MINERAL POINT — Despite bringing just four wrestlers to the Division 3 Mineral Point regional on Saturday, Feb. 10, Pecatonica-Argyle crowned two regional champions with another advancing to sectionals, also in Mineral Point, on Saturday, Feb. 17.
“The results from this weekend are a testament to how much time and commitment all these young men have put in to wrestling in and outside of the season,” Pecatonica-Argyle head coach Grant Sutter said. “The boys clearly are peaking at the right time, and we fully intend to keep that trend going in to these next couple weekends.”
The Mineral Point regional hosted the top two teams in Division 3 — No. 1 Fennimore and No. 2 Iowa-Grant/Highland — both of which advanced to team sectionals in Fennimore on Tuesday, Feb. 13. Across all weight classes, there were 16 state qualifiers from 2023, two of which were state champions and three others that were runners up.
Aidan Gruenenfelder (47-1, 106), who was one of those state runners up last season, went 4-0 with a pin and two tech falls to become a regional champion. As of Feb. 7, Gruenenfelder was ranked No. 3 at 113 pounds. His only loss is to Bruno Cassioppi of Hononegah, who is ranked in Illinois.
Lukas Orloff (39-5, 113), ranked No. 8 at 120 pounds, earned a regional title. He went 4-0 with two pins and a tech fall. In the championship, he pinned Slater Valley of Parkview-Albany in the second period.
Jakob Orloff (35-9, 132), ranked No. 4, went 3-2 with two pins for third place. His losses came to Roen Carey of Mineral Point by a narrow 3-0 decision and no contest in the second-place wrestle back. Carey was a state runner up last season at 120 pounds. During regionals, Jakob Orloff earned his 100th career win.
Parkview-Albany also advanced a significant portion of its team.
“To have one make it thought is good but to have four — or half of our team that we were able to take to sectionals — is amazing,” Parkview-Albany head coach Joel Steinmann said. “It shows the true grit and hunger they have to keep wrestling.”
Danny Finley (45-3, 126), ranked No. 10, was a regional runner up to Brody Miess of Riverdale. Miess, who is ranked No. 2 and was a state qualifier in 2023, edged Finley 3-0.
Wes Egan (46-2, 215), ranked No. 6, was a regional runner up to Bode Brokopp of IGH. Brokhopp, who is ranked No. 4, won narrowly 4-1. Egan was a regional runner up last season in Division 2.
Valley (41-7, 113), ranked No. 7, pinned his first two opponents for a spot in the championship. There, he fell to Lukas Orloff. In the wrestle back, Valley fell with four second left in the second period to Elliot Kite of Mineral Point, finishing third.
Sam Schwengels (46-2, 190), ranked No. 4, went 3-2 for third. After a first-round bye, he won by a 6-3 decision. In the semifinal, Schwengels fell to Kadin Rynes of Riverdale 11-6. Rynes was a 2023 state qualifier. Schwengels then rebounded in the third-place match with a pin in 43 seconds. He could not earn second, as Rynes won with a no contest. Schwengels was a regional runner up last season in Division 2.
