This story is sponsored by: American Family Insurance – Randy LeMoine Agency, LLC
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – Marshfield has not won a Wisconsin Valley Conference wrestling championship since 1958, and it took a big step toward doing that by beating Wausau West 55-21 in its final conference dual meet Thursday night at a ruckus Boson Company Fieldhouse at Marshfield High School.
Marshfield finishes the WVC dual meet season with a perfect 6-0 record. The Tigers can finish off an overall conference championship by finishing first or second at the Wisconsin Valley Conference Tournament on Feb. 4 at Stevens Point Area Senior High.
“It feels good, but we still have the conference tournament to decide if we are conference champions,” senior 138-pounder Anthony Kanable said. “We have that yet to finish and hopefully we can do it. If we do what we usually do, we should be able to do it.”
Marshfield won the first four matches, including a thrilling overtime victory by freshman Brayden Richardson at 126 pounds, a technical fall victory by senior Anthony Kanable at 138, and a pin from sophomore Nolan Hertel at 145. The other win came by forfeit.
The three wins on the mat set the tone for the Tigers. Richardson earned a takedown in the final seconds of regulation to tie it and then won it with another takedown just 13 seconds into OT.
Kanable and Hertel dominated their matches, with Hertel earning a pin 1:01 into the second period to give the Tigers a 20-0 lead.
After an overtime win for West’s Alek Hein, Bentley Ostermann earning a dominating 20-5 technical fall win at 160 pounds for the Tigers.
Alex Brost (182), Conner Peterson (195) and Sam Bauman (220) added consecutive pins for Marshfield, and Caden Dennee (113) and Tanner Kanable (120) finished off the victory with two more pins.
“It’s been a really fun year and we don’t want it to be over,” Marshfield coach Jackson Hein said. “The cool part about this team, the first couple of weeks we set goals, and as we saw success and our training take over, we re-evaluated our goals and it’s more than just winning conference. It was definitely the first thing on the list, but the list has become bigger as the season has gone on.”
Hein said he expects the conference tournament will not be easy.
“I don’t think you can count out anyone in this conference,” Hein said. “There’s really good coaches in the conference and they’re going to make sure their kids are ready. It’s another opportunity for us to go out and get better.”
Marshfield 55, Wausau West 21
126: Brayden Richardson (M) def. Luke Lo 8-6 in OT.
132: Caden Pearce (M) won by forfeit.
138: Anthony Kanable (M) won by technical fall over Nick Henkens 18-3.
145: Nolan Hertel (M) pinned Ryan Waldron in 3:01.
152: Alek Hein (WW) def. Payton Young 11-9 in OT.
160: Bentley Ostermann (M) won by technical fall over Michael Olson 20-5.
170: Jordan La Rue (WW) pinned Sam Mitchell in 2:00.
182: Alex Brost (M) pinned Justin Bonke in 4:44.
195: Conner Peterson (M) pinned Pedro Sanchez in 0:53.
220: Sam Bauman (M) pinned Travis Wraggs in 3:10.
285: Tim Mineau (WW) pinned A.J. Leonhardt in 1:47.
106: Cameron Schmeiser (WW) pinned Shane Westerhausen in 3:12.
113: Caden Dennee (M) pinned Carter Napiowocki in 3:37.
120: Tanner Kanable (M) pinned Zach Fisher in 1:25.