Indees fall to Onalaska wrestlers

The Independence/Gilmanton wrestling team couldn’t recover from a slow start as it lost to Onalaska at home last week Tuesday.

Onalaska — a co-op program between Onalaska and Onalaska Luther high schools — won the first four matches and held a commanding lead throughout, winning 53-24.

The loss was I/G’s second of the year as they sit at 3-2 in dual matches. The Indees wrestled in a tournament at La Crosse Logan on Saturday and will compete in another in Whitehall this Friday.

Onalaska 53 I/G 24

The Indees rallied late, but the match had already been won by Onalaska.

I/G won three of the final five matches as Alex Johnson (132), Grant Klimek (138) and Sam Marsolek (144) all pinned their opponents in the first period. However, the Indees only had one other win — a 29-second pin by Drew Bragger (285) — in the dual.

Onalaska won the first four matches as Jackson Hughes (165) and Dayton Heintz (175) pinned Chase Back and Clay Herdahl before Jack Stoen (190) beat Preston Solberg by technical fall, 17-2. Carsen Fankhauser (215) then pinned James Carillo Taylor to put the Hilltoppers ahead 23-0.

Bragger pinned Sam Schams to put I/G on the board, but Onalaska won the next three matches. After a double forfeit at 106 pounds, Michael Campbell (113) pinned Gracie Rombalski, Gage Rademaker (120) received a forfeit and Lukas Todd (126) stuck Gavin Konter. 

The Indees wen ton a run as Johnson pinned Charles Burrows in 1:33, Klimek stuck Sam Sulentic in 1:21 and Marsolek topped Carter Beeler in 1:58.

Onalaska closed with two wins by forfeit.