Indees dominate two duals
Gabe Pietrek of Independence/Gilmanton scored a takedown early in his match during the team’s dual against Durand last Thursday. (Times photograph by Andrew Dannehy)
The Independence/Gilmanton wrestling team received some forfeits, but also took care of business on the mat in two dual wins last week.
The Indees opened the week with an eight-pin performance as they topped Onalaska – a co-op of Onalaska and Onalaska Luther high schools — 60-24 on Tuesday. They received sev-en forfeits on Thursday against Durand, but also won a majority of the matches settled on the mat as they beat Durand 60-19.
The wins put I/G’s dual record at 5-1. They competed in their first tournament of the season at La Crosse Logan on Saturday (see story elsewhere in Sports). They’ll compete in a tournament at Whitehall this Friday.
I/G 60 Onalaska 24
The Indees recorded eight pins as they were in control throughout the dual.
The first three matches were all forfeits, one received by Onalaska and two by I/G — Cora Sonsalla (120) and Alex Johnson (126). The Indees followed with three straight pins as Owen Gierok (132), Sam Marsolek (138) and Gabe Pietrek (145) all topped their opponents.
Onalaska tried to get back in the match with pins by Bryce Burchanan (152) over Max Marsolek and Jackson Hughes (160) over Juan Morales, but the Indees won five of the last six matches.
Mason Gierok (170) got the Indees back in the win column with a pin before Gavin Bragger (182) followed with another. Onalaska’s Jack Stoen (195) got the last of his team’s points with a pin of Mitchell Halvorson, but I/G finished with pins by Drew Bragger (220), Jaco-bo Medina (285) and Gracie Rombalski (106).
I/G 60 Durand 19
Forfeits made the final score lopsided, but the Indees also won three of the five match-es that were settled on the mat.
Medina began the dual by turning Ethan Brunner to his back for a pin in 2:14. Durand won the next two matches as Michael Strasser (120) pinned Sonsalla in 20 seconds and Joey Baker (138) topped Sam Marsolek 10-7, turning the I/G wrestler to his back in the closing sec-onds.
The Indees rebounded as Pietrek (145) pinned Brady Mansmith in 23 seconds and Gavin Bragger stuck Magnus Lukic in 1:57.
The final outcome of the dual was never in doubt as the Indees received seven forfeits. Those winning by forfeit were Rombalski, Owen Gierok, Max Marsolek, Clay Herdahl, Mason Gierok, Halvorson and Drew Bragger.
