Five champions crowned at Escanaba

by Angie Asam, Staff Writer

The Rogers City Hurons varsity wrestling team traveled to Escanaba Saturday for the annual Escanaba Elks Invitational. The Hurons had nine placers out of 11 wrestlers Saturday and finished second, just seven points behind Iron Mountain. Joey Sobeck (112), Evan Lamb (130), Greg Tulgestke (140), Daniel Marx (145) and Devin Pommerenke (285) were undefeated on the day to place first in their weight classes. Iron Mountain took first with 226 team points, Rogers City was second at 219 and Escanaba was third at 210 with the next closest being Gladstone with 137.

?It was tight between us, Iron Mountain and Escanaba all day long. Although you always like to win, it was a fun tournament. It was a fun atmosphere and I thoroughly enjoyed it and I think the outcome on any different Saturday could be different,? said coach Lamb. Sobeck was 4-0 as he won by pin in 34 seconds in round one and pin in 3:50 in round two before a thrilling 4-0 win over Munising?s J.J. Sadler to propel him into the finals. In the finals against Menominee?s Stephen Theuerkauf, Sobeck earned a pin at 3:26 to take the title.

Lamb won by pin in 1:40 and pin in 39 seconds to set up a finals match with Menominee?s Chris Briar. Lamb would win that match 5-2. Tulgestke notched two pins to qualify for the finals against Iron Mountain?s Dylan Carr, who Tulgestke dominated as he took the title with a 4-0 decision. Last week in the article about the Bill Barrett Memorial Tournament, Tulgestke?s record on the day was incorrect as it said he was 3-2 on the day when he was 4-1. The Advance apologizes for the error. Marx won by pin in 1:10 and then a 4-2 decision over Gladstone?s Jack Wydra before pinning Jared Maycunich of Escanaba in the finals at 4:40.

Devin Pommerenke pinned all of his opponents on the day going 3-0. His longest match of the day was in the finals as he pinned Houghton Lake?s Ethan Gerdes in 1:44. Devin will be looking for his 200th career win Wednesday in Sault Ste. Marie. SENIOR KEEGAN Urban (135) was 2-1 on the day and took second. Urban notched his 100th career victory with a pin in 3:39 in his first match of the day and then won a 2-0 overtime thriller over Gladstone?s Josh Kadish to qualify for the finals. In the finals Urban fell 5-0 to Iron Mountain?s Chase Gendron.

?Keegan battled and fought hard to win in overtime over Kadish. After a questionable call on a takedown he could have just given up for that period and went into multiple overtimes but he went after it and got the takedown with 20 seconds left to get the win. Keegan has just been busting his butt all year long. For him to get his 100th victory at that tournament was just awesome,? said coach Lamb. Sophomore Caleb Pommerenke (189) also took second on the day as he had three pins to get to the finals where he fell 3-1 to St. Ignace?s Joe Ostman, the number one ranked wrestler in Division IV at 189 pounds. Senior Travis Fleis (125) went 2-1 and placed third. Fleis won by pin (1:04) in his first match of the day before losing 4-0 to Iron Mountain?s Cameron Jones, the eventual champion. Fleis then won by pin in 2:39 to place third. Freshman Andrew Selke (215) was the final placer for Rogers City as he lost his first match 7-4 before battling back with a pin, a 6-3 decision and another pin to finish 3-1 on the day and in fifth place.

?Andrew lost a tough one in the first round then came back to do the very best he could to finish fifth. As a freshman that is tough to do. When you have a demoralizing loss like that in t

he first match of the day the easiest thing to do is just give up and think about going 0-2 and sitting around moping all day. Andrew wouldn?t have any of that, he came back strong,? said coach Lamb. Freshman Jack Ryan (119) was 1-2 on the day and freshman Jared LaFleche (160) was 0-2. LAST WEDNESDAY the Hurons were in Newberry for a conference quad where they defeated Sault Ste. Marie 58-15 and Newberry 61-18. Going 2-0 on the day were Leilani Kortman (103), Sobeck, Ryan, Lamb, Urban, Marx, Tulgestke, Selke and Devin Pommerenke. Fleis, Daniel Pflug (135), LaFleche and Caleb Pommerenke were each 1-1 on the day.

?We are really starting to set some milestones this year. We?ve had three young men get their 100th victory already this year, Devin is closing in on 200 and we?re probably going to get two more 100 match winners, maybe three. It?s just a great team. They young men and young lady are just working hard and doing their very best every time they are on the mat. As a coach I can?t ask for more than that, they?re a great group of individuals and they just make me proud every time I turn around,? said coach Lamb. Wednesday (after press time) the Hurons traveled to Sault Ste. Marie for a conference quad. They will be off this weekend and will go to Oscoda Tuesday for a rescheduled meet from early in the season.

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