.
The Tomah-Sparta wrestling showdown is all set.
Tomah did its part to preserve the battle of Mississippi Valley Conference unbeatens by defeating La Crosse Logan, 50-15, at Logan High School Thursday.
Tomah improved to 5-0 in the MVC. Sparta, also 5-0 in the MVC, kept pace by destroying Onalaska, 81-0. The two meet to decide the MVC championship Tuesday at Tomah High School High School. The junior varsity matches begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the varsity at about 7:30.
“There will be a lot of fans and a lot of excitement,” Von Haden said. “It will be really good for wrestling in this area.”
Although the dual outcome at Logan was never in doubt, there were still intriguing individual matchups. At 130, Scott Pierce of Tomah trailed by three when he reversed in the final seconds and put Logan’s Kyle Stalsberg on his back for the win.
“Scott kept fighting, kept battling and got that 5-point move at the end,” Von Haden said.
At 112, Logan’s Billy Lorenz, a state qualifier from a year ago, broke a third-period 2-2 tie at 112 pounds by pinning Tomah’s Zurik Adler in 4:31.
Ellsworth trip
Saturday, Tomah traveled to the Ellsworth Quadrangular for three dual matches. Tomah finished 1-2. The Timberwolves beat River Falls, 58-15 but lost to Ellsworth, 28-27, and to Apple Valley, Minn., 59-7.
“Apple Valley is the cream of the crop in Minnesota, and I think they could beat any team in Wisconsin,” Von Haden said. “We had some pretty good matches up there. We needed a pin by Betthauser in the last match to get the win over Ellsworth. Betthauser won the match for us, but he couldn’t get the pin.”
Jacob McGinnis (145) and John Van Gundy (285) got Tomah’s only two wins against Apple Valley and finished the day undefeated.
Pierce (130), Kevin Betthauser (103) and David Pierce (189) finished the afternoon at 2-1.
.
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
