Three advance to individual state finals

State qualifiers are Caleb Pommerenke, Evan Lamb and Jacob Sobeck. (Photo by Richard Lamb)

by Angie Asam — Staff Writer

Three Rogers City Huron wrestlers will be traveling to the Palace of Auburn Hills on Feb. 28 – Mar. 2 to compete in the individual state tournament. Seniors Evan Lamb and Caleb Pommerenke and sophomore Jacob Sobeck finished second at individual regionals in Rogers City Saturday and punched their ticket into the Palace.

“Well, we didn’t have any champions; however, we had three young men that took second place in the regional tournament and I really think that we could see those same young men in the state finals if everything works out right. I think in all instances we can see them again and maybe have a different outcome. I totally expect all three of the young men we are taking down to place, it’s just a matter of how high,” said head coach Pat Lamb. Lamb qualified for his fourth-consecutive finals and will compete at 135 pounds.

Lamb defeated Brady Long of Pine River 12-6 and Klayton Ruggles of Hart 8-1 to advance to the regional final where he fell to No. 1 Chase Siersema of Hesperia 7-2. Pommerenke pinned Tom Miller of Pine River in 1:26 and defeated No. 4 Eldon Graham of Hesperia 11-4 to reach the final. In the final he fell to No. 1 Steven Mallo

y of Morley Stanwood 9-3. Pommerenke will be making his third appearance at the state finals. Sobeck is making his first trip to the finals as a wrestler. Sobeck defeated Herman Velasquez of Hart by pin in 1:15 and won 4-3 over Forest Area’s Matthew Elliott to advance to the final. In the final he fell to No. 4 Zach Mack of Mio 4-1.

Three other Huron wrestlers advanced to the regional meet but were unable to place in the top four to advance. Junior Jack Ryan (140), sophomores Cameron Urban (119) and Austin Bober (145) and freshman Justin Saile (103) had their seasons come to an end at the regional level.

LAST WEDNESDAY the Hurons traveled to Manistique for the team regional competition and fell in the semifinals to Norway 39-27. Winning matches for the Hurons were Ryan, Pommerenke, Blake Fessler, Saile, Sobeck and Lamb. Norway then defeated St. Ignace in the finals 37-36 on eighth criteria after the dual was tied to advance to the team state finals in Battle Creek this weekend.