Rogers City earns a fourth at Marquette, Centala wins his third championship in four years

The Rogers City Huron wrestling team finished fourth at the prestigious Marquette Wrestling Tournament last Saturday. Represented at the tournament was some of the best wrestling talent from two states. Huron wrestling coach Pat Lamb said if a wrestler can place at the Marquette Challenge he will probably place at the state tournament. ?The competition up there was top notch,? said Lamb. For example, in the seeding meeting, which took more than three hours, there were eight undefeated wrestlers at 171 pounds. One was Rogers City sophomore Chase McLennan. Even with an unblemished record, he was seeded seventh. ?This is sixth year we have been back there; we used to go there all the time,? said Lamb. ?I really feel that this is the best field of teams we have seen in the challenge since we?ve been back.?

FIVE ROGERS CITY wrestlers were undefeated heading into the tournament, but only senior captain Dylan Centala could keep his undefeated record intact as he was the lone champion. Centala has taken first three out of his four years, as he dropped a finals match in 2004. ?Dylan did put on a show, and to win the challenge three times out of four years is outstanding,? said Lamb. Sophomore Tharin Wilk (125 pounds) wrestled extremely well, making it to the finals and earning a second. Senior Cody Wenzel (140) took third, while Mark Grulke (189), Brent Freel (119) and McLennan (171) all finished in fourth. T.J. Sobeck (103) earned a sixth.

Merrill, Wisconsin was the top school at the tournament with 217.5 points. They were followed by Mason, New Lothrop, and Rogers City.

?The team from Merrill was loaded this year, and they were missing Brandon Perry, the young man who beat Dylan Centala last year in the finals,? Lamb said. ?Mason is the defending D-2 state champ, so they brought a lot of good kids, too. ?We took fourth, which was an improvement from last year?s team, but I really think we could have come out of there with a trophy,? said Lamb. ?I don?t know if we could have topped Merrill, but I think Mason was well within reach. They were missing a few of their key guys as well.? The coach didn?t expect to finish behind any D-4 schools either, but New Lothrop was about 20 points better in third.

?SOMEWHERE ALONG the line I think I failed to translate to my wrestlers how tough this tournament was going to be. I think I failed to motivate them mentally and physically to rise up to the challenge,? Lamb said. ?I think that?s my responsibility to make them aware of what they are up against. Naturally, I would have liked to come out of there with a trophy, but we?ll give it a shot next year.? Centala recorded pins in his first two matches

(25 seconds, 5:35), a 12-5 decision in the semifinals and then a major decision, 17-8, against Matt Bishop on New Lothrop. Bishop was seeded second and pinned every opponent until he met up with Centala in the finals.

Wilk?s path to a runner-up finish at 125 included a 10-2 major decision and a pair of 4-3 wins. He faced off against Matt Schneider of Merrill and lost 7-1. Wenzel won his first two matches before dropping into the consolation bracket and winning his bout for third against Derek Bunn of Gaylord. Freel, McLennan, and Grulke all made it to the semifinals before dropping their last two matches.

? THE WRESTLERS will have a silent bottle and can drive. Friends and family of the wrestling program were asked to save up the returnables throughout the year and now will be picked up between 1 and 5 p.m. December 29. The drive will be coordinated at the high school. Donations will be accepted, and will support the state title run. Lamb said they?ll even pick bottles and cans up. Call Lamb at 734-9189 for more information.

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