Boyceville beats Bloomer/Colfax, Joles wins St. Croix Falls Classic Invite
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BULLDOGS’ freshman Bash Nielson in control of his opponent during a 160-pound match in last Saturday’s St. Croix Falls Wrestling Classic. Nielson and Boyceville both finished eighth in a tournament that featured six state-ranked teams and several outstanding competitors. —photo by Rochelle Olson
Just when it appeared that Boyceville might be in danger of losing its third straight home dual match, one of the freshmen came to the rescue.
Clinging to a slim 29-27 advantage, Boyceville secured its first home win of the new year when first-year wrestler Bash Nielson scored a second-period pin in his 160-pound match. The Bulldogs went on to best the Raptors of Bloomer/Colfax 41-27 in the non-conference tilt held last Tuesday, January 21 in the Gymatorium.
Boyceville followed that performance with another gutsy showing at the talent-laden St. Croix Falls Wrestling Classic held last Saturday, January 25. In the tournament that featured six state-ranked teams from Wisconsin and Minnesota along with a bevy of highly decorated individuals, the Bulldogs emerged with an eighth place finish and six place winners headlined by champion Trett Joles in the 22-team tournament.
The regular season is rapidly winding down for the Bulldogs who have just three contests remaining before the WIAA tournament series begins with regional competition on February 15. Boyceville hosts Durand in a D-SC dual this Thursday, January 30 and will head to North Branch, MN the following evening for a tournament. The Bulldogs will close out their conference and regular-season schedules with a short trip to Glenwood City on February 6.
Bloomer/Colfax Dual
It looked as if the Bulldogs would roll to a comfortable win over the visiting Raptors in an out-of-league dual last Tuesday in Boyceville.
The hosts had earned a 29-15 lead when the visiting squad from Bloomer/Colfax suddenly closed to within two points with three consecutive victories at 138, 145 and 152 pounds.
SOPHOMORES BATTLE — Boyceville’s Josiah Berg was in complete control of his Bloomer/Colfax opponent Alex Poirier and the match at 120 pounds when the squads dualed in Boyceville January 21. Berg scored a 16-0 technical fall. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
But Bash Nielson wasn’t about to let his teammates down. The Boyceville freshman dominated his 160-pound match against Cal Lueck eventually earning the pin fall at 2:49 that gave the Bulldogs an insurmountable 35-27 lead and the win.
Taylor Schmid then neatly tied up the victory with a 33 second pin of his 170-pound B/C opponent, Kolbyn Yohnk, to make the final tally, 41-27.
Junior Trett Joles and senior Josh Marzofka gave Boyceville a 12-0 opening lead with respective pins at 195 and 220 pounds.
Keegan Plemon was awarded a forfeit at 285 to stretch the Boyceville advantage to 18 points.
Brison Tuschl and Luke Blanchard gave the Raptors consecutive wins via pins at 106 and 113.
Josiah Berg’s 16-0 technical fall of B/C wrestler Alex Poirier at 120 pushed the Bulldogs lead to 23-12.
Brice Evenson lost a 2-1 decision at 126 but Peyton Ponath took a forfeit at 132 and Boyceville led 29-15.
That’s when Bloomer/Colfax sliced into the Boyceville lead with three wins – two decisions and a pin.
But Nielson’s pin put a win in the Bulldogs’ column.
Boyceville 41, Bloomer/Colfax 27
182-Double Forfeit; 195-Trett Joles (BV) pinned Sebastiano Brunetti (BC), 1:49; 220-Josh Marzofka (BV) pinned Parker Readinger (BC), 1:32; 285-Keegan Plemon (BV) received forfeit; 106-Brison Tuschl (BC) pinned Dante Butler (BV), 1:46; 113-Luke Blanchard (BC) pinned Emma Gruenhagen (BV), 1:30; 120-Josiah Berg (BV) technical falled Alex Poirier (BC), 16-0 (5:00); 126-Isaac Lagesse (BC) dec. Brice Evenson (BV), 2-1; 132-Peyton Ponath (BV) received forfeit; 138-Sawyer Best (BC) dec. Nate Stuart (BV), 12-10; 145-Ethan Rubenzer (BC) pinned Ira Bialzik (BV), 2:50; 152-Bowen Rothbauer (BC) dec. Tyler Dormanen (BV), 2-0; 160-Bash Nielson (BV) pinned Cal Lueck (BC), 2:49; 170-Taylor Schmid (BV) pinned Kolbyn Yohnk (BC), 0:33.
St. Croix Falls Classic
Six wrestlers placed helping the Bulldogs take eighth place in last Saturday’s very competitive St. Croix Falls Wrestling Classic.
Top-rated junior Trett Joles lived up to his ranking as he led the Boyceville contingent with a championship at 182 pounds while Josiah Berg and Nate Stuart earned third-place finishes at 120 and 132 respectively, Tyler Dormanen was fourth at 145, Josh Marzofka took sixth at 195 and Bash Nielson garnered an eighth at 160 to help the Bulldogs, who are ranked 11th in D3, accumulate 93 team points.
Host St. Croix Falls (4th in D3) topped a field of 22 squads that featured six state-ranked schools with 197 points. Princeton, MN, rated tenth in the Gopher State’s Class AA poll, was the runner-up with 170 followed by Hudson (#7 in D1) with 157.5, Amery at 149 (#12 in D2), Oconto Falls with 132, Totino Grace, MN with 111 and River Falls (#11 in D1) tallied 110 points.
Joles ran his season mark to an unblemished 31-0 with four wins in the Falls en route to the gold medal. Joles pinned Jacob Kaminski of Oconto Falls in the quarters and stuck his championship opponent, Hudson’s Hank Gierke. He also registered a 20-5 tech fall over Kaden Olsen of Princeton, MN.
Josiah Berg and Nate Stuart both posted 3-1 marks Saturday.
Berg, now 26-4 had a tech fall and won a 6-3 decision over Mason Will of St. Croix Falls for third place at 120 pounds. His one loss came in the semis, a 12-4 setback to Spencer’s Treyton Ackman.
Junior Stuart knocked off Owen Larson of River Falls 5-2 in the 132-pound, third-place match to earn his bronze medal.
After opening with a pin and major decision, sophomore Tyler Dormanen (23-6) lost his final two matches to take fourth at 145 pounds.
Going 3-2 at 195 pounds, Boyceville’s lone senior Josh Marzofka (17-15) placed sixth while Bash Nielson (14-15) went 2-3 for an eighth-place showing at 160.
Boyceville wrestlers also found success in the junior varsity tournament where Mikayla Schewe (106) and Emma Gruenhagen (113) each placed third, Jared Hatch (138) took home fourth, Brice Evenson (120) was fifth and Filup Nelson (132) copped a sixth.