Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi was quoted, "the greatest accomplishment is not in never failing, but in rising again after you fall". The PEM wrestlers took this quote to heart this past weekend after a sound defeat Friday night, then victories and a tournament championship. The team took another large step forward in their young careers this past weekend. The grapplers split a Three Rivers Conference home triangular Friday night with Caledonia and Lewiston-Altura/Rushford-Peterson (LARP) then took home the top prize on Saturday with an outstanding team effort PEM Invite championship!
PEM took on state ranked and senior talented Caledonia in the first match Friday night. The #7 Warriors showed their dominance with a 55-18 defeat of PEM. Coach Nate Pfeilsticker commented, "Caledonia showed our home crowd why they are top 10 ranked in MN. That is a talented group that hasn't missed out on many weight room workouts. They came to town ready to wrestle. We learned a lot and will build from here."
The Bulldogs then took on LARP in the evening's 3rd match. After a back and forth see-saw battle in the lower weights. PEM stormed back in the upper weights to take control and win the match, 51-19. PEM honored their seniors on Friday night as Domic Michel, Garion Wallgren, Kyler Lamb and Sam Ring stepped to center mat as PA announcer Paul Aarsvold read a short summary on their careers and future plans. All 4 seniors will be missed as they have shown this young team leadership and determination moving forward.
Coach Cam Miller added, "Kudos to the Bulldogs for having short term memory with the Caledonia match, by honoring our seniors and stepping up with a nice TRC and section win vs LARP. This program has always been built around leadership and our seniors have brought that and more."
It was a short night of sleep for PEM, as 11 other teams rolled into town for Saturday's 35th annual PEM Invite. The tournament showcased state ranked St. Thomas Academy with their top ranked Hwt, Vincent Mueller. Maple River/USC was also in attendance as the Longhorns are coming off a state tournament team appearance last year and will be defending their section championship next month. The day was a grind as wrestlers battled in 16 man brackets throughout the afternoon.
PEM had 4 wrestlers earn spots in the championship round with Aiden Graner, Nolan Ford, Dominic Michel and Alex Hinrichs stamping their ticket to the finals. But the day was won as PEM wrestlers battled through the wrestle backs and earned pins along the way. Nolan Pfeilsticker, Logan Dittrich, Garion Wallgren and Alex Bedsted each earned bonus points for the team in their medal round matches to help PEM take home the championship! Coach Daren Wingert added, "this team showed their GRIT today. That was a tough night on Friday then on short sleep show up with St. Thomas and Maple River/USC waiting in the wings on Saturday and we were able to pull it off! What an effort by our guys!" Team Scores
1. Plainview Elgin Millville 178.5
2. St. Thomas Academy 175.0
3. Fillmore C-Lanesboro-M-C Wolves, MN 155.5
4. Maple River/USC 152.0
5. Lake City 131.0
6. LaCrosse Logan 106.0
7. Lewiston-Altura-Rushford-Peterson 98.0
8. Eau Claire North 78.0
9. Winona 75.5
10. Wabasha Kellogg 66.0
11. Cochrane Fountain City 28.0
12. LaCrescent 6.5
113- Aiden Graner (18-4) placed 2nd and scored 19.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Aiden Graner (Plainview Elgin Millville) 18-4 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal - Aiden Graner (Plainview Elgin Millville) 18-4 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal - Aiden Graner (Plainview Elgin Millville) 18-4 won by major decision over Donovan Yang (LaCrosse Logan) 17-9 (MD 10-0)
1st Place Match - Thomas Holmquist (St. Thomas Academy) 21-4 won by decision over Aiden Graner (Plainview Elgin Millville) 18-4 (Dec 6-2)
120- Joshua Schad (11-9) placed 4th and scored 16.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Joshua Schad (Plainview Elgin Millville) 11-9 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal - Joshua Schad (Plainview Elgin Millville) 11-9 won by fall over Brayden Mithun (Maple River/USC) 3-6 (Fall 4:48)
Semifinal - Chris Cushman (Wabasha Kellogg) 19-6 won by major decision over Joshua Schad (Plainview Elgin Millville) 11-9 (MD 14-5)
Cons. Semi - Joshua Schad (Plainview Elgin Millville) 11-9 won by fall over Henry Dohnalik (LaCrescent) 4-7 (Fall 3:38)
3rd Place Match - Cristofer Ramirez (Lake City) 15-4 won by decision over Joshua Schad (Plainview Elgin Millville) 11-9 (Dec 4-1)
126- Nolan Pfeilsticker (8-9) placed 5th and scored 7.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Nolan Pfeilsticker (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-9 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal - Colten Jenkins (Lewiston-Altura-Rushford-Peterson) 8-13 won by fall over Nolan Pfeilsticker (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-9 (Fall 3:30)
Cons. Round 2 - Nolan Pfeilsticker (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-9 received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 3 - Nolan Pfeilsticker (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-9 received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Semi - Henry Cushman (Wabasha Kellogg) 16-14 won by fall over Nolan Pfeilsticker (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-9 (Fall 1:34)
5th Place Match - Nolan Pfeilsticker (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-9 won by fall over Liam Connor (St. Thomas Academy) 3-16 (Fall 1:44)
132- Nolan Ford (16-9) placed 2nd and scored 20.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Nolan Ford (Plainview Elgin Millville) 16-9 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal - Nolan Ford (Plainview Elgin Millville) 16-9 won by decision over Jordan Zibrowski (Lewiston-Altura-Rushford-Peterson) 14-5 (Dec 3-1)
Semifinal - Nolan Ford (Plainview Elgin Millville) 16-9 won by fall over Robert Cushman (Wabasha Kellogg) 7-15 (Fall 5:24)
1st Place Match - Kane Larson (Fillmore C-Lanesboro-M-C Wolves, MN) 19-4 won by fall over Nolan Ford (Plainview Elgin Millville) 16-9 (Fall 4:53)
138- Logan Dittrich (13-13) placed 5th and scored 13.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Logan Dittrich (Plainview Elgin Millville) 13-13 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal - Logan Dittrich (Plainview Elgin Millville) 13-13 won by fall over Connor Wingert (Fillmore C-Lanesboro-M-C Wolves, MN) 13-7 (Fall 1:32)
Semifinal - Logan Henningson (Winona) 24-2 won by injury default over Logan Dittrich (Plainview Elgin Millville) 13-13 (Inj. 0:55)
Cons. Semi - Josiah Solliday (St. Thomas Academy) 11-12 won by decision over Logan Dittrich (Plainview Elgin Millville) 13-13 (Dec 4-2)
5th Place Match - Logan Dittrich (Plainview Elgin Millville) 13-13 won by fall over Will Killeen (Wabasha Kellogg) 13-14 (Fall 5:39)
145- Dominic Michel (9-2) placed 2nd and scored 22.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Dominic Michel (Plainview Elgin Millville) 9-2 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal - Dominic Michel (Plainview Elgin Millville) 9-2 won by fall over Gavin Bird (Maple River/USC) 0-5 (Fall 1:25)
Semifinal - Dominic Michel (Plainview Elgin Millville) 9-2 won by fall over Owen Allred (Winona) 14-10 (Fall 3:03)
1st Place Match - Daylin Haney (LaCrosse Logan) 21-7 won by decision over Dominic Michel (Plainview Elgin Millville) 9-2 (Dec 6-1)
152- Garion Wallgren (8-9) placed 3rd and scored 19.5 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Garion Wallgren (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-9 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal - Garion Wallgren (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-9 won by fall over Chad Shull (Maple River/USC) 8-8 (Fall 3:34)
Semifinal - Carter Hovland (Fillmore C-Lanesboro-M-C Wolves, MN) 16-4 won by fall over Garion Wallgren (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-9 (Fall 3:50)
Cons. Semi - Garion Wallgren (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-9 won by fall over Levi Tryggestad (LaCrosse Logan) 4-14 (Fall 0:48)
3rd Place Match - Garion Wallgren (Plainview Elgin Millville) 8-9 won by tech fall over Weston Roberson (Lake City) 13-9 (TF-1.5 4:29 (16-1))
160- Gavin Staudacher (2-5) placed 6th and scored 3.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Gavin Staudacher (Plainview Elgin Millville) 2-5 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal - Avin Smith (LaCrosse Logan) 11-15 won by fall over Gavin Staudacher (Plainview Elgin Millville) 2-5 (Fall 0:47)
Cons. Round 2 - Gavin Staudacher (Plainview Elgin Millville) 2-5 received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 3 - Gavin Staudacher (Plainview Elgin Millville) 2-5 received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Semi - Julien Vinson-Audetat (Winona) 11-12 won by decision over Gavin Staudacher (Plainview Elgin Millville) 2-5 (Dec 6-0)
5th Place Match - Avin Smith (LaCrosse Logan) 11-15 won by fall over Gavin Staudacher (Plainview Elgin Millville) 2-5 (Fall 5:03)
170- Alex Hinrichs (17-8) placed 2nd and scored 19.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Alex Hinrichs (Plainview Elgin Millville) 17-8 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal - Alex Hinrichs (Plainview Elgin Millville) 17-8 won by major decision over Taylor Frederick (Eau Claire North) 11-12 (MD 12-0)
Semifinal - Alex Hinrichs (Plainview Elgin Millville) 17-8 won by decision over Oliver Hoeltzle (Fillmore C-Lanesboro-M-C Wolves, MN) 12-5 (Dec 2-0)
1st Place Match - Peyton Hoff (Winona) 17-6 won by decision over Alex Hinrichs (Plainview Elgin Millville) 17-8 (Dec 10-6)
182- Alexander Bedsted (15-11) placed 5th and scored 13.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Alexander Bedsted (Plainview Elgin Millville) 15-11 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal - Alexander Bedsted (Plainview Elgin Millville) 15-11 won by fall over Cameron Olson (Eau Claire North) 6-6 (Fall 3:32)
Semifinal - Cooper Ochsendorf (Maple River/USC) 21-2 won by major decision over Alexander Bedsted (Plainview Elgin Millville) 15-11 (MD 12-4)
Cons. Semi - Cole Sass (Fillmore C-Lanesboro-M-C Wolves, MN) 11-8 won by fall over Alexander Bedsted (Plainview Elgin Millville) 15-11 (Fall 3:24)
5th Place Match - Alexander Bedsted (Plainview Elgin Millville) 15-11 won by fall over Cameron Olson (Eau Claire North) 6-6 (Fall 1:24)
195- Maeson Tradup (11-8) placed 4th and scored 14.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Maeson Tradup (Plainview Elgin Millville) 11-8 received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal - Maeson Tradup (Plainview Elgin Millville) 11-8 won by decision over Josh Hightower (Eau Claire North) 3-4 (Dec 16-13)
Semifinal - Jackson Cercioglu (St. Thomas Academy) 15-7 won by decision over Maeson Tradup (Plainview Elgin Millville) 11-8 (Dec 4-1)
Cons. Semi - Maeson Tradup (Plainview Elgin Millville) 11-8 won by fall over Josh Dietrich (Lewiston-Altura-Rushford-Peterson) 5-12 (Fall 0:29)
3rd Place Match - Ethan Roberson (Lake City) 17-6 won by decision over Maeson Tradup (Plainview Elgin Millville) 11-8 (Dec 8-7)
220- Drew Rahman (15-13) placed 6th and scored 13.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Drew Rahman (Plainview Elgin Millville) 15-13 won by fall over Jackson Bergan (Lewiston-Altura-Rushford-Peterson) 2-6 (Fall 1:01)
Quarterfinal - Noah Penigar (Eau Claire North) 13-10 won by decision over Drew Rahman (Plainview Elgin Millville) 15-13 (Dec 5-3)
Cons. Round 2 - Drew Rahman (Plainview Elgin Millville) 15-13 won by fall over Cullen Fagen (LaCrescent) 1-4 (Fall 0:37)
Cons. Round 3 - Drew Rahman (Plainview Elgin Millville) 15-13 won by fall over Collin Wilson (LaCrosse Logan) 6-14 (Fall 1:49)
Cons. Semi - Dominik Hoffman (Lake City) 9-5 won by fall over Drew Rahman (Plainview Elgin Millville) 15-13 (Fall 0:28)
5th Place Match - Aaron Hutton (Fillmore C-Lanesboro-M-C Wolves, MN) 13-8 won by no contest over Drew Rahman (Plainview Elgin Millville) 15-13 (NC)
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