Paynesville Duals Championship Pool
1) Milaca (3-0)
2) Paynesville (3-1)
3) Simley (3-1)
4) Renville County West (1-3)
Consolation Pool
5) Perham (2-1)
6) Buffalo (1-2)
7) Sauk Centre (0-3)
For the third year in a row, the championship of the Paynesville Duals came down to a match between Milaca and Paynesville. For the third year in a row, the match came down to the final match. And for the second time in three years, Milaca beat the Bulldogs to claim the title. The dual against Milaca, which is rated fifth in the state in Class AA, featured a number of close matches and ended with a low score, 25-23, indicative of a highly competitive match.
Adam Christian, in control against his Renville County West opponent, won all four of his matches on Saturday.
Paynesville got the only pin, from Chris Rohe at 171. Milaca got the only technical fall. Each team got two major decisions, and the other seven matches were decisions, with Milaca winning four and Paynesville only three. Three matches were decided by a point, and another went to overtime.
The match was tied at 3-3, 10-10, 13-13, and 17-17. There were six lead changes, with Milaca getting the last after a 4-1 decision at heavyweight.
With the match tied 17-17, Rohe pinned his opponent in the last seconds of the first period to give Paynesville a 23-17 lead, but Milaca won the last two matches.
Other winners for Paynesville were Jeremy Sogge (130) and Max Meagher (152) with major decisions, and Adam Christian (112), Nathan Glenz (125), and Joe Hiltner (145) with decisions.
The teams split two matches pitting state-rated wrestlers. At 135, Milaca's Mike Weyer, who took fourth in state a year ago, gave senior David Kerzman his first loss of the year with a 6-5 decision.
At 145, Hiltner trailed Milaca's Adam Johnson, a state runner-up two years ago, 5-2 entering the third period. Hiltner scored on an escape and a takedown to tie the match, and scored another takedown in overtime to win 7-5.
Paynesville swept three matches to reach the final against Milaca, defeating Buffalo 37-24, Renville County West 29-25, and Simley 37-22.
The Bulldogs only won seven matches against Buffalo, but recorded bonus points in all their victories. The Bulldogs had four pins, a technical fall, and a major decision. Paynesville's pins came from Christian (112), Nathan Glenz (125), Hiltner (145), and Ryan Glenz (160). Ryan Glenz pinned an opponent who entered the tournament with a 18-4 record. That pin sealed the match.
The Bulldogs won six consecutive matches in beating Renville County West 29-25. Paynesville trailed 10-0 but won the six matches from 119 to 145. Christian and Hiltner recorded pins in that stretch, and the Jaguars forfeited to Kerzman as Paynesville took a 27-10 lead.
The match wasn't decided until the 171-pound match. Paynesville lost a team point for unsportsman-like conduct after the 152-pound match to cut their lead to 26-13, got a 3-1 decision from Ryan Glenz at 160 for their final points, and sealed the match after losing a decision at 171.
The Bulldogs jumped to a 15-0 lead against Simley and won eight matches to beat the 11th-ranked team in Class AAA. Sean Glenz won a decision at 103, and Christian and Nathan Glenz pinned their opponents at 112 and 119.
Other pins for Paynesville came from Kerzman at 135, against a state-rated opponent, and from Ryan Glenz at 160.
Meagher contributed a major decision at 152, and Hiltner and Rohe added decisions at 145 and 189 respectively.
Paynesville forfeited to Matt Anderson at 125, who is ranked second in Class AAA, and Sogge lost 4-3 to Pete McAfee, ranked fourth in Class AAA, at 130.
Undefeated wrestlers for Paynesville on Saturday were Adam Christian, Nathan Glenz, and Joe Hiltner.
The tournament, because Dawson-Boyd cancelled at the last minute due to icy roads, used a round-robin format in the championship and consolation pools.
The Bulldogs have a light week, with only one match against Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City this week. They will host the Falcons on Thursday starting at 6:30 p.m. This will be the team's last regular season match.
Paynesville Duals
Championship Pool
1) Milaca (3-0)
2) Paynesville (3-1)
3) Simley (3-1)
4) Renville County West (1-3)
Consolation Pool
5) Perham (2-1)
6) Buffalo (1-2)
7) Sauk Centre (0-3)
Senior Joe Hiltner pinned this opponent and won all four of his matches Saturday.
Milaca 25, Paynesville 23
103-Steven Vedders (M) dec. Sean Glenz, 13-12; 112-Adam Christian (P) dec. Joel Wirtz, 5-2; 119-Clay Hoeck (M) maj. dec. Pat Noonan, 16-2; 125-Nathan Glenz (P) dec. Mark Anson, 4-3; 130-Jeremy Sogge (P) maj. dec. Justin Peterson, 15-4; 135-Mike Weyer (M) dec. David Kerzman, 6-5; 140-Mitch Vedders (M) dec. Jeremy Fuchs, 4-0; 145-Joe Hiltner (P) dec. Adam Johnson, 7-5 OT; 152-Max Meagher (P) maj. dec. Andy Kotsmith, 15-2; 160-Brian Flatland (M) maj. dec. Ryan Glenz, 14-2; 171-Chris Rohe (P) pinned Tony Swenson, 1:57; 189-Craig Kotsmith (M) tech. falled Josh Kerzman, 22-7; HWT-Pete Beckstrom (M) dec. Jason Leyendecker, 4-1.
Paynesville 37, Simley 22
103-Sean Glenz (P) dec. Steve Staples, 13-11; 112-Adam Christian (P) pinned Brandon Murphy, 1:19; 119-Nathan Glenz (P) pinned Tony Briggs, 1:07; 125-Matt Anderson (S) won by forfeit; 130-Pete McAfee (S) dec. Jeremy Sogge, 4-3; 135-David Kerzman (P) pinned Jeff Grosland, 2:13; 140-Kyle Anderson (S) dec. Jeremy Fuchs, 7-6; 145-Joe Hiltner (P) dec. George Lynaugh, 10-4; 152-Max Meagher (P) maj. dec. David Donnelly, 9-0; 160-Ryan Glenz (P) pinned Nick Rydberg, 4:57; 171-Joe Conley (S) maj. dec. Josh Kerzman, 20-9; 189-Chris Rohe (P) dec. Jake Brown, 14-8; HWT-Ryan Rydberg (S) pinned Brad Person, 2:30.
Paynesville 29, RCW 25
103-David Schjenken (RCW) maj. dec. Sean Glenz, 16-5; 112-Phil Wohlman (RCW) pinned Pat Noonan, 1:37; 119- Adam Christian (P) pinned Todd Nellermoe, 4:42; 125-Nathan Glenz (P) dec. Nathan Martinez, 7-2; 130-Jeremy Sogge (P) dec. Chase Thielen, 16-9; 135-David Kerzman (P) won by forfeit; 140-Jeremy Fuchs (P) dec. Mike Johnson, 7-2; 145-Joe Hiltner (P) pinned David Arnold, 4:29; 152-Brian Smith (RCW) dec. Max Meagher, 11-7; 160-Ryan Glenz (P) dec. Josh Holien, 3-1; 171-Shane Freiborg (RCW) dec. Josh Kerzman, 9-4; 189-Todd Bryan (RCW) dec. Chris Rohe, 2-0; HWT- Andy Davis (RCW) pinned Brad Person, 0:16.
Paynesville 37, Buffalo 24
103-Tyler Reiss (B) dec. Sean Glenz, 16-10; 112-Adam Christian (P) pinned Ben Olson, 0:22; 119-Danny Ruter (B) tech. falled Pat Noonan, 17-1; 125-Nathan Glenz (P) pinned Daron Kath, 2:52; 130-Mike Baker (B) dec. Jeremy Sogge, 9-7; 135-David Kerzman (P) tech. falled Nate Braun, 27-11; 140-Jeremy Fuchs (P) maj. dec. Matt Jackson, 16-4; 145-Joe Hiltner (P) pinned Jordan Henry, 2:30; 152-Max Meagher (P) maj. dec. Jason Nelson, 19-6; 160-Ryan Glenz (P) pinned Adam Lund, 3:30; 171-Bob Newman (B) maj. dec. Josh Kerzman, 13-5; 189-Derreck Holmberg (B) dec. Chris Rohe, 6-2; HWT-Al Paulson (B) pinned Brad Person, 4:32.
Canby 35, Paynesville 21
A series of close defeats added up to a 35-21 loss for the wrestlers against Canby on Thursday night in Canby. The loss ended an 11-match winning streak for Paynesville.
The Bulldogs won five matches in a row from 125 to 145, but the Lancers, rated seventh in Class A in the state, won the other eight weights. The Lancers also got three pins to only one for Paynesville.
Trailing 12-0, the Bulldogs scored their 21 points in the next five matches. Nathan Glenz won a major decision at 125, Jeremy Sogge won by technical fall at 130, and Jeremy Fuchs won a close 4-2 decision at 135 to tie the score at 12. Then David Kerzman got his 161st career win with a pin at 140, and Joe Hiltner rallied with eight points in the third period for an 11-4 decision to take a 21-12 lead.
Paynesville came up just short in three other matches. At 103, Sean Glenz trailed 12-4 entering the fourth, but scored two three-point near falls to narrow the margin two, losing 12-10.
Both Adam Christian at 112 and Ryan Glenz at 160 lost in overtime. Each gave up costly penalty points in regulation to tie and lost in overtime on a takedown.
The Bulldogs gave up bonus points in their other five losses.
Canby always fields a well-balanced team and won consolation title at last year's state meet. The Bulldogs split with the Lancers a year ago, losing 30-29 in the regular season but avenging that loss with a 35-16 victory at state.
Canby 35, Paynesville 21
103-Taylor Christianson (C) dec. Sean Glenz, 12-10; 112-Jeff Kern (C) dec. Adam Christian, 6-4 OT; 119-Lance Citrowske (C) pinned Pat Noonan, 0:09; 125-Nathan Glenz (P) maj. dec. Chris Oellien, 9-0; 130-Jeremy Sogge (P) tech. falled Keith Pederson, 20-5; 135-Jeremy Fuchs (P) dec. David Schrunk, 4-2; 140-David Kerzman (P) pinned Matt Hoffman, 1:59; 145-Joe Hiltner (P) dec. Nick Kockelman, 11-4; 152-Dan Foli (C) maj. dec. Max Meagher, 11-1; 160-Ross Kockelman Ryan Glenz, 5-3 OT; 171-Blaine Merritt (C) maj. dec. Josh Kerzman, 16-4; 189-Tony Kockelman (C) pinned Chris Rohe, 3:42; HWT-Jake Bajic (C) pinned Brad Person, 1:05.