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AUBURNDALE – In order for the Stratford wrestling team to sweep both the Marawood Conference dual meet and tournament titles, it would have to defeat five-time tourney champion Edgar.
The Tigers swept through the dual meet season, which included a one-point win over Edgar, but times would not be as easy for them at the Marawood tournament.
Behind eight individual champions, including five in head-to-head finals matches with Stratford, Edgar won the tournament going away, totaling 264 points. Stratford was a distant second with 198 points and didn’t have a single individual champ.
Connor Handrick got the ball rolling for Edgar, winning a major decision at 112 pounds. Brandon Manecke won at 119 and Anthony Lemanksi pinned Stratford’s Tylyn Hoover at 130 in the first of five matches the Wildcats won over the Tigers.
Matt Nowak (135), Jake Frane (140), Luke Nowak (152), Dominique Lehman (160) and Aaron Karlen (215) also won titles for Edgar.
In the other four head-to-head matches between Edgar and Stratford, Frane won by injury default over Evan Bohman, Luke Nowak won a 10-2 decision over Mark Marquardt, Lehman shut out Matt Zuelke 8-0, and Karlen pinned Jake Kauth in 3:58.
Luke Radke also placed second for the Tigers, losing 7-4 in the 185-pound championship match to Phillips’ Peter Polacek.
In addition to the six second-place finishes, Stratford had a third-place finish and four others take fourth.
Cole Kaiser won the 171-pound third-place match, while Andrew Schreiner (103), Alex Heiden (112), Phil Sersch (119) and Andrew Murdaugh (285) lost to finish fourth.
Auburndale had eight medalists, led by Kyle Kundinger, who took third at 125 pounds. Aaron Swenson was fourth at 152, and Trevin Oertel (160) and Lane Schuld (103) each finished fifth. Four Apaches finished sixth.
Stratford and Auburndale will compete at the WIAA Division 3 regional on Feb. 12.
Team scores: 1. Edgar 264; 2. Stratford 198; 3. Athens 183; 4. Phillips and Pittsville 159.5; 6. Marathon 87; 7. Auburndale 60; 8. Chequamegon 59.
For complete results, go to trackwrestling.com.