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The Dogs fared better than they did in the Section 6A final last February, when Pierz won 54-11, losing only three weights to Paynesville.

Last week, the Dogs won five weights. Winners for the Dogs were ninth grader Jordan Christian at 103, junior Joey Sheridan at 112, junior A.J. Christian at 130, junior Sean Glenz at 152, and ninth grader Jordan Spaeth at 171. The Christian brothers both recorded pins for the Dogs, with Glenz adding a major decision, and Sheridan and Spaeth winning decisions.

Pierz has ten state-rated wrestlers but only seven - sophomore Hank Virnig, junior Kyle Bednar, senior Jon Andres, senior Joe Hyatt, senior Nathan Britz, and junior Kyle Britz - wrestled against the Dogs last week. Two Dogs are rated in state individually: Glenz and junior Joel Kerzman, who also did not wrestle against Pierz.

The Dogs (6-6) also were scheduled to wrestle Kimball at Pierz but did not. The Dogs do not wrestle again competitively until after the holiday break.

Pierz 43, Paynesville 22
103-Jordan Christian (P) pinned Bob Gruber, 3:36; 112-Joe Sheridan (P) dec. Tanner Tetrick, 11-8; 119-Hank Virnig (Pz) tech. falled Jon Kerzman, 16-1; 125-Kyle Bednar (Pz) pinned Todd Thielen, 1:09; 130-A.J. Christian (P) pinned Isaac Gruber, 2:35; 135-Jon Andres (Pz) won by forfeit; 140-Joe Hyatt (Pz) tech. falled Aaron Burris, 15-0; 145-Nick Gruber (Pz) dec. Keith Klein, 5-1; 152-Sean Glenz (P) maj. dec. Nathan Britz, 8-0; 160-Kyle Girtz (Pz) tech. falled Jack Mueller, 15-0; 171-Zach Solinger (Pz) dec. Kevin Klein, 3-0; 189-Jordan Spaeth (P) dec. Chad Britz, 5-1; 215-Cody Luberts (Pz) maj. dec. Josh Tebben, 12-3; 275-Matt Mrnak (Pz) pinned Jimmy Jansen, 0:34.

Paynesville 36, LPGE 25
A fast start helped the Dogs get their first conference win on Tuesday, Dec. 14, against LPGE in Long Prairie.

The Dogs got pins at four of the first six weights, and lost two close decisions at the other two weights, in building an 24-6 lead. LPGE outscored the Dogs 19-12 for the rest of the match, but the Dogs got their first win in the West Central Conference North 36-25.

With the match starting at 171, LPGE got a narrow decision to start the match. But Spaeth at 189, senior Josh Tebben at 215, senior Jimmy Jansen at 275, and Sheridan at 112 provided pins for the Dogs in the early going.

Senior Todd Thielen added a major decision at 130, Glenz added a technical fall at 152, and senior Jack Mueller won a decision at 160 to account for the other points for Paynesville (1-1 in the WCC North).

Two LPGE wrestlers are state-rated: junior Derek Pesta, a returning state champion, and junior Sam Schad. Eighth grader Jon Kerzman wrestled well against Pesta, losing by major decision 17-7 but scoring seven points, including a reversal and a two-point nearfall.

Paynesville 36, LPGE 25
171-Pat Jenkins (LPGE) dec. Kevin Klein, 3-0; 189-Jordan Spaeth (P) pinned Georg Kramer, 5:39; 215-Josh Tebben (P) pinned Brian Ziwicki, 0:39; 275-Jimmy Jansen (P) pinned Levi Pray, 4:51; 103-Joseph Pesta (LPGE) dec. Jordan Christian, 5-2; 112-Joe Sheridan (P) pinned Daniel Mittendorf, 1:46; 119-Derek Pesta (LPGE) maj. dec. Jon Kerzman, 17-7; 125-Chad Hibbs (LPGE) dec. A.J. Christian, 5-4 (OT); 130-Todd Thielen (P) maj. dec. Joe Morisch, 14-5; 135-Sam Schad (LPGE) pinned Cory Spanier, 1:54; 140-Jake Zeis (LPGE) dec. Aaron Burris, 12-7; 145-Brad Twardowski (LPGE) dec. Keith Klein, 5-4; 152-Sean Glenz (P) tech. falled Doug Jasken, 17-2; 160-Jack Mueller (P) dec. Mitch Ainali, 4-3.