LANCASTER - With nine wrestlers in the finals, and eight of them winning individual regional titles, the Lancaster varsity wrestling team won last Saturday’s Division 3 regional crown in convincing fashion, finishing 59 points ahead of second-place Mineral Point, and 69.5 ahead of third-place Iowa-Grant/Highland.
Many who have been following this year’s Flying Arrow wrestling team may have expected Lancaster to win the regional team title, but to do it in the way they did, had to be a pleasant surprise.
“We told the kids all week, to just go out and focus on what you can do for your team,” said head coach Brad Sturmer. “Don’t worry about anything else but yourself, your preparation, and your output on the mat. The team scores will take care of itself.”
“They knew if everyone of them wrestled like they are capable of, they could win that team title,” Sturmer added.
Of the nine wrestlers from Lancaster advancing to the finals, four of them faced off against Mineral Point wrestlers in the championship match, while four others took the mat against wrestlers from Iowa-Grant/Highland.
At 106 pounds, Lancaster sophomore Tyson Wolf pinned Shania Sarbacker of Iowa-Grant/Highland in his championship match, improving his season record to 32-9 and scoring 26 team points.
Fellow sophomore Cole Martin improved to 41-4 on the year and earned his team 25 points after collecting a 17-6 major decision over Mineral Point’s Scott Pittz in his championship match.
Junior Kyle Mezera then followed with a pin over Mineral Point’s Ross Siegenthaler in his championship match, leaving Mezera with a season record of 41-4 and earning 26 points for his team.
Lancaster junior Dan Rice then won an 8-2 decision over Mineral Point’s Jake Riley in the 132-pound championship match, giving Rice a season record of 24-8, and his team 24 more points toward the regional title.
Lancaster’s next champion came at 145 pounds, where junior Trenton Cornell won a 2-0 decision over Luke Nowak of Iowa-Grant/Highland, giving him a record of 30-6, and his team 22 more points.
Defending state champion Ethan Soderstrom then became Lancaster’s next regional champ with a second-period pin of John Schmitz of Mineral Point. Soderstrom finished the meet with 26 team points, and enters Saturday’s sectional meet with a record of 41-4.
At 170 pounds, Lancaster sophomore David Chadd improved to 37-6 with a first-period pin of Fennimore’s Dalton Miles in his championship match.
That was followed by senior Cody Glass, who won a 5-0 decision over Kyle Soderstrom of Iowa-Grant/Highland, giving him a season record of 17-10, and his team 23 more points.
“After that victory, it felt like it was our day, but we had to close it out,” said coach Brad Sturmer.
Mineral Point’s Robbie Chubb opened the door for Glass, as the state runner-up from a year ago moved up from 182 pounds to 195 in an effort to avoid meeting Edgar’s Luke Nowak (37-0) at state.
Joe Crosby, a 138-pound senior, was the ninth member of Lancaster’s team to wrestle in the finals, but suffered a 15-0 technical fall to Tucker Sarbacker of Iowa-Grant/Highland.
Earlier in the day, Crosby (22-9) defeated Baker, 5-4, in a semifinal match, scoring the winning takedown with just a second remaining in the third period at the edge of the mat.
“Joe’s match was huge, not only to score big team points for us (18), but it prohibited Mineral Point from scoring them,” said coach Brad Sturmer.
With Crosby’s semifinal win over Baker, the Arrows took a 14-point lead into the finals, instead of a two-point deficit if Baker had beaten Crosby.
With a total of nine wrestlers competing in this Saturday’s D3 Mineral Point Sectional, the Arrows are looking to break last year’s record of six state qualifiers.
To qualify for the individual state meet held Feb. 21-23 at the Kohl Center, wrestlers must finish third or higher at Saturday’s sectional meet.
With the regional team title last Saturday, the Flying Arrows advanced to this past Tuesday night’s team sectional held at Brookwood High School. Results will be in next week’s issue of the Grant County Herald Independent.
Since the WIAA changed the team wrestling format in 1991, Lancaster has advanced to team state twice. In 1992 the Arrows were state runners-up in division 2, and in 1999 lost their first dual meet, also in division 2.
D3 Lancaster Regional
(from Saturday, Feb. 9, at Lancaster)
Team scores - Lancaster 276.5; 2. Mineral Point 217.5; 3. Iowa Grant/Highland 207; 4. Fennimore 143; 5. Black Hawk 98; 6. Darlington 59; 7. Pecatonica/Argyle 52.
Lancaster participants
106 - Tyson Wolf (32-9) placed 1st and scored 26.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Tyson Wolf (Lancaster) 32-9 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal - Tyson Wolf (Lancaster) 32-9 won by pin over Joe Quinn (Black Hawk) 16-17 (Pin 0:49)
1st Place Match - Tyson Wolf (Lancaster) 32-9 won by pin over Shania Sarbacker (Iowa Grant/Highland) 20-13 (Pin 3:42)
113 - Dustin Reynolds (28-17) placed 3rd and scored 16.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Dustin Reynolds (Lancaster) 28-17 won by pin over Jordan Jenks (Iowa Grant/Highland) 22-15 (Pin 5:53)
Semifinal - Colin Novak (Black Hawk) 32-8 won by pin over Dustin Reynolds (Lancaster) 28-17 (Pin 5:48)
3rd Place Match - Dustin Reynolds (Lancaster) 28-17 won by pin over Ty Davidson (Fennimore) 22-13 (Pin 3:30)
2nd Place Match - Colin Novak (Black Hawk) 32-8 won by rule over Dustin Reynolds (Lancaster) 28-17 (RULE)
120 - Cole Martin (41-4) placed 1st and scored 25.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Cole Martin (Lancaster) 41-4 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal - Cole Martin (Lancaster) 41-4 won by pin over Brandon Aardahl (Darlington) 8-19 (Pin 1:42)
1st Place Match - Cole Martin (Lancaster) 41-4 won by major decision over Scott Pittz (Mineral Point) 35-9 (Maj 17-6)
126 - Kyle Mezera (41-4) placed 1st and scored 26.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Kyle Mezera (Lancaster) 41-4 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal - Kyle Mezera (Lancaster) 41-4 won by pin over Weston Saturn (Iowa Grant/Highland) 12-22 (Pin 1:07)
1st Place Match - Kyle Mezera (Lancaster) 41-4 won by pin over Ross Siegenthaler (Mineral Point) 31-15 (Pin 5:40)
132 - Daniel Rice (24-8) placed 1st and scored 24.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Daniel Rice (Lancaster) 24-8 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal - Daniel Rice (Lancaster) 24-8 won by pin over Patrick Roche (Darlington) 12-12 (Pin 1:08)
1st Place Match - Daniel Rice (Lancaster) 24-8 won by decision over Jake Riley (Mineral Point) 32-11 (Dec 8-2)
138 - Joe Crosby (22-9) placed 2nd and scored 18.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Joe Crosby (Lancaster) 22-9 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal - Joe Crosby (Lancaster) 22-9 won by decision over Frank Baker (Mineral Point) 24-17 (Dec 5-4)
1st Place Match - Tucker Sarbacker (Iowa Grant/Highland) 34-6 won by tech fall over Joe Crosby (Lancaster) 22-9 (TF 15-0)
2nd Place Match - Joe Crosby (Lancaster) 22-9 won by rule over Frank Baker (Mineral Point) 24-17 (RULE)
145 - Trenton Cornell (30-6) placed 1st and scored 22.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Trenton Cornell (Lancaster) 30-6 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal - Trenton Cornell (Lancaster) 30-6 won by decision over Brandon Forseth (Mineral Point) 23-18 (Dec 8-2)
1st Place Match - Trenton Cornell (Lancaster) 30-6 won by decision over Luke Nowak (Iowa Grant/Highland) 29-13 (Dec 2-0)
152 - Jacob Slater (6-5) placed 5th and scored 9.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Brandon Ashmore (Fennimore) 24-16 won by pin over Jacob Slater (Lancaster) 6-5 (Pin 2:57)
Cons. Semi - Jacob Slater (Lancaster) 6-5 received a bye () (Bye)
5th Place Match - Jacob Slater (Lancaster) 6-5 won by pin over Zach White (Pecatonica/Argyle) 7-15 (Pin 1:24)
160 - Ethan Soderstrom (41-4) placed 1st and scored 26.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Ethan Soderstrom (Lancaster) 41-4 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal - Ethan Soderstrom (Lancaster) 41-4 won by pin over Logan Steitz (Black Hawk) 16-25 (Pin 1:32)
1st Place Match - Ethan Soderstrom (Lancaster) 41-4 won by pin over John Schmitz (Mineral Point) 25-18 (Pin 3:46)
170 - David Chadd (37-6) placed 1st and scored 25.50 team points.
Quarterfinal - David Chadd (Lancaster) 37-6 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal - David Chadd (Lancaster) 37-6 won by tech fall over Nate Cody (Mineral Point) 11-19 (TF 19-4)
1st Place Match - David Chadd (Lancaster) 37-6 won by pin over Dalton Miles (Fennimore) 21-19 (Pin 1:09)
182 - Cody Glass (17-10) placed 1st and scored 23.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Cody Glass (Lancaster) 17-10 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal - Cody Glass (Lancaster) 17-10 won by major decision over Lucas Mckeon (Pecatonica/Argyle) 26-15 (Maj 9-0)
1st Place Match - Cody Glass (Lancaster) 17-10 won by decision over Kyle Soderstrom (Iowa Grant/Highland) 19-16 (Dec 5-0)
195 - Connor Flynn (11-27) placed 3rd and scored 16.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Connor Flynn (Lancaster) 11-27 won by pin over Ben Meyer (Pecatonica/Argyle) 9-12 (Pin 0:42)
Semifinal - Robby Chubb (Mineral Point) 38-1 won by pin over Connor Flynn (Lancaster) 11-27 (Pin 0:57)
3rd Place Match - Connor Flynn (Lancaster) 11-27 won by pin over Hans Heberlein (Fennimore) 13-14 (Pin 1:15)
2nd Place Match - Derek Peat (Iowa Grant/Highland) 33-7 won by pin over Connor Flynn (Lancaster) 11-27 (Pin 1:25)
220 - John VanDeHey (20-22) placed 4th and scored 11.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - John VanDeHey (Lancaster) 20-22 won by pin over Andrew Schild (Pecatonica/Argyle) 5-17 (Pin 0:16)
Semifinal - Logan Chappell (Fennimore) 38-2 won by pin over John VanDeHey (Lancaster) 20-22 (Pin :58)
3rd Place Match - Brenyn Schmit (Mineral Point) 34-10 won by decision over John VanDeHey (Lancaster) 20-22 (Dec 7-0)
285 - Brandon Richardson (15-17) placed 5th and scored 9.00 team points.
Quarterfinal - Brian Steffes (Mineral Point) 28-16 won by pin over Brandon Richardson (Lancaster) 15-17 (Pin 1:10)
Cons. Semi - Brandon Richardson (Lancaster) 15-17 received a bye () (Bye)
5th Place Match - Brandon Richardson (Lancaster) 15-17 won by pin over Mike Powers (Black Hawk) 13-11 (Pin 0:50)
