Warhawks compete despite low numbers

SHEFFIELD – Even though West Fork’s wrestlers were short on competitors, the few who coach Jared Arbegast put on the mat competed against powerhouses Lake Mills and Forest City.

Of the five who wrestled, three won against the Bulldogs in a 66-14 loss and three others claimed wins (two by forfeit) against the Indians in a 66-18 loss.

“It was good to see us come out and compete with (our top-ranked 106-pounder) Kale Petersen out,” coach Arbegast said. “He’ll be back, he is out with COVID protocol (exposure). Took him out of this one.”

In fact, the Warhawks as a team had to be in quarantine during all of the holiday break.

“All of us were quarantined for the whole time,” coach Arbegast said, “and Kale is still out. It’s just one of those things we’ve been dealing with all year, everyone is. But we went out and competed.”

Winning both of the matches he wrestled, heavyweight Levi Janssen improved to 12-4 with a win by technical fall over Amadeo Roa of Lake Mills in 2 minutes, 4 seconds, 15-0 and pinned Forest City’s Caleb Cooper in 1:46.

“Levi is actually wrestling really well right now,” coach Arbegast said. “He needed to get some matches. Carson Nuehring is doing well, we’re competing and that’s all we can ask for. Effort.”

Coach Arbegast’s son, Rafe, won both of his matches at 113, but won the second via forfeit.

“I was hoping to get Rafe another match tonight,” coach Arbegast said, “but the Forest City kid who was going to bump up was injured, otherwise, they would have wrestled us.”

Coach Arbegast added that he’s still missing a few others besides Petersen.

“We still have a few others out with injury,” coach Arbegast said. “The Lau brothers are out, one is not eligible and the other is injured, that’s two pretty good (wrestlers) at 152 and 160, couple more weights we could fill. It sucks not having everybody, but it’s been a weird season as we all know to begin with.”

The meet, which was originally supposed to be held at Greene and a quadrangular, was moved when North Butler-Clarksville was forced to quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure.

“Being that Forest City and Lake Mills are kind of more wrestling schools, if you will, I was kind of surprised that we were the ones that hosted it,” coach Arbegast said. “But they must have had other things going on, but I’m glad they did. It was fun to watch Forest City and Lake Mills as a coach, two decent lineups, a lot of JV matchups, just a lot of good wrestling, I’m glad to get it in even though we didn’t get to see North Butler, with (top-ranked and defending 1A state champion heavyweight) Chet Buss, would have been nice to see him once.

“He’s tough, a good kid, but it just didn’t work out tonight. Conference tournament being moved up, there is a lot going on. It’s just an adapt and overcome season with the kids we’ve got with quarantine and COVID and all of that stuff.”

Lake Mills 66

West Fork 14

138– Dalton Thorson (LM) won by forfeit; 145– Alex Beaty (LM) won by forfeit; 152– Brett Peterson (LM) won by forfeit; 160– Casey Hanson (LM) won by forfeit; 170 – Brady Hanson (LM) won by forfeit; 182– Elijah Wagner (LM) pinned Ki Janssen 0:55; 195– Carson Nuehring (WF) pinned Charles Jackson 2:15; 220– Brayden Lindeman (LM) won by forfeit; 285– Levi Janssen (WF) won by tech fall over Amadeo Roa 15-0, 2:04; 106– Kinser Hanson (LM) won by forfeit; 113– Rafe Arbegast (WF) dec. Lucas Humphrey 10-4; 120– Garrett Ham (LM( won by forfeit; 126– Jack Ramaker (LM) won by forfeit; 132– Andrew Womack (LM) pinned Autumn Stonecypher 0:37.

Forest City 66

West Fork 18

152– Hayden Hoffmeyer (FC) won by forfeit; 160– Cadin Fleener (FC) won by forfeit; 170– Trevor Siddell (LM) won by forfeit; 182– Blake Skjeie (FC) pinned Ki Janssen 5:56; 195– Reese Moore (FC) pinned Carson Nuehring 2:22; 220– Christian Anderson (FC) won by forfeit; 285– Levi Janssen (WF) pinned Caleb Cooper 1:46; 106– Robay Birri (FC) won by forfeit; 113– Rafe Arbegast (WF) won by forfeit; 120– Alicia Fink (WF) won by forfeit; 126– Kellen Moore (FC) won by forfeit; 132– Brock Moore (FC) won by forfeit; 138– Nate Doden (FC) pinned Autumn Stonecypher 0:19; 145– Kaleb Umbaugh (FC) won by forfeit.