Wrestlers start season 0-1

The Abbotsford/Colby wrestling co-op kicked off its 2020-21 campaign on Tuesday, Dec. 15, taking a trip down Hwy. 29 to battle the Cadott Hornets, one of the perennial programs in the state.

With COVID-19 forcing schools to shut down weekend tournaments, the co-op will be limited to just a handful of dual meets this season.

The Hornets came into the contest with several players who finished ranked last season, including Nelson Wahl, who was ranked third in the 152 weight class, and Tristan Drier, who was ranked seventh in the 132 pound division.

The meet opened with a double forfeit in the 106 weight class. Abby/Colby picked up the first points of the night when Alexander Mejia earned six points off a Cadott forfeit in the 113 division.

Cadott struck back when Duke Heberle lost a major decision to Logan Harel. Abby/Colby forfeited in the 126 and 132 weight class, giving Cadott a 16-6 lead. Cadott’s lead grew after Jose Rodriguez lost a narrow 3-2 decision to Nick Fasbender at 138 pounds. River Halopka picked up four points with a 9-1 major decision over Kaleb Sonnentag in the 145 weight class that made it 19-10 in favor of the Hornets. Next up was River’s brother Tanner, a highly heralded prospect who has been a junior All-American the last four years.

But Tanner is no longer wrestling in his own age group, and he took his lumps as he was defeated 7-2 by Drier in the 152 weight class. Talon Severson was the second A/C wrestler to fall to a ranked opponent. Severson lost to Wahl via technical fall in the 160 division.

Abby/Colby forfeited six points in the 170 weight class, but Brandon Vicente got them back with a dominant display in the 182 weight class, pinning Caden Kingston in a rapid 27 second match.

Andrew Jeske struggled out of the gate, losing an 11-1 major decision to Dawson Webster at the 195 pound division. Another upset occurred in the next weight class as Carter Grewe, a state qualifier in February, lost a 10-3 decision to Gavin Tegels in the 220 pound division.

Levi Dommer picked up Abby/Colby’s second pin in the heavyweight division, taking down Kane Mengel in 1:59.