Oconto Falls wrestling team wins regional title, sends 9 to sectionals

Updated: Jan. 31, 7 p.m.

Nine Oconto Falls High School individual wrestlers qualified for sectionals while the team won the Division 2 Oconto Falls Regional on Jan. 30 in Oconto Falls.

The Panthers racked up 233.5 points, well ahead of second-place finishing Seymour (192).

To qualify for sectionals, individuals had to place either first or second in their weight class. Five Panther wrestlers claimed first, while four took second.

Garrett Ganter (106), Graeson Pankratz (113), Trevor Schindel (160), Clayton Whiting (182) and Mitch Kallies (285) were the first-place finishers for Oconto Falls. Landon Budz (120), Jaden Ganter (126), Luke Trepanier (132) and Jeremy Caldwell (152) claimed second.

Garrett Ganter, Pankratz, Whiting and Kallies all needed just one win to place first in their weight classes.

Kallies picked up a 3-2 decision win, while Whiting pinned his opponent in the second period. Ganter won by pin in the third period.

Pankratz, a state qualifier last year, earned a 7-1 decision win in the first-place match.

“It feels good to qualify for sectionals. It’s just one more step closer to making it to the state tournament,” said Pankratz. “My expectation for sectionals is quite simple, and that is to win it. I think it’s definitely doable to take first.”

Schindel wrestled twice on the day. In the semifinals, he claimed a 6-1 decision win. In the first-place match, he won with a pin late in the second period.

“For me, qualifying for sectionals during my senior season is just accomplishing one of my goals this year,” said Schindel. “My expectation at sectionals is to wrestle to the best of my ability. In order to do that, I will continue to wrestle hard during practice this coming week.”

Caldwell wrestled four times to earn his sectional spot. He started the day with an 11-3 major decision win, but lost a 16-9 decision in the semifinals. With his season on the line, Caldwell pinned his opponent in the third-place match and then earned another win by pin in the second-place match.

The three other second-place finishers for the Panthers wrestled only twice. The wrestlers were awarded second having already defeated the wrestlers they would have faced in the second-place matches.

Budz earned a 7-5 decision win to start the day before losing by pin in the first-place match. Jaden Ganter was a winner by pin in his first match before dropping a 5-0 decision in the first-place match.

Trepanier pinned his first opponent in the second period, but he lost 7-5 in overtime of the first-place match.

Clintonville/Marion also competed in the regional, taking fourth as a team.

All three of the team’s sectional qualifiers came in second. Michael Michonski (170), Owen Hertel (195) and Caleb Moore (220) were the wrestlers who advanced.

Michonski opened the day with a 17-8 major decision win before losing by pin in the first place match. He was awarded second having already defeated the wrestler waiting in the second-place match.

Hertel earned second in the same way. He started the day with a 7-0 decision win before losing by pin in the first-place match.

Moore was one of three wrestlers in the 220 class but was awarded the double bye. In the first-place match, Moore lost by pin but he won by medical forfeit in the second-place match to advance to sectionals.

The nine Oconto Falls and three Clintonville/Marion sectional qualifiers will now prepare for the Division 2 Seymour Sectional on Feb. 6.

Team scores: 1. Oconto Falls 233.5; 2. Seymour 192; 3. Marinette 158; 4. Clintonville/Marion 108; 5. Peshtigo 91; 6. Florence/Goodman/Niagara/Pembine 5.

ONLINE

Full results from the regional can be found at www.trackwrestling.com.

sports@newmedia-wi.com