Seven move onto regional tournament

by Angie Asam, Staff Writer

Although the Rogers City Hurons varsity wrestling team fell in the district semifinals to St. Ignace 41-32, ending the team season with a record of 26-4, the Huron wrestlers were not done as they went to the individual district tournament in Munising Saturday and had seven wrestlers move on to regionals. Regionals will be held in Rogers City Saturday beginning at 9:30 a.m. and those finishing in the top four at their weight class will stamp their ticket to wrestle in the state finals at the Palace of Auburn Hills March 3-5. Three Hurons earned district championships Saturday, while one took second and three finished third.

?I thought that we wrestled pretty well. The competition was tough in some weights. I was really proud of all the kids that made it through. Some of them lost heartbreaking matches but then came back to take third. We are pretty pleased at this point. It?s going to be a great day of wrestling Saturday here in Rogers City,? said coach Pat Lamb.

Sophomore Evan Lamb (47-2) took the title at 125 pounds as he defeated Darian McCormick of Newberry by pin in 23 seconds and then pinned Norway?s Caleb Winkler in 1:19 to advance to the finals. In the finals Lamb faced his senior teammate Travis Fleis and defeated him 17-6 to take the title. Lamb will face Mio?s D.J. Burden (27-8) in his first regional match as he looks to qualify for his second straight state finals.

Senior Greg Tulgestke (44-5) pinned Alex Redlon of Gwinn in 50 seconds and Onaway?s Christian Tollini in 1:18 to make the finals. Tulgestke, ranked sixth in the state, then defeated eighth ranked Jack Jamieson of Traverse City St. Francis 4-2 to take the title at 140 pounds. Tulgestke will take on Manton?s Scott Babb (35-9) Saturday in his first match.

Freshman Andrew Selke (34-11) took the title at 215 pounds as he defeated Garrett Thoresen of Norway via pin in 5:30 then defeated Norway?s Bill Burkland 5-3 in overtime in the finals. Selke will face Oscoda?s Jacob Wood (48-7) in round one of regionals. FLEIS WAS the lone Huron to place second as he defeated Tevin Nygren of Mancelona 10-0 and Trenton Doughty of Newberry 6-2 before falling to Lamb in the finals. Fleis (34-13) will face Farwell?s Tristen Zienkewicz (27-6) in round one at regionals.

Junior Joe Sobeck (42-6) defeated Iron Mountain?s Tanner Chouinard by pin in 29 seconds before falling to Munising?s Jarett Sadler 4-2. Sobeck then defeated Zach Schaub of Traverse City St. Francis 10-3 and St. Ignace?s Jesse Halberg 3-0 to take third at 112 pounds. Soebck, ranked 10th, will take on Farwell?s Trent Spivey (41-4) Saturday morning. Sobeck will look to place in the top four at regionals to advance to his third consecutive state finals.

Senior Keegan Urban (41-6) also took third at 135 pounds as he pinned Myles Kerr of Charlevoix in 1:35 before falling to Dylan Carr of Iron Mountain 7-0. Urban then pinned Onaway?s Aaron Gray in 2:17 and Ben Jamieson of Traverse City St. Francis in 1:33 to place third. Urban will face Cameron Longstreth (38-4) of Clare in the first round of regionals.

Senior Daniel Marx (34-15) was the other Huron to qualify as he was th

ird at 145 pounds. Marx pinned Onaway?s Chet Winfield in 3:02 before falling to Tommy McDade of Onaway 11-5. Marx then pinned Charlevoix?s Jake Sharrow in 37 seconds and Gwinn?s Austin Drayton in 1:58 to take third. Marx will face Mio?s Dylan Jensen (39-2) Saturday morning.

The formula is simple for regionals as each weight is an eight-man bracket. The tournament is double elimination, win two matches and you are in for the state finals. WEDNESDAY IN St. Ignace the Hurons fell to the host Saints in the team district semifinals. Winners for the Hurons were Sobeck, Fleis, Lamb, Urban, Tulgestke and Marx.

Following Saturday?s regional tournament the qualifiers will be off until the state finals which begin March 3.

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