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Four individual championships lead Bulldogs to UIC title

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The MFL MarMac boys wrestling team won the Upper Iowa Conference Tournament at Tripoli on Jan. 26, edging North Fayette Valley by just two points, 220-218. (Photos by Audrey Posten)

MFL MarMac senior Karter Decker celebrates winning the conference championship at 152 pounds. He sealed the title with his 100th career pin.

Conference marked the first career tournament win for Austin Schaller, a sophomore wrestling at 182 pounds.

Senior Taylor Herzmann's conference championship was the first tournament win of his career.

Quinn McGeough took the top spot at 160 pounds at the UIC tournament.

By Audrey Posten, Times-Register

 

The MFL MarMac boys wrestling team won the Upper Iowa Conference Tournament at Tripoli on Jan. 26, edging North Fayette Valley by just two points, 220-218.

 

The championship came down to a fall by 220-pound senior Taylor Herzmann, who was one of four Bulldogs to earn an individual title that night.

 

“It’s pretty exciting. [Coach] Chet [Bachman] told me before my match that my match was key for us to win conference,” said Herzmann. 

 

He didn’t find out until afterward just how pivotal it was, though.

 

“When I found out how close it was, then I was happy I helped the team,” Herzmann said.

 

Bachman called the win the biggest of Herzmann’s life. He only started wrestling as a sophomore, and the coach has been impressed with his growth.

 

“He’s been a little bit up and down. Now, he’s back on track,” Bachman said. “I’m happy for him. He deserves it. He’s put in time in the offseason. He’s gone to some camps with me.”

 

Herzmann credited his success to continually pushing himself.

 

“Keeping going day in and day out to practice. Getting up early on Saturdays and going to tournaments all day,” he shared. “Last year was my year where I spiked and thought to myself I could be good. This year, I achieved it and got my first first place. I never thought I’d be here right now.”

 

Austin Schaller, a sophomore wrestling at 182 pounds, also won his first career tournament at conference. Fellow sophomore Quinn McGeough took the top spot at 160 and senior Karter Decker placed first at 152. Decker’s title was sealed by his 100th career pin.

 

“There aren’t too many people in the state of Iowa who have 100 pins. You can look in the record books,” said Bachman.

 

Decker’s key to success, according to the coach? “He’s funky,” Bachman remarked. “He’s just out of the gates wild.”

 

Four more Bulldogs wrestled in a championship match, but fell just short of the top step of the podium. That included Holden Mathis at 132 pounds, Bryce Radloff at 138, Clayton Freese at 145 and Nolan Lerch at 195.

 

Coming in third in their respective weight classes were Keith Anderson (113), Rylee Kugel (126) and Will Howes (285). Wyatt Mohs placed fourth at 106 pounds and Dayne Kohrs was fourth at 170.

 

The conference championship was a good rebound for the Bulldogs, who, on Jan. 24, lost their first duals of the season to Nashua-Plainfield and Waukon.

 

N-P defeated MFL MarMac 57-18, capitalizing on four Bulldog forfeits at 106, 113, 120 and 145, as well as five falls. MFL MarMac collected falls at 152 and 170 thanks to Decker and Kohrs. Mathis won a 4-2 decision at 132 and Herzmann won by tie breaker, 7-6.

 

The dual with Waukon ended in a narrow 42-39 loss for the Bulldogs. The Indians picked up wins at the light weights, 106 through 126, but MFL MarMac dominated the middle part of the order. Mathis (132), Radloff (145), Decker (152), McGeough (160) and Kohrs (170) all won by fall, while Freese secured a 9-3 decision at 138.

 

Waukon upended Schaller at 182 pounds and Lerch at 195, before Herzmann got the team back on track with a fall at 220. Howes couldn’t hold out in the heavyweight match, though.

 

MFL MarMac came out on top in its two other duals that night, defeating Clayton Ridge 60-12 and Postville 53-18.

 

Radloff, Decker, McGeough, Kohrs and Herzmann all had falls against the Eagles, and the Bulldogs earned another five wins via forfeit. Clayton Ridge earned points with a fall at 106 and forfeit at 113. There were double forfeits at 126 and 152 pounds.

 

Against Postville, Radloff, Decker and McGeough again earned falls. They were joined by Schaller and Kugel. Herzmann won by 15-0 technical fall and Howes won after his opponent was injured. Another two wins came due to forfeit.

 

“We kind of slipped up against Waukon and Nashua, but I think that’s all right. I’m just so proud of the season we’ve had. It’s been a long season, and you can’t get ‘er done all the time out there. You have to have things go your way a lot in dual meets, and a couple of them didn’t go our way,” Bachman said. “It seems like, in our tournaments, we’ve been able to squeak ‘em out. A pretty great team effort by athletes and coaches to get it done.”

 

Tuesday night, Jan. 31, MFL MarMac wrestled in the Regional Duals at Alburnett. The Bulldogs faced Jesup in the first round, with the winner taking on Alburnett for a chance to advance to state.

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