Marshfield wrestling sending five to WIAA state tournament

Marshfield wrestlers Tanner Kanable, bottom from left, and Nolan Hertel, and Bentley-Schwanebeck-Ostermann, back from left, Gabe Pugh, and Sam Mitchell qualified for next week’s WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament after earning top-two finishes at the Division 1 sectional Saturday at Wausau West. (Submitted photo)

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WAUSAU – Marshfield will be sending five athletes onto the state wrestling tournament following competition at the Division 1 individual sectional Saturday at Wausau West High School.

Gabe Pugh (113 pounds), Bentley Schwanebeck-Ostermann (170), and Sam Mitchell (182) won sectional titles, while Nolan Hertel (145) and Tanner Kanable (126) both placed second to advance to state.

The 2018 WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament will be held Feb. 22-24 at the Kohl Center in Madison.

Hertel will be making his third state tournament appearance and Mitchell will be returning for his second-straight trip. Both are juniors.

Pugh, a freshman, improved to 37-5 this season by beating Cale Benitz of Wisconsin Rapids 6-3 in the 113-pound championship match. Pugh beat Rhinelander’s Reuben Guzik and Benitz, both of whom he lost to at regionals last weekend to finish third.

Schwanebeck-Ostermann, a junior, moved to 38-3 with a major decision over Levi Smith of Eau Claire Memorial 12-0, in the 170-pound title bout.

Mitchell (43-2) whipped Jared Woodhull of Chippewa Falls 12-4 in the 182-pound championship match.

Kanable, a junior, lost to Stevens Point’s Chance Bailey by pin in 1:36 to finish second at 126 and is now 32-14 this year.

Hertel (29-6) lost the 145-pound title match to Jacob DeMeyer of Rhinelander 7-1.

Caden Pearce (138) and Caden Dennee (120) each finished third for the Tigers. Pearce (37-10) earned a second-place wrestleback match for a chance to advance to the state meet, but lost to Wyler Lubeck of Wisconsin Rapids, 9-2.

Seniors Alex Brost (29-9) and Connor Berry (24-12) finished fourth at 220 and 285, respectively.

Riley Wilcott (106 pounds), Spencer Wirthlin (132), Payton Young (152) and Issac Slark (195) also competed at the sectional for Marshfield, but did not place in the top four in their weight classes.

The five state qualifiers ties a program record for Marshfield.

“I am proud of each and every one of our wrestlers that competed today,” Marshfield coach Jackson Hein said. “Sectionals is a tough tournament, and I thought that our guys represented our team and community well. We are looking forward to a good week of practice and hope to bring home some hardware next weekend.”

The five Marshfield wrestlers will take part in Division 1 quarterfinals starting at 3 p.m. Thursday.

2018 WIAA Division 1 Individual Wrestling Sectional
Feb. 17, at Wausau West High School
Team scores:
1. Marshfield 131.5; 2. Rhinelander 107.5; 3. Hudson 92.5; 4. River Falls 81.5; 5. Wisconsin Rapids 78; 6. D.C. Everest 49; 7. Stevens Point 46; 8. New Richmond 40; 9. Eau Claire North 36.5; 10. Menomonie and Superior 36; 12. Wausau West 29; 13. Chippewa Falls 21; 14. Eau Claire Memorial 18; 15. Merrill 14.
Top 2 in each weight class qualify for WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament, Feb. 22-24, at Madison
106:
Championship – Justin Groshek (SP) pinned Leo Draveling (HUD), 2:51; Third place – Damien Bennett (WR) def. Tim Fox (RH), 5-2; No second-place wrestleback.
113: Championship – Gabe Pugh (MAR) def. Cale Benitz (WR), 6-3; Third place – Reuben Guzik (RH) pinned Jakob Anderson (CF), 0:53; Second-place wrestleback – Guzik (RH) def. Benitz (WR), 8-2.
120: Championship – Tyler Olson (RH) def. Cameron Schmeiser (WW), 4-0; Third place – Caden Dennee (MAR) pinned Freddy Lehrke (DC), 0:33; No second-place wrestleback.
126: Championship – Chance Bailey (SP) pinned Tanner Kanable (MAR), 1:36; Third place –Brandon Dennis (NR) def. Demetrio Covarrubias (DC), 5-3. No second-place wrestleback.
132: Championship – Thomas Severson (DC) pinned Mitchell Anderson (HUD), 5:57; Third place – Carter Duerkop (ECN) pinned Zac Hamel (WR), 1:40; Second-place wrestleback – Anderson (HUD) pinned Duerkop (ECN), 2:41.
138: Championship – Mason Phillips (ECN) won major dec. over Wyler Lubeck (WR), 12-2; Third place – Caden Pearce (MAR) def. Vincent Fanning (HUD), 5-2; Second-place wrestleback – Lubeck (WR) def. Pearce (MAR), 9-2.
145: Championship – Jacob DeMeyer (RH) def. Nolan Hertel (MAR), 7-1; Third place – Branden McClure (SUP) pinned Garrett Borth (RF), 2:40; No second-place wrestleback.
152: Championship – Nathan Fuller (RF) def. Bergh Diebel (WR), 9-4; Third place – Sam Skillings (MEN) pinned Dylan Wachter (NR), 4:54; No second-place wrestleback.
160: Championship – Jacob Anderson (HUD)pinned Nathan Fehlen (NR), 3:17; Third place – Carson Trotzer (DC) pinned Jake Boyette (MEN), 5:57; No second-place wrestleback.
170: Championship – Bentley Schwanebeck-Ostermann (MAR) won major dec. over Levi Smith (ECM), 12-0; Third place – Glen Pendleton (RF) won major dec. over Cody Cicha (HUD), 18-8; Second-place wrestleback – Smith (ECM) pinned Pendleton (RF), 2:25.
182: Championship – Sam Mitchell (MAR) won major dec. over Jared Woodhull (CF), 12-4; Third place – Jaylen Wright (MEN) pinned Roger Fuller (WR), 1:41; Second-place wrestleback – Woodhull (CF) def. Wright (MEN), 7-2.
195: Championship – Alec Kurtz (RH) won major dec. over Chance Kamrowski (RF), 12-4; Third place – Layne Kalata (WR) def. Travis Messer (NR), 6-5; Second-place wrestleback – Kamrowski (RF) won by technical fall over Kalata (WR), 17-2.
220: Championship – Oscar Flaherty (SUP) def. Colton Krueger (RH), 7-5; Third place – Timothy Mineau (WW) pinned Alex Brost (MAR), 5:05.
285: Championship – Mitchell Williamson (RF) def. Cole Godbout (HUD), 7-3; Third place – Noah Bolling (MER) pinned Connor Berry (MAR), 4:54.