MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (Dec. 16–23)
PREP WRESTLING: Fennimore 42, Stratford 35
FENNIMORE — The new-look, reloaded Fennimore wrestling team took a major step in the right direction Friday night with a 42–35 non-conference dual victory over visiting Stratford.
Freshman heavyweight Wyatt Miles scored a key pin in the third match of the night to begin a string of six-straight Fennimore six-point victories (five pins and a forfeit) to propel the Golden Eagles to victory.
Senior Brody Lee gave Fennimore a 42–20 lead and clinched the team victory 31-second pin of Stratford’s Logan Gaulke 152 pounds, with just three matches remaining.
“It was good to finally get Stratford down her to wrestle and it was a great atmosphers from start to finish,” said Fennimore interim co-head coach Jeff Muench. “There were several key matches for us. We knew they were tough in the upperweights and we were equally as good in the lower weights. I think it was a great test to see where we are from the top to the bottom of our lineup.”
Friday’s victory was not merely a seven-point non-conference win over a good opponent, but also another feather in Fennimore’s cap against a traditional Division 3 wrestling powerhouse which the Golden Eagles have a five-year running history at the WIAA Team State Tournament.
Fennimore has now won four of the six head-to-head meetings with Stratford in the past six years, including three straight.
The Golden Eagles have faced the mighty Tigers each of the last five years at the Team State Tournament.
Fennimore defeated Stratford 31–24 in the 2019 D3 Team State championship match, then defeated the Tigers 37–31 in a D3 state semifinal a year go.
Startford defeated the Golden Eagles in both the 2017 and 2018 state championship dual, after Fennimore defeated the Tigers 27–26 in the 2016 state championship.
“I think Friday’s win is big,” added Muench. “I think it says a lot after graduating 10 seniors and having a few key kids sideline with injuries but we still came out on top. Whenever you beat an opponent like Stratford it show not only the seniors, but also the young kids on the team what hard work and dedication can do when you put it altogether on the mat.”
The visiting Tigers opened the dual with a 9–0 lead after Raife Smart pinned Fennimore senior Chase Hestetune at 195 in the second period and Marten Cole defeated junior Cameron Winkers 5–2.
Miles began Fennimore’s tide-turning run with a 1:24 pin of Patrick Greenberg at 285 pounds in Miles biggest victory of his young career.
“Holy cow there were a lot of big matches,” said Muench. “Winkers at 220 taking on a veteran state qualifier in Cole Marten and he battled him to a loss in a close match. And Wyatt Miles pinning to get the momentum back after Startford had taken an early team lead of 9–0.
Freshmen Nick Needham (0:17) and Ian Crapp (0:07) scored lightning-quick pins at 106 and 113 to get the home crowd going and give the Eagles an 18–9 lead.
Freshman Wyatt Ahnen collected a forfeit at 120, then sophomore Brett Birchman pinned Benno Wenzel in 3:19 at 126 and sophomore Jayden Glasbrenner pinned Logan Gaulke early in the third period at 132 to give Fennimore a commanding 36–9 lead.
Senior Macoy Fitzgerald moved up to battle Gavin Drexler, perhaps the best 138-pounder in the state in all divisions and fought off a pin saving Fennimore a team point in a 17–2 technical fall loss.
Then senior Brody Lee clinched the Fennimore victory with his pin at 152 pounds.
“Brody went onto the mat with a chance to help add to the team lead with a win,” said Muench. “Even though we bumped him up to 152 and he ended up added a big six points with the pin to clinch the win.”
Fennimore (3–0, 2–0 SWAL) will return to action Wednesday, Jan. 6 at home with a non-conference dual against De Forest at 6:30 p.m.
Fennimore 42, Stratford 35
(from Friday, Dec. 18 @ Fennimore)
195: Raife Smart (S) over Chase Hestetune (F) (Fall 3:11). 220: Marten Cole (S) over Cameron Winkers (F) (Dec. 5-2). 285: Wyatt Miles (F) over Patrick Greenberg (S) over (Fall 1:24). 106: Nick Needham (F) over Roman Schmidt (S) (Fall 0:17). 113: Ian Crapp (F) over Alex Lemoine (S) (Fall 0:07). 120: Wyatt Ahnen (F) won by forfeit. 126: Brett Birchman over Benno Wenzel (S) (Fall 3:19). 132: Jayden Glasbrenner (F) over Logan Gaulke (S) (Fall 4:16). 138: Gavin Drexler over Macoy Fitzgerald (F) (Tech Fall 17-2). 145: Elijah Lucio (S) over Connar Northouse (F) (Fall 0:17). 152: Brody Lee (F) over Logan Gaulke (S) (Fall 0:31). 160: Jake Heiden (S) over Kaden Hahn (F) (Dec. 4-0). 170: Hunter Ford (S) over Cameron Wolf (F) (Fall 1:57). 182: Jackson Ormond (S) over Dawson Cole (F) (Fall 5:17).
JV matches
145: Alejandro Bonilla (F) over Andrew McCormick (S) (Fall 0:27). 145: Kaleb Krummel (S) over Jace Boebel (F) (Fall 2:53). 152: Ryan Becker (S) over Cooper Fitzgerald (F) (Fall 1:44). 160: Noah Lucio (S) over Rachel Schauer (F) (Fall 0:48). 170: Dawson Rueth (S) over Konner Swatek (F) (Fall 0:33). 220: Adam Serwe (S) over Asa Cutting (Fall 0:13).
Exhibition matches
113: Malin Hahn (F) over Alex LeMoine (S) (Fall 0:11). 120: Wyatt Ahen (F) over Benno Wenzel (S) (Dec. 9-2). 145: Ethan Telschow (S) over Jace Boebel (Fall 2:08). 152: Cooper Fitzgerald (F) over Gavin Leonhardt (S) (Dec. 6-2). 170: Logan Reith (F) over Dawson Cole (Dec. 2-0). 170: Jackson Ormond (S) over Cameron Wolf (F) (Fall 4:44). 220: Cameron Winkers (F)
