Clear Lake advances four wrestlers

Clear Lake advanced four wrestlers out of a strong Sectional Tournament Saturday at Algona.  The Lions finished third overall, narrowly missing a chance to advance to State dual competition.  Clarion-Goldfield-Dows ran away with the Sectional title, scoring 242 points.  Algona was second with 187 and Clear Lake was third with 186.  A fall recorded by an Algona wrestler in a wrestle back for second place lifted the Bulldogs past the Lions.

Senior Ryan Leisure and sophomore Eric Faught continue to have their sights set on State titles.  The two pinned their way to championships at 145 and 113 pounds.  Leisure is looking to become Clear Lake’s first three-time State Champion.

Braxton Doebel also took home a Sectional title for the Lions. The 132-pounder used a fall in the semi-finals and a 5-2 decision in the finals for the title.

“Braxton is coming on strong, as he locked up a jaw-breaker in the match to gain the needed points to beat Algona Carson Devine 5-2,” said Coach Mike Lester.  Doebel’s win was especially gratifying since his season was ended in the Sectional Tournament last year when he sustained broken arm.  “He is extremely exited and looks to continue his strong wrestling into Districts,” said Coach Lester.

Junior Dalton Mennenga wrestled his heart out Saturday and also earned a trip to Districts.

“He wrestled a very smart match in the semifinals and ended up getting the fall against Grady Umbarger from GHV,” explained Lester.  The 195-pounder faced familiar conference foe Ben Powers, from Clarion-Goldfield, and lost 6-1 in the finals.  “Each time he get closer to beating him, so he is showing great improvement.”

  Placing third for Clear Lake, and just missing a chance to advance, was Jackson Hamlin (120), Bryan Hillyer (126),  Jacob Pingel (138) and Kyle Willms (220).

“It was disappointing to lose a chance to go to Regionals by one point.  All in all, our guys wrestled well.  I am proud of each and every one of them from varsity to our JV wrestlers who helped these varsity wrestlers have a great season,” said Lester.

106: Conner Morey - 4th

Quarterfinals - Morey received a bye

Semifinals - Jacob Mielke (PA) over Morey (Fall 3:15)

3rd Place Match - Luke McKenna (A) over Morey (Fall 4:44)

113: Eric Faught - 1st

Quarterfinals - Faught received a bye

Semifinals - Faught over Bryce Witham (A) (Fall 0:52)

1st Place Match - Faught over Austin Case (GHV) (Fall 0:30)

120: Jackson Hamlin - 3rd

Quarterfinals - Hamlin over Dylan Pate (C-G-D) (MD 8-0)

Semifinals - Cameron Peterson (A) over Hamlin (Clear Lake) (Dec 8-5)

2nd Place Match - Cameron Peterson (A) over Hamlin (RULE)

3rd Place Match - Hamlin over Alec Fett (FC) (Dec 4-1)

126: Bryan Hillyer - 3rd

Quarterfinals - Hillyer over Caleb Renner (GHV) (Fall 5:11)

Semifinals - Cole Johnson (A) over Hillyer (Dec 5-2)

2nd Place Match - Cole Johnson (A) over Hillyer (RULE)

3rd Place Match - Hillyer over Thomas Melohn (PA) (Dec 2-0)

132: Braxton Doebel - 1st

Quarterfinals - Doebel received a bye

Semifinals - Braxton Doebel over Chase Murga (C-G-D) (Fall 2:59)

1st Place Match - Doebel over Carson Devine (A) (Dec 5-2)

138: Jacob Pingel - 3rd

Quarterfinals - Pingel over Luke Brown (GHV) (Fall 2:12)

Semifinals - Tanner Abbas (C-G-D) over Pingel (Fall 1:25)

2nd Place Match - Kristian Gunderson (FC) over Pingel (Fall 4:28)

3rd Place Match - Pingel over Chandler Witzke (PA) (Fall 2:45)

145: Ryan Leisure - 1st

Quarterfinals - Leisure received a bye

Semifinals - Leisure over Kamren Jergenson (C-G-D) (Fall 1:26)

1st Place Match - Leisure over Clayton Reis (PA) (Fall 1:27)

152: Rhys Glidden - 4th

Quarterfinals - Glidden over Anthony Sherwood (GHV) (Fall 1:04)

Semifinals - Dakota Hennigar (C-G-D) over Glidden (Fall 3:56)

3rd Place Match - Maverick Freerksen (FC) over Glidden (Fall 1:39)

160: Connor O`Tool - 5th

Quarterfinals - Colyn Schoneman (GHV) over O`Tool (Fall 0:42)

Cons. Semis - O`Tool received a bye

5th Place Match - O`Tool over Braxton Long (PA) (Fall 2:52)

170: Chance Poley - 4th

Quarterfinals - Poley over Timothy Buck (FC) (Fall 2:43)

Semifinals - Conner Shaw (GHV) over Poley (Fall 1:48)

3rd Place Match - Zachary Muller (A) over Poley (Inj. [time])

195: Dalton Mennenga  - 2nd

Quarterfinals - Mennenga received a bye

Semifinals - Dalton Mennenga over Grady Umbarger (GHV) (Fall 5:17)

1st Place Match - Ben Powers (C-G-D) over Mennenga (Dec 6-1)

2nd Place Match - Mennenga over Umbarger (GHV) (RULE)

220: Kyle Willms - 3rd

Quarterfinals - Willms received a bye

Semifinals - Tim Elliott (PA) over Willms (Dec 6-2)

2nd Place Match - Tim Elliott (PA) over Willms (RULE)

3rd Place Match - Willms over Salvador Fregoso (C-G-D) (Dec 4-1)

285: Jake Keith - 6th

Quarterfinals - Tyler Nielsen (GHV) over Keith (Fall 1:42)

Cons. Semis - Keith received a bye

5th Place Match - Keegan Jepsen (PA) over Keith (Fall 1:52)