PEM vs. Mayo
On Thursday Jan, 28 the PEM wrestlers traveled down to Winona for a triangular with Big 9 schools Winona and Rochester Mayo. In the first dual of the evening, the Bulldogs were pitted against a very deep Mayo squad. At 106 the Bulldogs got the meet started with a no-nonsense takedown and pin by junior Isaac Walch. The fall gave the Bulldogs an early 6-0 lead, but the Spartans scored big points in the next 4 weight classes. Combining a tech fall and 113 and a pin at 120, followed by back to back forfeits at 126 and 132, Mayo quickly had the Bulldogs in a 23-6 hole.
At 138, PEM senior Cooper Hofschulte stayed unbeaten against 2020 state placer and currently #6 state ranked Marshall Peters. Hofschulte dominated the first period from the front headlock position, wearing Peters down enough to score the first takedown late in the period and take a 2-0 lead in the match. A quick escape in the 2nd period extended Hofschulte’s lead to 3-0. Once again the front headlock proved advantageous for Hofschulte as he scored another late period takedown, and took a solid 5-0 lead into the 3rd. Peters would eventually score an escape late in the match, but it was not nearly enough as Hofschulte would beat his second ranked opponent in as many weeks.
In another highly anticipated match, PEM’s Garrett Olson entered the match vs. Rochester Mayo’s Ian Funk sitting at 99 career victories. The first period had way more action than scoring as both wrestlers fought off quality takedown attempts by the other. But just as it looked as though the first period was going to end scoreless, Olson spun behind Funk’s shot for a 2 point takedown just before the opening period expired. In the 2nd period, Funk showed great leg-riding ability, but on a restart Olson was able to get to his feet and earned an escape for a 3-0 lead that would last until the end of the period. In the 3rd period, Funk made the match very interesting. After earning a reversal to close the score to 3-2 Funk again showed his leg riding ability and nearly turned the tilt a couple times. But Olson’s feel and experience again won out as he was able to fight off each attempt. The 3-2 victory gave Olson milestone victory #100! Olson is 31st wrestler in PEM’s 59 year history to join the 100 win club.
Continuing the momentum, Kael Lamb put on a single leg clinic at 152. Lamb scored 3 takedowns in the first period, followed by 3 more in the 2nd period before posting the fall at the end of the period. Cael Marx earned another win for the Bulldogs by decision at 160 closing the gap on the scoreboard to 23-21. But that was as close as PEM would get with Mayo winning at 170 by major decision and at 182 by fall.
At 195, undefeated junior Martin Prieto survived a scare after giving up 2 takedowns and 3 nearfall points in the 1st period. Down 7-2 going into the 2nd, Prieto made up some ground with an escape, a takedown and 2 nearfall points of his own to tie the match at 7-7. But it did not last as Mayo’s Sam Allen recovered to escape and get another takedown. Prieto managed an escape as the 2nd period ended, but was still down 8-10 on the scoreboard. After Allen escaped in the 3rd Prieto was facing a 3 point deficit as time was running out. As both athletes were nearing exhaustion, Prieto found his reserve. Beginning with a blast double leg, Prieto closed the gap to 11-10. Then Prieto gave Allen an intentional escape and blew him over in another double leg this time straight to his back for a 5 point move giving Prieto his first lead of the match at 15-12. Allen got off his back and again escaped to bring the match back to 15-13. But Prieto shot 1 more double leg all the way to the back and this time hung on for a pin with only 15 seconds remaining in the match. The pin would get PEM within striking distance again at 32-27, but Mayo would get pins in the final 2 weight classes and put the meet out of reach.
Rochester Mayo 45 PEM 27
106: Isaac Walch (PEM) over Juan Cobarruvais (RM) (Fall 1:53)
113: Kai Kobayashi (RM) over Carson Rahman (PEM) (TF 16-1 4:20)
120: Ben Timmerman (RM) over Korbin Pflaum (PEM) (Fall 2:59)
126: Calder Sheehan (RM) over (PEM) (For.)
132: Riku Kobayashi (RM) over (PEM) (For.)
138: Cooper Hofschulte (PEM) over Marshall Peters (RM) (Dec 5-1)
145: Garrett Olson (PEM) over Ian Funk (RM) (Dec 3-2)
152: Kael Lamb (PEM) over Cason Larson (RM) (Fall 3:41)
160: Cael Marx (PEM) over Ethan Smith (RM) (Dec 7-2)
170: Logan Burger (RM) over Dereck Boyum (PEM) (MD 17-9)
182: Dylan Peper (RM) over Alex Rahman (PEM) (Fall 2:45)
195: Martin Prieto (PEM) over Sam Allen (RM) (Fall 5:45)
220: Bennett Ellsworth (RM) over Anthony Roberton (PEM) (Fall 1:51)
285: Dedric Burger (RM) over Cody Schneider (PEM) (Fall 4:54)
Pictures of the Mayo/Winona Tri are available here!
PEM vs. Winona
In the second dual of the evening versus Winona, the Winhawks would spot PEM 18 forfeit points to begin the dual with Isaac Walch, and 8th graders Josh Schad and Carson Rahman scoring the points for PEM. At 126 the Winhawks would 6 back with a pin and 6 more at 132 with a PEM forfeit.
With the dual fairly close at 18-12 going into 138, the Bulldogs would pull away with back to back to back pins by seniors Cooper Hofschulte, Garrett Olson, and Kael Lamb at 138, 145, and 152. Seniors Cael Marx and Dereck Boyum would follow at 160 and 170 with a forfeit victory and another 1st period fall. Winona would get back in the W column at 182 with a decision, but then forfeited to PEM at both 195 and 220. The match would end with a pin for the Winhawks at 285, but it was not nearly enough as PEM would win the meet by a 40 point deficit.
PEM 61 Winona 21
106: Isaac Walch (PEM) over (WIN) (For.)
113: Joshua Schad (PEM) over (WIN) (For.)
120: Carson Rahman (PEM) over (WIN) (For.)
126: Owen Allred (WIN) over Korbin Pflaum (PEM) (Fall 3:33)
132: Logan Henningson (WIN) over (PEM) (For.)
138: Cooper Hofschulte (PEM) over Evan Maurud (WIN) (Fall 1:33)
145: Garrett Olson (PEM) over Brenin Speltz (WIN) (Fall 0:35)
152: Kael Lamb (PEM) over Peyton Hoff (WIN) (Fall 2:45)
160: Cael Marx (PEM) over (WIN) (For.)
170: Dereck Boyum (PEM) over Camyrn Sense (WIN) (Fall 0:57)
182: Andrew Meyer (WIN) over Alex Rahman (PEM) (Dec 2-1)
195: Martin Prieto (PEM) over (WIN) (For.)
220: Anthony Roberton (PEM) over (WIN) (For.)
285: Zander Rusert (WIN) over Cody Schneider (PEM) (Fall 0:34)
Pictures of the Mayo/Winona Tri are available here!
PEM vs. St. Thomas Academy
A couple days later, the Bulldogs would continue with non-conference action in Lake City against Section 1AA opponents the St. Thomas Academy Cadets and the host Lake City Tigers. The first meet for the Bulldogs was against the Cadets and it would start off with a very close match at 106. Isaac Walch once again got the Bulldogs started with a 4-2 decision using two 1st period takedowns to hang on for the victory. At 113, STA would earn a major decision to take a 4-3 lead in the dual and then PEM would be forced to forfeit at 120 and 126 giving the Cadets a 13 point lead in the dual.
The Bulldogs would battle back in the next two weight classes. Junior Jacob Harlow, scored the first varsity pin of his career at 132 giving the Bulldogs life and pulling the dual meet deficit to 7 points. At 138 Cooper Hofschulte followed suit with another 1st period pin and the Bulldogs were within a point of the Cadets. But STA would rally at 145 and win a close decision to again extend their lead to 4.
At 152, Kael Lamb had a great performance behind the strength of 6 takedowns to earn a 15-5 major decision to tie the dual meet at 19-19. In the next 2 weight classes, seniors Cael Marx and Dereck Boyum would give PEM a double digit lead with a first and second period pin respectively. At 182, STA would cut the Bulldog lead in half with a pin of their own. Martin Prieto would follow at 195 with a forfeit victory to again give the Bulldogs a 12 point lead. But STA would finish strong with 2 pins tying the dual at 37-37. With the team score tied, the meet would come down to criteria F, stating that the victory shall go to the team giving up the least forfeits. Since PEM gave up 2 and STA gave up only 1, the Cadets were declared the winners.
St. Thomas Academy 37 (+1 TB) PEM 37
106: Isaac Walch (PEM) over Gabriel Cohn (STA) (Dec 4-2)
113: Thomas Holmquist (STA) over Carson Rahman (PEM) (MD 16-8)
120: Colton Zwiefel (STA) over (PEM) (For.)
126: Josiah Solliday (STA) over (PEM) (For.)
132: Jacob Harlow (PEM) over Roland Zietlow (STA) (Fall 1:07)
138: Cooper Hofschulte (PEM) over Daniel Creamer (STA) (Fall 0:53)
145: Jacob Draxler (STA) over Garrett Olson (PEM) (Dec 5-0)
152: Kael Lamb (PEM) over Jack Springer (STA) (MD 15-5)
160: Cael Marx (PEM) over Ryan Creamer (STA) (Fall 1:26)
170: Dereck Boyum (PEM) over Jake Borman (STA) (Fall 3:16)
182: Vincent Mueller (STA) over Alex Rahman (PEM) (Fall 1:07)
195: Martin Prieto (PEM) over (STA) (For.)
220: Garrison Solliday (STA) over Anthony Roberton (PEM) (Fall 1:15)
285: Leo Bluhm (STA) over Cody Schneider (PEM) (Fall 0:42)
Pictures of the St. Thomas Academy/Lake City Tri are available here!
PEM vs. Lake City
In the final dual of the day, PEM started out in a 9-0 hole after Lake City won at 106 by decision and 113 by forfeit. Then at 120, 8th grader Carson Rahman came up big with a 7-5 overtime victory over his senior opponent. In the next 2 weight classes, the Tigers would rebound with 12 more points from a forfeit at 126 and a pin at 132.
Cooper Hofschulte’s record would remain perfect on the year for the Bulldogs at 138, with a dominating 15-3 victory. At 145, PEM would lose one of the best matches of the day. PEM’s Garrett Olson took #9 ranked Jonathan Harvey down to the wire with Harvey eeking out a 2-1 double overtime victory. The Tigers would win another close match at 152 as well with a 5-0 victory.
The Bulldogs would mount a small rally at 160 and 170. Cael Marx would score 3 takedowns enroute to a first period pin at 160. And at 170, Dereck Boyum would recover after giving up the first takedown of the match to get 4 takedowns of his own and cruise to a 9-4 victory. But at 182, the Tigers would respond with a pin of their own. PEM’s final victory of the day came at 195 with Martin Prieto. A scrambling flurry in the first period left Prieto trailing 5-4 heading into the 2nd. But Prieto responded with a double leg that would get elevated and planted for the pin. Lake City would then close with 2 falls at 220 and 285 to finish the dual.
Lake City 45 PEM 22
106: Cristofer Ramirez (LACI) over Isaac Walch (PEM) (Dec 2-0)
113: Nate Evans (LACI) over (PEM) (For.)
120: Carson Rahman (PEM) over Steven Ramirez (LACI) (SV-1 7-5)
126: Elijah Dodd (LACI) over (PEM) (For.)
132: Luke Skifton (LACI) over Jacob Harlow (PEM) (Fall 0:39)
138: Cooper Hofschulte (PEM) over Aaron Meincke (LACI) (MD 15-3)
145: Jonathan Harvey (LACI) over Garrett Olson (PEM) (TB-1 2-1)
152: Joe Kozlowski (LACI) over Kael Lamb (PEM) (Dec 5-0)
160: Cael Marx (PEM) over Luke Becker (LACI) (Fall 0:55)
170: Dereck Boyum (PEM) over Dominic Goihl-Krier (LACI) (Dec 9-4)
182: Sam Nutt (LACI) over Alex Rahman (PEM) (Fall 1:38)
195: Martin Prieto (PEM) over Ben Nutt (LACI) (Fall 3:49)
220: Jeremy Nguyen (LACI) over Anthony Roberton (PEM) (Fall 2:55)
285: Max Balow (LACI) over Cody Schneider (PEM) (Fall 0:58
Pictures of the St. Thomas Academy/Lake City Tri are available here!
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