Travis Moelter won the 106-pound Division 1 Section A championship at Wausau East on Feb. 6, securing a spot in the WIAA state tournament this weekend.

Moelter beat LaCrosse Logan-Central’s Cole Fitzpatrick in a 6-4 sudden victory. Coming into the tournament at 8-2, Moelter pinned Pulaski’s Ethan Eggert in 3:55 for the quarterfinals and beat Sevens Point’s Riley Konkol 11-4 in a major decision for the semifinals.

River Falls also placed its other five section participants on the podium.

Miles Longsdorf took third at 152 pounds, beating New Richmond’s Tyler Dennis 5-1 in the third place match. Longsdorf beat Bennett Weidman of Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln 12-3 in a major decision for the quarterfinals but fell in the semifinals, 11-3 to D.C. Everest’s Demitrio Covarrubius. Longsdorf bounced back in the consolation semifinals with a 10-9 win against Pulaski’s Tristan Taylor to reach the third-place match.

Tyler Haydon finished fourth at 160 pounds for the Wildcats. He lost in sudden victory to Marshfield’s Garrett Willuweit after beating Stevens Point’s Conner Seavers 5-3 in the consolation semifinals.

Things started out tough for Haydon, falling 11-0 to D.C. Everest’s Freddy Lehrke in the quarterfinals. Haydon wrestled his way back in the consolation bracket, starting with a 5-1 win over Holmen’s Kyle Gerold in the first round of the consolation bracket.

Vito Massa finished in fifth place for 182 pounds by virtue of his quarterfinal win against Stevens Point’s Brett Johnston, a pin in 1:25. Massa fell by sudden victory 4-2 to Ashwaubenon’s Connor Ramage in the semifinals and lost by pin in the consolation semifinals to Sparta’s Corbin Hauser.

James Hampton took fifth for 138 pounds, downing Shawano’s Reef Anthony in a 5-1 decision. Hampton opened the tournament with a quarterfinal loss by pin to Wasau West’s Gabriel Ramos in four minutes. Hampton bounced back to beat Green Bay Preble’s Brady Deal in 1:46 but fell to Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln’s Ryan Sering 8-1 in the consolation semifinals.

Owen Larson came in sixth for 145 pounds after falling by pin to Holmen’s Branson Beers in 1:26. Larson picked up his lone win for the tournament in the consolation first round, a pin over D.C. Everest’s Dakota Pagel in 4:25. Larson lost by technical fall 17-2 against Bay Port’s Jacob Ward in the quarterfinals and in a 6-4 decision to Hudson’s Ethan Winkleman for the consolation semifinals.

Wildcats Football Inks Five

River Falls football had five seniors on Feb. 3 signing scholarships to play in college next season.

John Firth will play at Division III UW-Eau Claire, Isaiah Gray will play for Division II Upper Iowa, Ronald Sackett signed with Division III UW-Stout, and Connor Cardell will head to Division II Michigan Tech.

River Falls hockey falls in playoffs

Cole Evavold and Wyatt Bell scored goals for the Wildcats but fell short to Somerset 5-2 in the Division 2, Section 3 playoffs on Feb. 4.

Wildcats goalie Andrew Adermann finished with 29 saves for an .853 save percentage. The Wildcats finished 1-12 for the season with their lone win coming at Black River Falls 6-1 on Jan. 25.

Photo from River Falls Wrestling Facebook page.