Matmen fourth at Auburndale Invite

It’s a small squad for this year’s Colby/ Abbotsford’s wrestling co-op. In spite of that, the Abby/Colby wrestlers made their presence known in Auburndale on Saturday, Dec. 18.

Eight wrestlers suited up for the co-op, but that was enough for them to finish fourth as a team, with a score of 221.5 points. Crandon took first with 374, then came La Cross Logan/Central with 314.5 and Royall was third with 290.

Spearheading the Abby/Colbys charge was the familiar names of Carter Grewe and Tanner Halopka. Both athletes took first in their respective weight classes, though much of the rest of the team turned in top ten performances.

The co-op has no wrestlers in the lower weight classes, with their lightest division the 145 weight class. Frankie Rodriguez and Tanner Halopka both competed in this division, and Halopka went 4-0, with two victories coming on pins.

Halopka won his first match in 1:13, then won his second match even faster in 48 seconds. His first place victory over Jackson McCormick of Black River Falls was by a 4-1 decision that improves Halopka’s season record to 11-0.

Jacob Hoppe had a top ten finish in the 152 weight class, placing sixth and earning 25 points. Hoppe received a bye, but lost a 12-6 decision in the quarterfinals. He bounced back with a 10-4 decision in his next match, but was pinned in the fifth place match.

Brayden Meyer had a very strong showing in the 160 weight class, earning third place overall. Meyer began his day with a pin in the quarterfinal in 3:03.

He lost his semifinal match by an 8-2 decision, but pinned Carter Bissonette of Crandon in 3:00 in the third place match.

Senior Talon Severson is back on the mats for one final tilt at a state berth.

“I’m hoping to make it to state. That would be the end goal, but right now, that’s so far away,” Severson said in between his matches. “I’m just looking to win the next match and improve.”

Severson secured another podium finish for the co-op in the 170 pound division. Severson won an 18-3 technical fall in his first match, then lost in the semis via pinfall, but took third when he took down Archer Kissner of Pittsville with a 6-0 decision or 36.5 points.

It was all about the experience for Erik Martinez, who went winless in his matches on Saturday in the 182 weight class. Martinez lost all three of his matches by pinfall, but did get valuable mat time, and still took eighth for 22 team points for Abby/Colby.

Carter Grewe continues to dominate in his senior season with Abby/Colby. The powerfully built wrestler raced through his competition in the 195 weight class.

Grewe began the day with a pinfall over Preston Weil of Almond-Bancroft/ Pacelli in 1:16. He dispatched his next opponent almost as fast, winning in 1:55. In his final match Grewe moved to 11-0 om the year with a pin in 2:39.

“Last week one of our tournaments got canceled at the last minute, so this week it was good to get out there and compete,” Grewe said. “It’s great to get some more mat time. I’m sitting 11-0, so that’s more matches than I had all of last year. It’s just really good to get out and get mat time.”

Levi Dommer was the final wrestler for the co-op, competing in the 220 weight class. Dommer placed fifth and scored 31 team points. He began his day with a 10-3 loss, but won his next two matches in quick fashion.

Dommer won his consolation match over Keanu Mapis of Black River Falls in 42 seconds, and then won his fifth place match in 52 seconds.

The co-op will face even stronger competition later this week when they travel to River Falls for a two-day tournament that will pit some of the best wrestlers from Wisconsin and Minnesota against each other.

Wrestlers like Grewe and Halopka are licking their chops to see how they stack up against the best of the best.

“I know there’s definitely work to be done. We got a big tournament coming up in late December,” Grew said eagerly. “That’s gonna be huge, the real deal, and I’ll be wrestling guys that are ranked in the country. I’m just preparing for that and the next six minutes.”

NOT GOING AS PLANNED -Erik Martinez fights to escape from the grip of Jin Yang of Eau Claire Nirth on Saturday. Martinez placed eight in the 182 weight class, and the co-op as a whole earned fourth place despite having just eight wrestlers compete.STAFF PHOTOS/ROSS PATTERMANN