Pin gives Boyceville wrestlers 1-point win over Eau Claire North

BOYCEVILLE — The power of the pin.

Boyceville used it to claim a thrilling, come-from-behind, one-point win over Eau Claire North in a non-conference home wrestling dual Tuesday, January 13.

Trailing by five points heading into the final match of the evening, one that featured the Bulldogs’ state-ranked senior Austin Wolfe, Boyceville needed nothing less than a pin if it was to prevail.

Eau Claire North had already won eight of the 14 matches so a tie would have given the Huskies the team victory on tie-breaking criteria (number of matches won).

Boyceville needed a pin.

And that is just what Wolfe delivered.

It took him just 58 seconds to put Eau Claire North’s Efrain Sueldo on the mat for six points and a thrilling Boyceville victory, 31-30.

The Bulldogs took the early advantage with wins in two of the first three matches.

Boyceville sophomore James Palmer opened the dual with a close 2-0 decision over Tyler Deacon at 120 pounds.

North tied the dual with a 7-5 win at 126.

Tyler Stroo came through with the first of the Bulldogs’ three pins on the night as he stuck North’s Josh Schneider to give Boyceville a 9-3 lead.

The Huskies, however, won the next four matches including one by fall and another by major decision to vault to 19-9 advantage.

Garrett Joles would snap the North run with a much needed pin at 170 pounds.

Logan McAbee-Thomas, making a return to the lineup for the first time since an injury sidelined him during the Northern Badger, won on a disqualification at 182 pounds. North’s Hunter Dahlby was leading 12-2 when a penalty was called and he was disqualified. It was a turn-of-events that proved to be a key in the Bulldogs’ win and gave them a temporary 21-19 lead.

North would score a major decision at 195 and a decision at 220 to take a 26-21 lead.

Brandon Windsor would close the Boyceville deficit to one point with a 9-1 major decision over Jake Carruth at 285 pounds.

But Mason Phillips of North turned the tables at 106 pounds and delivered a 13-5 major decision to up the Husky lead to 30-25 with one match to go.

That is when Wolfe stepped on the mat and needed less than a minute to give Boyceville an exciting 31-30 win via pin.

The Bulldogs return to action this Thursday, January 22 after an eight-day break. Boyceville will host Mondovi in a conference dual at 7 p.m. The squad will then travel to St. Croix Falls on Saturday for an invitational meet.

Glenwood City will come to town for the annual showdown on Thursday, January 29.