Marathon grapplers battle

They fall to Abby/Colby

By Casey Krautkramer

The Marathon wrestling team concluded its regular season with a 48-21 dual meet loss to Abby/Colby on Tuesday at Abbotsford High School. Now the Red Raiders, like many other local teams, will begin preparing to compete in the WIAA Division 3 regional on Saturday, Feb. 15, in Cadott.

Tuesday’s dual meet started at 182 pounds, which resulted in Abby/Colby junior Angel Diaz pinning Marathon junior Jocelyn Van Rixel. Abby/Colby’s wrestling team continued to build toward an 18-0 advantage in the non-conference dual meet. After Marathon forfeited 195 pounds, Abby/ Colby sophomore Carter Grewe pinned freshman Logan Werner at 220.

Senior Cameron Blount got Marathon on the scoreboard by pinning Abby/Colby sophomore Devin Thums at 285 pounds. The Red Raiders got within six points of Abby/Colby, 18-12, when freshman Mason Putnam pinned Abby/Colby freshman Grady Steinman at 106 pounds. This was the closest the Red Raiders would get, however, to beating Abby/ Colby.

Abby/Colby freshman Lucas Baumann pinned Marathon freshman Tommy Renhard at 113 pounds to extend the lead to 24-12 against the Red Raiders. Both teams forfeited 120 pounds and Abby/ Colby junior River Halopka received a forfeit at 126. Both teams also forfeited 132 pounds.

Junior Jose Rodriguez pinned Marathon junior Nick Reynolds at 138 pounds to extend Abby/Colby’s lead to 36-12. Red Raiders junior Jake Sweno then won a hardfought 10-3 decision against Abby/Colby sophomore Talon Severson at 145 pounds.

One of the most exciting matches in the dual meet pitted Marathon freshman Hector Pintor against Abby/Colby junior Xavier Digman at 152 pounds. Their match was tied at four points apiece after the first period. In the second period, Pintor was awarded a point after wrestling official Cal Tackes gave Digman a technical violation for having locked hands. Pintor ended up pinning Digman, and he explained how his perseverance in the match paid off for him.

“My stamina helped me get the pin,” Pintor said. “I could tell my opponent was tired, and I definitely work hard enough in practice that I should have enough stamina to finish off matches in the third period.”

Abby/Colby junior Brandon Vicente pinned Marathon sophomore Nick Sommers at 170 pounds to end the dual meet.