A/C matmen do well in Amherst triangular
The Abbotsford/Colby wrestling co-op was hoping to have a few more matches under their belt at this point in the seeason, but Mother Nature had other plans as a snowstorm derailed the co-op’s plans to compete in the Eau Claire North Huskie Invitational on Saturday.
Nonetheless, the co-op was able to sneak in a few matches before the storm, heading over to the Amherst Triangular on Thursday, Dec. 9, squaring off with Amherst and Pittsville.
The co-op lost to both teams to slim margins, which is not altogether unexpected, considering Abby/Colby has just nine athletes out.
The co-op opened up the triangular with a match against their hosts, with Amherst topping Abby/Colby 36-21. The majority of those points came by forfiet, with the co-op unable to field wrestlers in the 106, 113, 138 and 145 weight class.
There were four double forfeits, with neither team having a wrestler on hand to compete in the 120, 126, 132 and 195 divisions.
Tanner Halopka was the first wrestler to step onto the mat on Thursday, and it was short work for the junior All-American, who pinned Luke Hoffman in 32 seconds in the 152 pound division to earn the co-op’s first points after trailing 24-0.
While Halopka’s match was brief, his teammate, Jacob Hoppe, had to go the distance in the 160 weight class. Hoppe outlasted Ephraim Anglemyer, pulling out a 17-14 decision for three points.
Talon Severson made it three in a row for Abby/Colby when he pinned Jack Bohm in 3:06 for six points in the 170 weight class to make it 24-15.
The co-op took a hit when Erik Martinez was pinned by Colton Jakubek in the 182 weight class. Carter Grewe earned the last points of the match in the 220 weight class when he defeated Gabe Helbach in 1:12 in the 220 division for six points. Levi Dommer was stopped by Owen Nelson via pinfall in the heavy weight division.
Abbotsford/Colby nearly defeated the Pittsville Panthers in their second contest of Thursday’s triangular, but the Panthers earned 30 of their 36 points via forfeit in the 120, 126, 132, 138 and 145 pound divisions.
Tanner Halopka, Talon Severson and Carter Grewe picked up 12 points for the co-op when Pittsville forfeited the 152, 170 and 195 weight class. There were double forfeits in the 106, 113 and 220 weight classes.
Levi Dommer went 1-1 on the day after he pinned Caden Behselich in just 32 seconds for six points in the heavyweight category. Jacob Hoppe won another tight decision, holding off Hunter McDaniel for a 10-8 victory in the 160 weight class.
Erik Martinez dropped to 0-2 after taking a second loss of the day, this time to Archer Kissner in the 182 weight class.
With the co-op unable to attend the Huskie Invite over the weekend, Abby/ Colby will not be back in action until this Saturday, when they journey to Auburndale for the Auburndale Invite. Matches are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
