A/C grapplers sharpen skills at Bluejay Challenge
Also hosted first home meet of 2022
With less than ten wrestlers out for the Abbotsford/Colby wrestling co-op this season, it’s doubtful they’ll be winning any tournaments in the coming weeks.
But that’s just fine for those who are willing to take to the mats. Their individual efforts stand out no matter where or who they compete against.
Each wrestler is looking to sharpen their skills through the month of January, and last week provided ample opportunity to do so.
The co-op hosted their first home meet of 2022, with a triangular in Colby on Thursday, Jan. 6. Barron and the Neillsville/ Greenwood/Loyal co-op went back and forth with Abby/Colby.
Many of the co-op’s opponents’ points came through forfeit. When Abby/Colby was able to field a wrestler in a weight class, more often than not it was a hand from A/C being raised in victory.
The co-op took an early 17-0 lead in their first match of Thursday night, a battle with Barron, before the Golden Bears picked up 30 of their 37 points through forfeit for a 37-23 win.
Of the six Abby/Colby wrestlers, four of them were victorious. Brayden Meyer opened with a 17-1 technical fall in the 170 weight class for five points. Talon Severson stopped Austin Bladow in the 182 weight class, winning the match with a pin late in the third period.
Carter Grewe completely dismantled his opponent in the 195 pound division, picking up six points with a pin in 1:15. Levi Dommer took a 11-3 major decision loss in the 220 weight class.
There was a double forfeit at 285, 138 and 145. A/C forfeited matches in the 106, 113, 120, 126 and 132 weight classes.
Jacob Hoppe took Bryce Keilholtz to the brink, but lost a 9-7 decision. Tanner Halopka ended the match on a high note for the co-op, pinning his opponent in the 160 weight class in 3:48.
The co-op lost their next match to N/G/L 46-18, with forfeits the decider. Carter Grewe and Levi Dommer scored 12 points for A/C with forfeits at 195 and 220. Jacob Hoppe lost a match in the 152 weight class via pinfall.
Tanner Halopka earned the co-op’s final points by pinning Garrett Learman in 1:39 in the 160 weight class. Brayden Meyer lost a 9-1 major decision in the 170 weight class. Talon Severson was unable to wrestle in the 182 weight class.
Bluejay Challenge
The co-op did not have to travel far for their next tournament, taking a drive to Merrill for the 2022 Bluejay Challenge.
Teams from D-1 schools on down were in attendance. Wausau West won the event with 505 points. St. Croix Central was second with 432 and Prairie du Chien was third with 400 points.
Abby/Colby placed 15th out of nearly two dozen scoring teams, finishing with 170 points. To no one’s surprise, Carter Grewe and Tanner Halopka carried the banner for the co-op on Saturday. Both dueled for the title, but they were not the only ones to perform well. placed in the top ten in their divisions, and Frankie Rodriguez and Brayden Meyer were just outside, placing eleventh in their weight classes.
Carter Grewe practically sprinted into the championship match in the 195 weight class. None of Grewe’s opponents made it out of the first period. The burly senior from Colby High won his first three matches by pinfall, with all lasting under a minute. Grewe drew Joseph Berens of Wausau West for the title.
Berens is ranked seventh in D-1 at 195, but after the Northern Badger, Grewe is now ranked second in D-2, and he proved the better of the two, stopping Berens with a 3-1 decision for 48 points. The tourney improves Grewe’s mark to 20-1.
Sophomore Tanner Halopka nearly joined Grewe as champion, but he lost by the slimmest of margins in the championship round at the 145 pound division.
Halopka wrapped up his first matches in under a minute by pinfall. He had to work for his semifinal victory over Cole Sheperd of Crandon. Halopka was able to sneak by with a 2-1 decision to set up a title match with Gabriel Ramos of Wausau West.
Cliff’s Auto Service LLC Ramos entered the tournament ranked fourth in the state in D-1, but has been ranked as high as number two. The two ranked wrestlers went the distance, but Ramos edged Halopka for a 7-6 decision. It’s Halopka’s first defeat, though he still sits at 23-1, and earned 40 points.
Levi Dommer had an excellent tournament in Merrill, claiming sixth place in the 220 division. Dommer improved to 1210 on the year, winning two matches by pinfall, and losing two matches on pins.
Talon Severson was not at full strength, but still managed to place ninth in the 170 weight class. Severson lost his first match by pinfall, but won his next with a pin in 2:56. He dropped his next match via pinfall, but went on to win his final two matches of the day through pinfalls.
BraydenMeyerandFrankieRodriguez were eleventh in their respective weight classes. Meyer improved to 10-6 after going 2-2 on Saturday. Both of Meyer’s wins came by pinfall. Rodriguez is now 7-7 at 138 after pining of Zach Krause of Edgar.
The co-op has Cloverbelt dual with Spencer/Columbus in Spencer on Thursday at 6 p.m. and a tournament in Ladysmith on Saturday that begins at 10 a.m.
FOLD YOU LIKE A PIECE OF PAPER -Brayden Meyer of the Abbotsford/Colby wrestling co-op applies his leverage over Anthony Mashak of Barron on Thursday. Meyer won via technical fall. The co-op enjoyed a successful tournament in Merrill on Saturday as Carter Grewe and Tanner Halopka both competed for titles. STAFF PHOTOS/ROSS PATTERMANN
DON’T LET HIM SLIP AWAY! -Jacon Hoppe works hard to keep Barron’s Bryce Heilholtz in his grasp. Hoppe would lose the match on a 9-7 decision.
