Simonson wins regional championship, Colfax-Bloomer wrestlers finish fifth

ELLSWORTH — By virtue of winning his second regional championship in three years, Colfax-Bloomer wrestler Brady Simonson will move on to the sectional meet next week. Also advancing to the meet in Amery is Brady Hetke who finished second. The team finished fifth of seven teams at the meet held in Ellsworth Feb. 14.

Simonson, a junior, won the regional as a freshman and was second last year. Competing in the 126 pound division, he received a bye the first round, won by a fall at 5:59 in the second round then defeated Thaddeus Kosnopful of Ellsworth 12-7 in the championship round.

Hetke started with a bye in his 195 bracket, won by a fall in 3:32, lost the first place match 9-8 then came back to win the second place match by Rule over Jake Gilbertson of Regis-McDonell Central. (Since he had defeated Gilbertson in an earlier match, it was an automatic win).

Zack Arvold nearly made it into the sectional but placed third in the 170 pound division. Arvold started with a bye, lost by a fall at 5:12, then lost the second place match by Rule against Triston Thompson of Baldwin-Woodville. Also placing third was Jarrod Kressin with two wins and two losses at 132 pounds. Collin Bungartz was fifth with a bye and two losses at 145 pounds while Jacob Malinowski was fifth at 113 pounds with a loss, a bye and a win in the fifth place match. Justin Wachtendonk also placed fifth at 120 pounds with a loss and two byes.

“Simonson and Hetke won some tough matches to move on,” head coach Jim Poirier said. “We were short handed with two wrestlers not competing because of illness (Jon Hayton and Eric Wachtendonk) so we finished team- wise about where we expected,” he added.

TEAM STANDINGS: Ellsworth 313.5, Stanley-Boyd/Owen-Withee/Thorp 197, Baldwin-Woodville 139, Prescott 136, Colfax-Bloomer 93, Cornell/Gilmanton/Lake Holcombe 80, Regis/McDonell 75