Panthers grapplers lead division after first day of Bi-State

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Ellsworth Panthers

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LA CROSSE - Ellsworth High School's wrestling team tops Division 2 in the Bi-State Classic at the La Crosse Center after Monday's action.

The No. 1 ranked Panthers have 153.5 points to River Valley's 128. Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln is way out in front in the meet as a whole with 307 points while Hudson is second with 189.

Ellsworth trailed River Valley Monday afternoon but surged in front after the evening sessions. The Panthers put three wrestlers into this morning's semifinals led by Sam Huppert at 119 pounds, D.J. Yarwood at 130 and Levi Kuesel at 145. Huppert topped Hartland Arrowhead Sam Yde 3-0 in the quarterfinals while Yarwood edged River Valley's Seth Liegel 6-2 and Kuesel beat New Lisbon's Joe Baumgart 11-10 in the quarters Monday evening.

Ellsworth had six other wrestlers still alive in the wrestlebacks which will also be wrestled this morning. Tyler Thoen at 103, Roarke Langer at 125 and Noah McLay at 160 are assured of placing while Zac Reister at 140, Tanner Eggenberger at 152 and Parker Hines at 171 need to keep winning to assure themselves of a placement match because they lost in the early rounds of the double-elimination tournament.

River Valley still has eight wrestlers active but only one in the semifinals.

The final session will begin at 6 p.m.

Tags: sports, wrestling, ellsworth