Shorthanded Mondovi competes at Durand dual, individual tourney

The Mondovi wrestling team traveled to Durand for a conference dual on Thursday, Jan. 28. The Buffaloes lost by a score of 60-18, but there were only four pairs of wrestlers in the dual, all won by Mondovi wrestlers.

Winning matches for Mondovi were:  126—Nick Pelke, 132—Austin Fedie, 145—Dillon Larson and 170—Bryce Johnson.

On Saturday, Jan. 30, the wrestlers traveled to Independence for a 16-team individual tournament. Mondovi placed 13th as a team.

Individual place winners for the Buffaloes were:  126—Nick Pelke, 2nd; 132—Austin Fedie, 2nd; 145—Dillon Larson, Consolation Champion, and 182—Bryce Johnson, 5th.

“This has been a crazy year,” remarked Mondovi head coach Randy Pongratz. “We are down to four varsity wrestlers due to illness and injury. Durand did not win an actual match against us and all sixty points they got were from forfeits. 

“All four of our guys placed and brought home a medal from Independence as well,” Pongratz added.

Nick Pelke has been named Wrestler of the Week for the second week in a row.

“Nick’s only loss this week was to Tate Murty from C-FC who placed at state last year,” Pongratz said. “He has been working hard and is getting ready for the postseason.”

The wrestlers travel to River Falls for the combined Big Rivers/Dunn-St. Croix Conference Challenge on Saturday, Feb. 8. There are 12 ranked teams including Hudson, who is ranked No. 1 in Division 1, and 48 state ranked wrestlers in this tournament. Wrestling starts at 10 a.m.