Wrestlers improve to 24-3, win Benzie Central tournament

by Angie Asam, Staff Writer

Saturday the Rogers City Hurons wrestling team went 5-0 to improve to 24-3 on the season and win the Benzie Central Super Dual Tournament. Rogers City defeated Kalkaska 62-6, Benzie Central 42-21, Hart 40-27 and Reed City 54-30 before squaring off against Mt. Pleasant in the final match of the day. ?It was an exciting tournament. I thought that Rogers City wrestled well all day. We gave up two weight classes basically for the most part all day, giving up 12 points in most of the duals. Our kids just wrestled extremely hard,? said coach Pat Lamb. Up against Mt. Pleasant the Hurons would find themselves trailing 40-28 going into the final two matches at 215 and 285 pounds.

Freshman Andrew Selke (215) stepped on the mat knowing he needed a pin if his team was going to tie or win the match. Selke scored the pin and Mt. Pleasant voided to Devin Pommerenke (285) to make the final match score 40-40. It was the second time this season Selke has had to come up with a pin to help his team. Before that match freshman Jared LaFleche (160/71) had to wrestle a tough match only giving up a major decision, not giving up a technical fall or a pin helped to put his team in the situation to win the match. ?I tell my kids all the time that you don?t always need to win to help the team, this proves that,? said coach Lamb.

When all matches are complete, if a dual match is tied the winner is determined by tiebreaker criteria. Rogers City won the match on eighth criteria, having scored the first point in matches more to take the dual. Coach Lamb had never been in a criteria situation before but felt it was an exciting way to win the tournament. Eight Huron wrestlers earned medals for being out

standing wrestlers at the tournament, given to any wrestler who finished 4-1 or 5-0 on the day. Undefeated wrestlers for the Hurons were Joe Sobeck (112), Evan Lamb (125/30), Keegan Urban (135), Greg Tulgestke (140) and Devin Pommerenke (285). ?Keegan Urban and Greg Tulgestke in the middle there were just unstoppable on the day. I just hope those two can keep wrestling like that because they were on fire. Having Evan (Lamb) and Travis (Fleis) both weighing in at 125 and allowing us to move some things around was key too. It was just quality wrestling and a good day for Rogers City wrestling,? said coach Lamb.

Finishing 4-1 on the day were Jack Ryan (119), Travis Fleis (125/30) and Selke (215). Daniel Marx (145/52) and Noah Sobeck (103) were each 3-2 on the day. Sophomore Caleb Pommerenke (189) was 1-0 on the day before an injury forced him to withdraw from the tournament. WEDNESDAY (after press time) the Hurons hosted a conference quad for parents/senior night. The Hurons will be in Gaylord for the Northern Michigan Championships Saturday with 29 teams competing.

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