By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
Gems are not polished without friction. Keep as much in mind as the Elkhorn Area High School wrestling team battles its way through a grueling December.
After already facing two top-flight teams in dual meet competition, the Elks travel tonight to Burlington to wrestle the Demons in a Southern Lakes Conference dual meet.
“We want it,” Elks coach Ken Reynolds said. “They’re looking for it. The guys want to wrestle these tough teams – they really do. They’re really looking forward to Burlington.”
Burlington is the defending SLC champion and finished last season ranked sixth in the state in Division 1 in the final Wisconsin Wrestling Online state poll.
The Elks wrestled Dec. 6 in the Vern Pieper Duals at Stoughton High School and finished 4-1. The Elks lost 35-28 to Stoughton, which finished last season ranked fifth in Division 1 in Wisconsin Wrestling Online’s Division 1 state poll.
The Elks defeated Evansville/Albany 33-28 at Stoughton. Evansville/Albany finished last season ranked third in Division 2, according to Wisconsin Wrestling Online.
At Stoughton, Elkhorn also defeated Richland Center 66-18, Madison LaFollette 61-13 and Riverdale 57-12.
Elkhorn’s Benji Peak (106), Dylan Linhart (220) and Richie Heidemann (285) finished undefeated at 5-0 at Stoughton.
John Olsen (145) defeated Evansville/Albany’s Jordan Meyer 11-9. Meyer lost last season in the Division 2 title match at 132.
Heidemann sealed the dual meet victory against Evansville/Albany. Elkhorn was losing going into the final match before Heidemann pinned Ryan Meehan in 4 minute, 43 seconds.
Reynolds said Heidemann sat back when Meehan tried to roll him and put Meehan on his back in a half-nelson, as he’s been taught.
“The thing with Richie, you tell him something once, you don’t have to tell him again,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds said the Elks trailed Stoughton by one point heading into the final match. Stoughton’s Kaleb Lewis pinned the Elks’ Connor Leahy in 1:34 and Stoughton won the dual meet.
“He got pinned against a pretty good kid, obviously, because Connor is pretty tough,” Reynolds said. Leahy finished the day 4-1 and won twice by pin.
The Elks opened their SLC season Dec. 4 at home with a 76-0 victory against Delavan-Darien.
“We did what was expected,” Reynolds said. “We were hoping to wrestle more. They forfeited five weights to us.”
Reynolds said those that did wrestle for Delavan-Darien wrestled well.
“They looked good,” Reynolds said. “The kids that did wrestle are definitely on track.”
Leahy (120), Bryce Fitzgerald (126), Alex Brahm (132), Riley Remington (138), Olsen (145), Keaton Verhoeven (182) and Jordan Barr (195) all won for the Elks against the Comets.
