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Milaca, rated third in Class AA, won the tournament, beating Sauk Centre, rated seventh in Class AA, 38-36 in the final. Milaca claimed the title for the first time since 2001. Paynesville had won the tourney the past two years.

Junior Josh Teben recorded pins in all three of his matches last week, including this one against New Ulm that tied the score at 27-27.

In the first round ACGC, coached by former PAHS standout Tim Roberg, won the first six weights against Paynesville, earning 30 points from three major decisions and three pins.

The Dogs cut the lead to 30-15, getting pins from sophomores Keith Klein at 145 and Sean Glenz at 152 and a decision from sophomore Joel Kerzman at 140, but ACGC won two more decisions to seal the victory with three weights to go.

Paynesville ended the match with three straight pins from junior Josh Tebben at 189, senior Pat Utsch at 215, and senior Derek Burris at 275.

Against Renville County West, the Bulldogs won eight of the last ten matches, turning an early 11-10 deficit into a 52-21 victory. Ninth grader Aaron Burris gave the Bulldogs the lead for good with a 6-5 decision at 130, followed by junior Jack Mueller also winning a close 5-2 decision at 135.

The Bulldogs also got four pins and two forfeits in the last eight weights. Recording pins were Sean Glenz at 145, sophomore Aaron Bachman at 160, senior Matt Kerzman at 171, and Tebben at 189. Glenz recorded his 100th career win with this pin.

Senior Pat Utsch is congratulating by his teammates after winning a 6-5 decision at 215 against a state-rated New Ulm wrestler.

Sophomore Andrew Christian started the scoring for the Bulldogs with a major decision at 119.

The Bulldogs rallied against New Ulm, a Class AAA school, but fell short. New Ulm won five of the first six weights and built a 24-3 lead. New Ulm still led 27-11 with five weights to go.

The Bulldogs rallied to tie the score, winning four straight matches. Bachman earned a major decision at 160, Matt Kerzman and Josh Tebben recorded falls at 171 and 189, and Pat Utsch won a decision against a state-rated wrestler at 215, giving Paynesville a brief 30-27 lead. But New Ulm got a pin at heavyweight to win.

Other winners for Paynesville, now 14-12, were sophomore Joe Sheridan at 112, Joel Kerzman at 140, and Sean Glenz at 145.

Undefeated wrestlers for Paynesville on Saturday were Joel Kerzman, Glenz, Tebben, and Utsch. Tebben recorded three pins.

This week, the Dogs will wrestle at a quadrangular at Rocori on Friday, starting at 5 p.m. Next week, they will start the section playoffs on Tuesday, Feb. 17, hosting the first round in Paynesville.

ACGC 36, Paynesville 33
103-Bill Wheeler (ACGC) maj. dec. Jordan Christian, 10-1; 112-Matt Pearson (ACGC) maj. dec. Joe Sheridan, 11-3; 119-Adam Hoeper (ACGC) maj. dec. Andrew Christian, 13-3; 125-A.J. Frederickson (ACGC) pinned Cody Block, 2:35; 130-Kyle Whitcomb (ACGC) pinned Aaron Burris, 1:29; 135-Jason Losing (ACGC) pinned Jack Mueller, 3:44; 140-Joel Kerzman (P) dec. Aaron Rauser, 8-2; 145-Keith Klein (P) pinned David Nelson, 4:47; 152-Sean Glenz (P) pinned Matt Leither, 2:25; 160-Spencer Lund (ACGC) dec. Matt Kerzman, 7-5; 171-Nic Leither (ACGC) dec. Aaron Bachman, 7-2; 189-Josh Tebben (P) pinned Eric Peterson, 1:56; 215-Pat Utsch (P) pinned Andrew Beerman, 1:57; 275-Derek Burris (P) pinned Joe Hoeper, 2:08.

Paynesville 52, Renville County 21
103-Isaac Johns (RCW) tech. falled Jordan Christian, 19-4; 112-Joe Sheridan (P) won by forfeit; 119-Andrew Christian (P) maj. dec. Jake Freigerg, 14-2; 125-Jared Seitsema (RCW) pinned Cody Block, 0:41; 130-Aaron Burris (P) dec. Seth Zeitz, 6-5; 135-Jack Mueller (P) dec. Joe Dombroten, 5-2; 140-Joel Kerzman (P) won by forfeit; 145-Sean Glenz (P) pinned Jeremy Nere, 0:23; 152-Shane Zeitz (RCW) maj. dec. Keith Klein, 13-2; 160-Aaron Bachman (P) pinned Matt Peterson, 0:59; 171-Matt Kerzman (P) pinned Bub Huseby, 0:55; 189-Josh Tebben (P) pinned Tyler Enesvedt, 3:37; 215-Pat Utsch (P) won by forfeit; 275-Josh Davis (RCW) pinned Derek Burris, 3:24.

New Ulm 33, Paynesville 30
103-Adam Hoffman (NU) pinned Jordan Christian, 0:25; 112-Joe Sheridan (P) dec. Nathan Dobie, 9-7; 119-Neil Wenninger (NU) tech. falled Andrew Christian, 18-2; 125-Dan Runck (NU) maj. dec. Aaron Burris, 18-8; 130-Geoff Beranek (NU) pinned Cody Block, 1:50; 135-Chris Koob (NU) dec. Jack Mueller, 4-3; 140-Joel Kerzman (P) maj. dec. Curtis Thoreson, 18-5; 145-Sean Glenz (P) maj. dec. Mike Kral, 10-2; 152-Dan Mielke (NU) dec. Keith Klein (P), 7-2; 160-Aaron Bachman (P) maj. dec. Tim Kral, 12-2; 171-Matt Kerzman (P) pinned Eric Kral, 4:45; 189-Josh Tebben (P) pinned Seth Schaefer, 2:26; 215-Pat Utsch (P) dec. Travis Aufderheide, 6-5; 275-Brett LeBrun (NU) pinned Derek Burris, 3:27.

Osseo Triangular
The Bulldogs lost two matches - to Class AAA teams Blaine and Osseo - at the Osseo Triangular on Thursday, Feb. 5. Blaine beat the Bulldogs 32-31, and Osseo prevailed 37-27.

Against Blaine, the Bulldogs rallied from deficits of 21-3 and 32-18 but came up a point short. Blaine won four of the first five weights to take a 21-3 lead. Sophomore Joel Kerzman had a pin at 135, junior Jack Mueller won a decision at 140, and sophomore Sean Glenz had a pin at 145 to cut that deficit to 21-18.

But Blaine won the next three weights to build a 32-18 lead. The Dogs won the final three weights, with junior Josh Tebben earning a decision at 189, senior Pat Utsch earning a major decision at 215, and senior Derek Burris winning by forfeit at 275.

Sophomore Joe Sheridan scored the Bulldogs first points, with a decision at 119.

Against Osseo, the Bulldogs rallied from an 18-4 deficit and took the lead with four matches to go, but the Orioles won three of the four to win the match 37-27. Trailing 18-4, the Dogs won four of five matches to take a brief 24-22 lead, their only lead of the match.

Joel Kerzman started the run with a pin at 135, Glenz added a technical fall (over a state-rated opponent) at 140, senior Matt Kerzman won by fall at 152, and sophopmore Keith Klein gave the Dogs the lead with a decision at 160.

Other winners for the Bulldogs were Sheridan, by major decision, at 112 and Utsch, by decision, at 215.

Blaine 32, Paynesville 31
103-John Sundren (B) pinned Jordan Christian, 1:23; 112-Clint Darigdig (B) dec. Andrew Christian, 5-2; 119-Joe Sheridan (P) dec. Josh West, 6-5 (OT-2); 125-Joe Pauluk (B) pinned Aaron Burris, 2:53; 130-Travis Wiener (B) pinned Cody Block, 4:45; 135-Joel Kerzman (P) pinned John Lokartz, 1:24; 140-Jack Mueller (P) dec. Justin Zastrow, 7-3; 145-Sean Glenz (P) pinned Corey Duffy, 3:56; 152-Matt Wittrow (B) dec. Matt Kerzman, 15-11; 160-Travis Carlson (B) maj. dec. Keith Klein, 11-3; 171-Theo Gagner (B) maj. dec. Aaron Bachman, 16-6; 189-Josh Tebben (P) dec. Chris Weederg, 11-9; 215-Pat Utsch (P) maj. dec. Mike Haberson, 10-2; 275-Derek Burris (P) won by forfeit.

Osseo 37, Paynesville 27
103-Yang Xiong (O) dec. Jordan Christian, 9-8; 112-Joe Sheridan (P) maj. dec. Derek Halvorson, 10-1; 119-Bill Macy (O) dec. Andrew Christian, 7-0; 125-Jesse Syrpism (O) pinned Aaron Burris, 1:35; 130-Bart Koreus (O) pinned Cody Block, 1:02; 135-Joel Kerzman (P) pinned Tom Phenow, 0:35; 140-Sean Glenz (P) tech. falled Josh Hammer, 16-1; 145-Brian Swanson (O) maj. dec. Jack Mueller, 14-0; 152-Matt Kerzman (P) pinned Kurt Senjanko, 4:45; 160-Keith Klein (P) dec. Adam Biegert, 9-7; 171-Tony Mallon (O) pinned Aaron Bachman, 2:42; 189-Mark Steele (O) dec. Josh Tebben, 11-9; 215-Pat Utsch (P) dec. Ben Roff, 9-8; 275-Josh Prokosch (O) pinned Derek Burris, 1:08.