By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
Elkhorn Area High School wrestling coach Ken Reynolds cannot recall the last time the Elks finished with a losing record at a dual meet tournament.
The Elks won two meets and lost three Saturday in the Pieper Duals at Stoughton High School.
Elkhorn beat Westosha Central 66-12 Dec. 3 at home in a Southern Lakes Conference dual meet.
The Elks wrestle tonight in a SLC dual meet at Delavan-Darien and Saturday in the Wisconsin Dells Duals at the Chula Vista Dome in Wisconsin Dells.
“What stands out, really, is that the team is finding its identity and realizing what lies ahead,” Reynolds said of the Elks’ performance at the Stoughton Duals. “They’ve got some work to do. We’re young. We’re really young.”
Reynolds said the result at the Stoughton Duals is not what anyone envisioned.
“I’m even struggling with the words to describe how I feel about it, or how the kids felt. I think there is a lot of shock right now.
“The expectation of winning is pretty high around here. Those things don’t just happen. It’s got to be through hard work.”
Elkhorn beat Madison LaFollette 39-33 and Evansville/Albany 42-33. The Elks lost 56-12 to Stoughton, 42-32 to Fennimore and 40-36 to Marshfield.
Reynolds said the Elks competed without heavyweight Richie Heidemann after the second dual. Heidemann sat out due to injury. Benji Peak and Konnor Mohr also did not wrestle due to injury.
Reynolds complimented the performances of Bryce Jacobson (160), Riley Remington (170) and Dan Stilling (120).
The Elks’ Jon Palmer wrestled at 195 and finished 3-2. Reynolds said Palmer wrestled a weight up from his usual class and gave up at least 20 pounds to his opponents.
“He competed and wrestled and really fought to the end,” Reynolds said. “I think he did an outstanding job.”
Elkhorn won every contested match against Westosha Central. The Elks’ two losses came by forfeit.
Kevin Pauley (152), Remington (160), Jacobson (170), Myles Schumacher (195), Grant Truesdale (106), Teddy Woyak (113), Daniel Stilling (126) and James Welsh (138) all won by pin.
Palmer (182) beat the Falcons’ Reid McNeil 11-4.
