.)
170: Dereck Boyum (PEM) over Jaden Rolbiecki (LC) (Fall 0:47)
182: Derek Meincke (LC) over Anthony Roberton (PEM) (Fall 3:04)
195: Thomas Frank (LC) over (PEM) (For.)
220: Martin Prieto (PEM) over Sam Nutt (LC) (MD 16-5)
285: Logan Wingert (PEM) over (LC) (For.)
The following evening, PEM would resume conference competition against two state ranked opponents in Dover Eyota and Chatfield. Like Lake City the night before, the Eagles jumped out to an early lead winning 7 of the first 8 matches. The lone PEM highlight in the lower weights was junior Garrett Olson posting a 7-3 victory over state ranked Landon Lehnertz at 126. The Bulldogs would recover some of the momentum picking up pins at 160 and 170 by Cael Marx and Joe Stucky. But a DE pin at 182 sealed the fate of the meet. PEM would grab 2 more wins in the final 3 weights with Martin Prieto at 195 earning a 10-4 victory and Logan Wingert getting another team leading pin at 285.
Pictures of the D-E/Chatfield Tri are available here!
Dover Eyota (#11) 46 PEM 24
106: Brodie Kellen (DE) over Isaac Walch (PEM) (Fall 4:00)
113: Bolton Thesing (DE) over Riley Boland (PEM) (TF 15-0 4:00)
120: Jacob Dessner (DE) over Alex Hinrichs (PEM) (MD 13-1)
126: Garrett Olson (PEM) over Landon Lehnertz (DE) (Dec 7-3)
132: Gavin Gust (DE) over Austen Michel (PEM) (Fall 3:22)
138: Taylor DeFrang (DE) over (PEM) (For.)
145: Treyton Thesing (DE) over Cooper Hofschulte (PEM) (Dec 8-6)
152: Maverick Whitethorn (DE) over Kael Lamb (PEM) (MD 10-2)
160: Cael Marx (PEM) over Aidan Gasper (DE) (Fall 0:37)
170: Joe Stucky (PEM) over Tyler Mix (DE) (Fall 1:55)
182: Gavin Dabelstein (DE) over Dereck Boyum (PEM) (Fall 1:11)
195: Martin Prieto (PEM) over Jackson Duellman (DE) (Dec 10-4)
220: Reece Lemke (DE) over (PEM) (For.)
285: Logan Wingert (PEM) over Spencer Welsh (DE) (Fall 1:18)
The Bulldogs saved their best dual performance of the week for last against the #12 ranked Chatfield Gophers. The Gopher’s strong lower weights got them off to a fast start, winning 4 of the first 5 weight classes. But PEM junior Garrett Olson earned a major decision at 126, and sophomores Isaac Walch and Austen Michel were able to limit the damage to a regular decision at 106 and 132. Nevertheless, the Gophers held a commanding 18-4 lead heading into 138.
That’s when junior Cooper Hofschulte sparked a Bulldog comeback. Trailing by 1 point heading into the 3rd period, Hofschulte reversed the very dangerous Tate Karver to his back and held him to get the fall, closing the Chatfield lead to 8 points. At 145, the Gophers presented state place-winner Seth Goetzinger. Since the Bulldogs were a man short in the upper-weights, they made a calculated gamble and forfeited to Goetzinger and slid the rest of their line-up up a weight class. Not only did the gamble spot Chatfield 6 points, extending their lead back to 14, it put 4 upcoming Bulldogs at a significant size disadvantage moving forward. But on this night, the PEM upper weights were up to the challenge, beginning with Kael Lamb now at 152 facing Chatfield’s Luke Ihrke. Lamb held a 4-1 lead late in the 2nd period, but Ihrke reversed Lamb to his back to earn 5 points, nearly getting the pin. But the undersized Lamb returned the favor in the 3rd period, getting a reversal and 3 nearfall points of his own to earn a 9-6 decision, swinging the momentum back to the Bulldogs.
Cael Marx slid up to 160 and kept the ball rolling jumping out to a 13-4 lead before finishing with a pin closing the Chatfield lead to only 5 points with the PEM now trailing 19-24. Then at 170, the Gophers made a gamble of their own, forfeiting to PEM’s Joe Stucky giving PEM their first lead of the night at 25-24. The Gophers regained the lead temporarily at 182, but were only able to gain a decision to take a 27-25 lead into the last 3 weights. But the Gopher’s had no one left to fill 195 and the Bulldogs’ Tony Roberton bumped up a weight class to collect the forfeit, giving the Bulldogs a 4 point lead (31-27) heading into the final 2 weight classes.
Needing just one more win to clinch the dual meet victory over the ranked Gophers, enter sophomore Martin Prieto to take on Chatfield senior Isaiah Froise. Injured with a broken ankle, in week 3 of the football season, Prieto returned to competition this week after surgery and nearly 4 months of rehab. Down 6-3 heading into the 3rd period, Prieto scored an escape to close within a takedown of tying the match. Prieto then got that takedown, but Froise escaped to recapture a 1 point lead with time winding down. Prieto then scored another takedown to take an 8-7 lead in the closing seconds, but Froise again rallied with another escape to tie the match at 8-8 at the end of regulation. With both the match and dual meet hanging in the balance, Prieto pulled the trigger on his 4th takedown of the match to clinch a 10-8 win and a dual meet victory for the Bulldogs. With the meet in hand, senior heavyweight Logan Wingert needed only 1:18 to put and exclamation point on the evening with one final pin.
Pictures of the D-E/Chatfield Tri are available here!
PEM 40 Chatfield (#12) 27
106: Carson Rowland (CHAT) over Isaac Walch (PEM) (Dec 2-0)
113: Lukas Carrier (CHAT) over Riley Boland (PEM) (Fall 1:53)
120: Cael Bartels (CHAT) over Alex Hinrichs (PEM) (Fall 1:26)
126: Garrett Olson (PEM) over Kail Schott (CHAT) (MD 8-0)
132: Cody Guenther (CHAT) over Austen Michel (PEM) (Dec 10-4)
138: Cooper Hofschulte (PEM) over Tate Karver (CHAT) (Fall 4:59)
145: Seth Goetzinger (CHAT) over (PEM) (For.)
152: Kael Lamb (PEM) over Luke Irhke (CHAT) (Dec 9-6)
160: Cael Marx (PEM) over Campbell Berg (CHAT) (Fall 4:53)
170: Joe Stucky (PEM) over (CHAT) (For.)
182: Grady Schott (CHAT) over Dereck Boyum (PEM) (Dec 13-8)
195: Anthony Roberton (PEM) over (CHAT) (For.)
220: Martin Prieto (PEM) over Isaiah Froese (CHAT) (SV-1 10-8)
285: Logan Wingert (PEM) over Aj Karver (CHAT) (Fall 1:18)
In the final leg of the week’s competition, the Bulldogs hosted their annual PEM Invite, with this year’s tournament being the largest one ever with 17 teams taking part. The tournament featured several outstanding wrestlers, with ranked wrestlers and state placewinners meeting as early as the quarterfinals in some brackets. At the end of the night, the top 4 teams were separated by less than 8 points.
Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, injuries and illnesses left PEM with only 10 wrestlers able to compete at the invite. Nevertheless the shorthanded Bulldogs competed very well landing in the top half of the pack despite entering the tournament without a point scorer in 4 weight classes. When the dust settled, 5 of the Bulldogs’ 10 wrestlers earned a spot on the podium with 1 champ, 1 runner-up, two 3rd place finishers, and one 4th place finisher.
Individual highlights included:
106: Isaac Walch pinned his LARP opponent in the first round, and then scored a 6-1 upset victory over #3 seeded Cole Fitzpatrick of LaCrosse Logan, who now sports a 14-7 record.
126: Austen Michel went 3-2 on the day with 2 pins and a major decision, placing 7th in the bracket. Austen’s 2 losses were both to state ranked opponents.
152: Cael Marx had a quarterfinal pin and a semifinal tech fall to earn a place in the finals for the 4th consecutive year, before falling to Caledonia’s (20-2) Isaac Densted.
160: Dereck Boyum won a 6-3 quarterfinal match over Lake City, to earn his way into the semifinals. After losing to the eventual tournament champ in the semis, Boyum rebounded with a victory by fall in the 3rd place match.
195: Martin Prieto went on a scoring rampage in the quarterfinals scoring 17 points in his opening match to win 17-12. Then put on a 19 point performance in the 3rd place match winning by a score of 19-9.
285: Logan Wingert collected 3 pins on his way to his to his 2nd consecutive PEM Invitational Championship. Wingert finished all 3 opponents in the 1st period including a 2019 state entrant in the semifinals and the #7 ranked class A wrestler in the finals. For his efforts, Wingert was awarded the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament award, an award that was voted on by the coaches of all 17 schools.
Pictures of the PEM Invitational are available here!
PEM Invitational
1 Caledonia-Houston 156.0
2 Maple River 153.5
3 Winona 152.0
4 Lake City 148.5
5 Albert Lea 133.5
6 Lewiston-Altura-Rushford-Peterson 121.0
7 Plainview Elgin Millville 106.5
8 Wabasha Kellogg 64.0
9 St. Thomas Academy 62.0
10 Fillmore C-Lanesboro-M-C Wolves, MN 52.0
11 Burnsville 47.0
12 LaCrosse Logan 44.0
13 Richfield 35.0
14 Eau Claire North 27.0
15 Austin 14.0
16 LaCrescent 13.0
17 Cochrane Fountain City 12.0
PEM Invite Individual Results
106-Isaac Walch (8-10) placed 4th and scored 13.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Isaac Walch (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-10 won by fall over Quintin Betthaser (Lewiston-Altura-Rushford-Peterson) 3-6 (Fall 1:44)
Quarterfinal - Isaac Walch (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-10 won by decision over Cole Fitzpatrick (LaCrosse Logan) 14-7 (Dec 6-1),
Semifinal - Aivin Wasmoen (Albert Lea) 18-7 won by fall over Isaac Walch (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-10 (Fall 0:35),
3rd Place Match - Nate Evans (Lake City) 13-8 won by decision over Isaac Walch (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-10 (Dec 1-0)
113-Riley Boland (2-16) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Steven Ramirez (Lake City) 5-9 won by fall over Riley Boland (Plainview Elgin Millville) 2-16 (Fall 1:06),
Cons. Round 1 - Riley Boland (Plainview Elgin Millville) 2-16 received a bye () (Bye),
Cons. Round 2 - Cory Scanlan (Caledonia-Houston) 2-2 won by decision over Riley Boland (Plainview Elgin Millville) 2-16 (Dec 4-0)
120-Alex Hinrichs (3-13) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Donavin Wylie (LaCrosse Logan) 9-15 won by decision over Alex Hinrichs (Plainview Elgin Millville) 3-13 (Dec 6-5),
Cons. Round 1 - Alex Hinrichs (Plainview Elgin Millville) 3-13 received a bye () (Bye),
Cons. Round 2 - Bradley Prestegard (Albert Lea) 5-5 won by decision over Alex Hinrichs (Plainview Elgin Millville) 3-13 (Dec 4-0)
126-Austen Michel (9-13) placed 7th and scored 10.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Austen Michel (Plainview Elgin Millville) 9-13 won by fall over Sean Donovan (Austin) 5-13 (Fall 3:25),
Quarterfinal - Ryan Henningson (Winona) 24-1 won by fall over Austen Michel (Plainview Elgin Millville) 9-13 (Fall 2:46)
Cons. Round 2 - Austen Michel (Plainview Elgin Millville) 9-13 won by fall over Terrik Miller (Wabasha Kellogg) 3-13 (Fall 1:49),
Cons. Semi - Trevor Pearson (Maple River) 21-6 won by decision over Austen Michel (Plainview Elgin Millville) 9-13 (Dec 6-0),
7th Place Match - Austen Michel (Plainview Elgin Millville) 9-13 won by major decision over Cole Linders (Richfield) 7-12 (MD 10-1)
145-Kael Lamb (8-13) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Caden Anderson (Fillmore C-Lanesboro-M-C Wolves, MN) 13-5 won by major decision over Kael Lamb (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-13 (MD 8-0)
Cons. Round 1 - Kael Lamb (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-13 received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 - Boden Simon (Maple River) 17-9 won by decision over Kael Lamb (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-13 (Dec 3-1)
152-Cael Marx (14-5) placed 2nd and scored 21.5 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Cael Marx (Plainview Elgin Millville) 14-5 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal - Cael Marx (Plainview Elgin Millville) 14-5 won by fall over Jace Pulkrabek (Richfield) 6-18 (Fall 0:41)
Semifinal - Cael Marx (Plainview Elgin Millville) 14-5 won by tech fall over Tristen Larson (Burnsville) 11-12 (TF-1.5 4:32 (16-1)),
1st Place Match - Isaac Denstad (Caledonia-Houston) 20-2 won by major decision over Cael Marx (Plainview Elgin Millville) 14-5 (MD 17-8)
160-Dereck Boyum (11-10) placed 3rd and scored 15.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Dereck Boyum (Plainview Elgin Millville) 11-10 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal - Dereck Boyum (Plainview Elgin Millville) 11-10 won by decision over Dominic Goihl-Krier (Lake City) 11-9 (Dec 6-3),
Semifinal - Caleb Talamantes (Albert Lea) 22-7 won by fall over Dereck Boyum (Plainview Elgin Millville) 11-10 (Fall 5:18),
3rd Place Match - Dereck Boyum (Plainview Elgin Millville) 11-10 won by fall over Brennan Corcoran (Lewiston-Altura-Rushford-Peterson) 10-8 (Fall 4:00)
182-Anthony Roberton (4-14) placed 8th and scored 5.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Xavion Biesterveld (Eau Claire North) 5-12 won by decision over Anthony Roberton (Plainview Elgin Millville) 4-14 (Dec 4-0),
Cons. Round 1 - Anthony Roberton (Plainview Elgin Millville) 4-14 received a bye () (Bye),
Cons. Round 2 - Anthony Roberton (Plainview Elgin Millville) 4-14 won by injury default over Jeremy Nguyen (Lake City) 2-4 (Inj. 0:00),
Cons. Semi - Colby Olson (LaCrosse Logan) 16-9 won by fall over Anthony Roberton (Plainview Elgin Millville) 4-14 (Fall 4:15),
7th Place Match - Devin Troendle (Fillmore C-Lanesboro-M-C Wolves, MN) 9-6 won by decision over Anthony Roberton (Plainview Elgin Millville) 4-14 (Dec 4-2)
195-Martin Prieto (6-1) placed 3rd and scored 14.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Martin Prieto (Plainview Elgin Millville) 6-1 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal - Martin Prieto (Plainview Elgin Millville) 6-1 won by decision over Alex Gavrilos (LaCrosse Logan) 10-11 (Dec 17-12),
Semifinal - Tyler Nachtigal (Winona) 13-4 won by decision over Martin Prieto (Plainview Elgin Millville) 6-1 (Dec 4-3)
3rd Place Match - Martin Prieto (Plainview Elgin Millville) 6-1 won by major decision over Michael Barrett (Fillmore C-Lanesboro-M-C Wolves, MN) 8-7 (MD 19-9)
285-Logan Wingert (19-2) placed 1st and scored 28.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Logan Wingert (Plainview Elgin Millville) 19-2 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal - Logan Wingert (Plainview Elgin Millville) 19-2 won by fall over Shawn Mugo (Winona) 9-7 (Fall 0:32),
Semifinal - Logan Wingert (Plainview Elgin Millville) 19-2 won by fall over Juan De Dios-Molina (Richfield) 9-7 (Fall 1:33),
1st Place Match - Logan Wingert (Plainview Elgin Millville) 19-2 won by fall over Alec Francis (Caledonia-Houston) 20-3 (Fall 1:24)