By Paul Lecker
For focusonmarshfield.com
MARSHFIELD – The Marshfield wrestling team suffered its first conference dual meet loss in nearly three years, but it took a seldom-used tiebreaker to sink them.
After 14 matches, the Tigers and Wisconsin Rapids ended its Wisconsin Valley Conference dual meet in a 32-32 tie, but by virtue of owning an 8-6 edge in matches won, Rapids earned an extra point and earn the dual win by criteria, 33-32.
In front of a raucous crowd at Marshfield High School, both schools showed off some awesome individual power as Marshfield won four matches by pin and two by major decision, while Rapids secured a pair of pins and another win by technical fall.
In the end, it came down to the final match. After Cale Benitz held off Caden Dennee, 8-6, in the 132-pound match to give the Raiders (2-0 WVC) a 32-28 lead, Marshfield had to come up with a technical fall or a pin in the final match to pull out a victory.
The Tigers’ Tanner Kanable dominated his match at 138 pounds over Ryan Sering, but couldn’t get the pin he desperately needed. Kanable won by major decision 18-8, to tie the team score, and Rapids won via the tiebreaker rule.
Marshfield (1-1 WVC) had not lost a conference dual meet since January 2016, having won the past two WVC championships with perfect 6-0 dual meet records in the regular season. Now, more than likely, the Tigers will have to not only win their final four conference duals this season, but also take the conference tournament title in February in order to be in contention for at least a share of a third-straight Valley championship.
Nolan Hertel (160 pounds) and Sam Mitchell (220) each won with first-period pins for the Tigers. Keagan Cliver (113) and Gabe Pugh (126) pinned their opponents in the second round for Marshfield’s other two pins.
In addition to Kanable, Bentley Schwanebeck-Ostermann won by major decision, earning an 11-3 victory at 182 pounds.
Zac Hamel (145) and Mike Iverson (285) won by pin, and Preston Spray (106) won by technical fall for Rapids.
Wyler Lubeck (152), Roger Fuller (170), Isaac Diaz (195) and Benitz earned wins by decision for the Raiders.
Marshfield will compete at the Shawano Invitational, while Wisconsin Rapids will travel to the West Allis Central Invitational on Saturday.
Wisconsin Rapids 33, Marshfield 32
(Note: The match was tied 32-32, Rapids wins by criteria with 8-6 lead in matches won)
145: Zac Hamel (WR) pinned Dustin Altman, 2:36.
152: Wyler Lubeck (WR) def. Caden Pearce, 5-1.
160: Nolan Hertel (M) pinned Forrest Gross, 1:25.
170: Roger Fuller (WR) def. Jayden Wilhelm, 5-1.
182: Bentley Schwanebeck-Ostermann (M) won by major dec. over Andrew Schutz, 11-3.
195: Isaac Diaz (WR) def. Ben Gust, 10-6.
220: Sam Mitchell (M) pinned Layne Kalata, 0:36.
285: Mike Iverson (WR) pinned Kavin Beranek, 1:14.
106: Preston Spray (WR) won by technical fall over Sirius Conrad, 31-16.
113: Keagan Cliver (M) pinned Lukas Erickson, 3:52.
120: Damien Bennet (WR) def. Shane Westerhausen, 3-2.
126: Gabe Pugh (M) pinned Allister Greening, 2:54.
132: Cale Benitz (WR) def. Caden Dennee, 8-6.
138: Tanner Kanable (M) won by major decision over Ryan Sering, 18-8.
Paul Lecker is publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com and a contibtor to focusonmarshfield.com.
Author: News Desk
This piece was posted by our news team! Contact us or submit stories at [email protected].
