The Jackson County Central wrestling team made a rare feat look routine by winning a school record-tying sixth straight section championship on Saturday in Wabasso.
The Huskies cruised to victory 51-18 over Fulda/Murray County Central in the Section 3A Tournament semifinal and 48-18 over Adrian Area in the title match. It’s the 14th time JCC has advanced to State among 21 appearances for Jackson County. The Huskies punched their ticket six consecutive times from 2010-15 as well.
Payton Sorbel, Colten Gossen, and Jacob Peterson pinned down an 18-0 JCC lead. The Warriors got a pin of their own. The Huskies responded with five straight match wins featuring pins for Mathias Liepold, Dallas Gossen, and Evan Bartholomaus to go with a technical fall for Kyler Thier and a major decision for Isaac Rodriguez. The Warriors got a pair of pins around a pair of decisions for Carson Kolander and Cael Entriken to make the final score.
The Dragons survived Pipestone Area 30-27 in the semifinals.
JCC started the title bout with another Sorbel pin, a pair of decisions for Gossen and Peterson, and another Liepold pin for another 18-0 lead. Dez Tupper forced the 133-pound match into three overtime periods before a 6-4 sudden victory put the Dragons on the board. Rodriguez followed that with a pin and then the Dragons forfeited the 145-pound match in the section championship to Kyler Thier. Dallas Gossen’s pin in the next match sealed the dual. Bartholomaus and Entriken each pinned their opponents. The Dragons managed a pin, tech fall, and major decision to make the final score.
The 20-3 Huskies await State Tournament seeding and turn their focus to next Saturday’s Section 3A Individual Tournament. We will have coverage from Springfield starting at 10:00 a.m. on KKOJ.
JCC joins seven other section champions including Chatfield, Kenyon-Wanamingo, LeSueur-Henderson, Minneota, West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansville, Staples-Motley, and United North Central.
FULL POST-MATCH SHOW: