PEM vs. Triton
Last Thursday Jan. 14, after eight days of practice, the Bulldog wrestlers hit the road for their first actual competition in over 10 months. The event in Dodge Center featured a triangular meet between PEM, host Triton and Section 1AA rival Stewartville.
The evening’s first dual between Trion and PEM started out in fairly anti-climatic fashion, as both teams traded forfeits for the first 5 weight classes. First PEM collected 18 team points as Isaac Walch (11), Nolan Pfeilsticker (8), and Carson Rahman (8) picked up forfeit victories at 106, 113, and 120. Then at 126, PEM gave Triton a 6 point forfeit to get the Cobras on the board, followed by a double FF at 132.
In the first actual match of the evening at 138, senior Cooper Hofschulte took to the mat for the first time after an injury shortened junior campaign. Looking plenty healthy, Hofschulte made short work of his match needing only 1:20 to record the takedown and finish the pin with a near-side cradle. Following suit at 145, senior Garrett Olson, whose junior season was also cut short due to injury, needed just 1:26 to finish two takedowns and an arm bar to secure the pin. At 152, senior Kael Lamb added 6 more points to the scoreboard with a forfeit victory. Next at 160, Cael Marx began his senior season with 3 takedowns and a pin in 1:13.
At 170, in one of the more anticipated match-ups of the evening, senior Dereck Boyum faced Triton senior and best returning wrestler Colby Dobbs. After a quick takedown to start the match, Boyum finished the first period with another takedown and 2 nearfall points to take an early 6-1 lead. Then in the 2nd period, after Dobbs chose to start in the neutral position, Boyum again converted a takedown and 2 more nearfall points to lead 10-1 heading into the final frame. Finally, in the 3rd period, Boyum scored an escape and 1 more takedown that put Dobbs to his back where Boyum was able to finish the match with a pin in 5:18.
Heading into the final 4 bouts, Triton won their first actual match of the night at 182 on overtime takedown to bring their team total to 9. At 195, junior Martin Prieto got PEM back on track, scoring 9 points in the first period, and earning a pin in the 2nd period. Junior Devyn Hutchison helped the Bulldog score column at 220 collecting the evening’s final forfeit and giving PEM 6 more team points. Then in the final match of the dual at 285, junior Tony Roberton finished the meet with one more pin, despite giving up almost 60 pounds to his opponent.
PEM 66 Triton 9
106: Isaac Walch (PEM) over (TRIT) (For.)
113: Nolan Pfeilsticker (PEM) over (TRIT) (For.)
120: Carson Rahman (PEM) over (TRIT) (For.)
126: Hunter Garness (TRIT) over (PEM) (For.)
132: Double Forfeit
138: Cooper Hofschulte (PEM) over Justin Ibarra (TRIT) (Fall 1:20)
145: Garrett Olson (PEM) over Austan Adreon (TRIT) (Fall 1:26)
152: Kael Lamb (PEM) over (TRIT) (For.)
160: Cael Marx (PEM) over Brayden Rowher (TRIT) (Fall 1:13)
170: Dereck Boyum (PEM) over Colby Dobbs (TRIT) (Fall 5:18)
182: Owen Garness (TRIT) over Alex Rahman (PEM) (SV-1 5-3)
195: Martin Prieto (PEM) over Brekken Schlichting (TRIT) (Fall 3:22)
220: Devyn Hutchison (PEM) over (TRIT) (For.)
285: Anthony Roberton (PEM) over Corbin Giesler (TRIT) (Fall 5:41)
Pictures of the Triton/Stewartville Tri are located here!
PEM vs. Stewartville
In the 2nd dual of the night, the Bulldogs got a much stiffer test from the Stewartville Tigers. PEM junior Isaac Walch got the Bulldogs off to a great start at 106. Walch held a commanding 5-1 in the 3rd period and it looked as though PEM would start the dual with a decision victory. But as the final minute of the match was closing, Walch was able to get his arm bar locked up, and finish it to record the pin in 5:32. With the fall, the Bulldogs were up on the scoreboard 6-0, but the Tigers were about to answer back. In the next 4 weight classes, Stewartville earned 2 pins and 2 forfeits scoring 24 points to take a decisive 24-6 lead in the dual.
Then at 138, the PEM seniors got started with Cooper Hofschulte. Using an aggressive display of power Hofschulte needed only :22 seconds to double the Bulldogs’ team score and close the gap on the scoreboard to 24-12. Then at 145 senior Garrett Olson added more dramatics against Stewartville senior Blake Carr. Down 4-0 midway through the 2nd period, Olson’s strength and conditioning kicked in. First getting an escape to get himself on the scoreboard. Once back on the feet, Olson got in on a single leg takedown. When Carr hung his head, Olson capitalized and slammed in a nearside cradle, scoring the takedown and planting Carr on his back. The match finished with a fall, and the Bulldogs were within striking distance at 24-18.
Then in the next 4 weight classes, the Bulldogs flexed their senior muscle as Kael Lamb, Cael Marx, Dereck Boyum, and Alex Rahman all recorded 1st period pins giving the Bulldogs the lead back and stretching it to 42-24. Junior Martin Prieto then picked up a forfeit victory at 195 and put the meet out of reach for the Tigers. Stewartville closed the dual with pins at both 220 and 285, but it was not enough as the Bulldogs hung on for the victory.
PEM 48 Stewartville 36
106: Isaac Walch (PEM) over Hunter Karnitz (STEW) (Fall 5:32)
113: Jace Deyoung (STEW) over Carson Rahman (PEM) (Fall 5:12)
120: Jon Laures (STEW) over (PEM) (For.)
126: Reid Rinn (STEW) over Korbin Pflaum (PEM) (Fall 1:20)
132: Patrick Foster (STEW) over (PEM) (For.)
138: Cooper Hofschulte (PEM) over Tanner Elzen (STEW) (Fall 0:22)
145: Garrett Olson (PEM) over Blake Carr (STEW) (Fall 3:23)
152: Kael Lamb (PEM) over Cole Jannsen (STEW) (Fall 1:28)
160: Cael Marx (PEM) over Lincoln Dube (STEW) (Fall 0:42)
170: Dereck Boyum (PEM) over Lucas Ahart (STEW) (Fall 0:45)
182: Alex Rahman (PEM) over Anthony Nelson (STEW) (Fall 0:59)
195: Martin Prieto (PEM) over (STEW) (For.)
220: Christian Sackett (STEW) over Devyn Hutchison (PEM) (Fall 1:13)
285: Caden King (STEW) over Cody Schneider (PEM) (Fall 1:38)
Pictures of the Triton/Stewartville Tri are located here!
PEM vs. Bloomington-Kennedy
On the following evening, the Bulldogs again loaded up and took to the road, this time going to New Prague high school to take on AAA opponents Bloomington Kennedy and the New Prague Trojans.
In the first dual, PEM faced Bloomington Kennedy for what is believed to be the first time ever in the history of two long running programs. Just like he had the night before, Isaac Walch got PEM off on the right foot, recording a 1st period fall and putting the Bulldogs up 6-0. At 113 Kennedy’s #9 state ranked Zach Greenhouse earned a fall in the 2nd period to knot the dual up at 6-6. Following at 120, 8th grader Calen Kraemer took a forfeit for the Bulldogs and put the Bulldogs back in the lead. Then at 126 and 132, Kennedy earned a 3rd period pin and a forfeit to take their first lead of the evening at 18-12.
But it was not to be for long as the PEM seniors again took over the dual meet scoring 30 points in the next 5 weight classes to take a commanding 42-18 lead. In the run, Kael Lamb received a forfeit at 152, while Cooper Hofschulte, Garrett Olson, Cael Marx, and Dereck Boyum all recorded 1st period falls. The Bulldogs would give back 6 points at 182 as they forfeited to #2 ranked Isaac Grams. But then PEM had a big finish with Alex Rahman, Martin Prieto, and Cody Schneider all recording 1st period falls to finish the dual with an exclamation point.
PEM 60 Bloomington Kennedy 24
106: Isaac Walch (PEM) over Max Carlson (BK) (Fall 1:49)
113: Zach Greenhouse (BK) over Carson Rahman (PEM) (Fall 2:53)
120: Calen Kraemer (PEM) over (BK) (For.)
126: Jalen Robbs (BK) over Korbin Pflaum (PEM) (Fall 5:23)
132: Parker Elftmann (BK) over (PEM) (For.)
138: Cooper Hofschulte (PEM) over Vincent Sheild-Gore (BK) (Fall 0:18)
145: Garrett Olson (PEM) over Alex Olvera (BK) (Fall 0:57)
152: Kael Lamb (PEM) over (BK) (For.)
160: Cael Marx (PEM) over Mason Scott (BK) (Fall 1:25)
170: Dereck Boyum (PEM) over Aner Melgar Gomez (BK) (Fall 1:34)
182: Isaac Grams (BK) over (PEM) (For.)
195: Alex Rahman (PEM) over Farhad Noor (BK) (Fall 0:47)
220: Martin Prieto (PEM) over Victor Cabrera (BK) (Fall 1:46)
285: Cody Schneider (PEM) over Deon Barber (BK) (Fall 1:06)
Pictures of the New Prague/Bloomington-Kennedy Tri are located here!
PEM vs. New Prague
In the final dual of the week, the Bulldogs were tasked with taking on the host Trojans of New Prague. The Trojans came into the dual as the #13 ranked team in MN in AAA. Additionally, 5 members of the New Prague team are ranked in the top 4 in the state in their respective weight class.
At 106, Isaac Walch yet again got the Bulldogs started with a 1st period pin giving PEM a 6-0 lead for the 4th time in 4 duals. Then in the next 4 weight classes New Prague would flex their muscles scoring 23 points with a tech fall at 113, a fall at 120, and forfeits at 126 and 132. Then at 138, Cooper Hofschulte would remain unbeaten on the year, stretching his record to 4-0. Hofschulte would get a last second takedown to earn a major decision as well bringing the Bulldog point total to 10. The Trojans would answer back hard with the #1 and #2 ranked Novak brothers at 145 and 152, earning 12 team points with a fall and forfeit.
At 160, the Trojans would extend their lead with a 1 point victory, leaving very little room for the Bulldogs to get back into the dual down 38-10 with 5 matches remaining. Needing 5 falls/forfeits to complete the comeback, the Bulldogs would score 6 in the next two weight classes with Cael Marx getting a forfeit and Dereck Boyum earning his 4th pin of the season. At 195 Alex Rahman earned a hard fought 10-4 decision victory. At 220 Martin Prieto again pulled the Bulldogs within single digits earning a pin in the 2nd period to put PEM over the 30 point mark on the dual. But yet again the Trojans answered back with their #10 ranked HWT earning a fall to finish the dual.
New Prague 44 PEM 31
106: Isaac Walch (PEM) over Tommy Vaughan (NP) (Fall 2:46)
113: Brady Westall (NP) over Carson Rahman (PEM) (TF 17-2 4:00)
120: Evan Farley (NP) over Korbin Pflaum (PEM) (Fall 1:10)
126: Koy Buesgens (NP) over (PEM) (For.)
132: Colton Bornholdt (NP) over (PEM) (For.)
138: Cooper Hofschulte (PEM) over Luke Dorweiler (NP) (MD 17-9)
145: Nick Novak (NP) over Garrett Olson (PEM) (Fall 3:05)
152: Joey Novak (NP) over (PEM) (For.)
160: Jacob Vaughan (NP) over Kael Lamb (PEM) (Dec 4-3)
170: Cael Marx (PEM) over (NP) (For.)
182: Dereck Boyum (PEM) over Thomas Ott (NP) (Fall 1:38)
195: Alex Rahman (PEM) over Carson Bittner (NP) (Dec 10-4)
220: Martin Prieto (PEM) over Frank Giesen (NP) (Fall 3:20)
285: Evan Anderson (NP) over Anthony Roberton (PEM) (Fall 1:43)
Pictures of the New Prague/Bloomington-Kennedy Tri are located here!
All in all it was an exciting way to start the competitive season again. Everyone is thankful for the opportunity to compete. The seniors have really set the tone with strong leadership this season. We have many technical things to work on as we continue to improve each week.
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