A little more than a week after snapping a 19-match losing streak the Belmont/Platteville program team had its most successful day as a team in more than six years this past weekend at its own tournament.
     The Braves used an all-around team effort, collected a few timely forfeit victories and scored three wins in four matches to finish second out of five teams at the Belmont/Platteville Duals Tournament on Saturday.
     Belmont/Platteville opened the dual-meet tournament with a 52-22 loss to eventual tournament champion Mt. Horeb/Barneveld, but rebounded with victories over Darlington, Dodgeville and Cuba City/Southwestern.
     The Braves used five pins, an injury default and one forfeit to defeat Darlington, 42-33.
     In the third round against Dodgeville, Belmont/Platteville closed out the match with three straight pins from John Hentrich (145 pounds), Austin Loeffelholz (152) and Vinny Anderson (160) to rally for a dramatic 42-36 victory.
     The Braves kept the momentum going and collected five more pins and three forfeit wins to notch a 48-36 victory over Cuba City/Southwestern.
     The Braves recorded 17 pins and received seven forfeits on the day, but gave up eight forfeits themselves.
     “Our seniors really lead the way, but some of our younger guys have really stepped it up lately,” said second-year Braves coach Dane Droessler. “Vinny Anderson and Lucas Stoney are wrestling in a dominating fashion right now.  Austin Loeffoelholz and John Hentrich both had good days to give our team a boost, but really all the way through the lineup we had a good day.”
     The Stoney brothers David (4-0, three pins at 220) and Lucas (4-0, four pins at 275) combined to go 8-0 on Saturday with seven pins.
     Anderson finished the day 3-1 with three pins. Adam Niehaus and Hentrich also went 3-1 on the day and each notched a pair of pins.
     After compiling a 4-57 dual meet record over the past five seasons, the Belmont/Platteville co-op improved to 4-6 overall this year, quite a turnaround from its recent struggles.
     Also, on Saturday Platteville senior Dusty Jentz’s became Platteville High School’s all-time winningest wrestler. Jentz (22-1), who went a perfect 4-0 on Saturday and has only lost once this entire season, recorded his 147th career victory with a first-period pin of Darlington’s Slade Norton in the Braves’ second match of the day.
     Jentz, who is now 149-19 in his career, surpassed the previous record of his own coach Dane Droessler, who went 146-9 for Platteville from 1999-2002.
     “When it comes down to it Dusty really has bigger goals for this season, but congratulations to him on a wonderful achievement,” said coach Droessler of his pupil setting the all-time wins record. “I really can’t say enough about him as an individual, he busts his butt and really deserves more credit than he gets for not only his own achievements but his teammates as well. His work ethic and love for the sport are unbelievable to see and I hope people realize just how rare it is to have an athlete of this caliber come through your program.  When it comes to a role model I can’t think of many better than this guy.”   

Belmont/Platteville Duals
(from Saturday, Jan. 10 @ Belmont)
Team Standings: Mt. Horeb/Barneveld 4-0, Belmont/Platteville 3-1, Cuba City/Southwestern 2-2, Dodgeville 1-3, Darlington 0-4.

Mt. Horeb/Barneveld 52, Belmont/Platteville 22
152: Austin Loeffoelholz, B/P, won by forfeit. 160: Daylon Bwar (Mt. Horeb/Barneveld) def. Vincent Anderson, B/P, 7-4. 170: Dusty Jentz, B/P, maj. dec. Tristian Luther, MH/B, 21-9. 182: Quinn Faust, MH/B, won by forfeit. 195: Keivn Sutter, MH/B pinned Jacob Sheperd, B/P, 3:20. 220: Dave Stoney, B/P, pinned Jacob Wright, MH/B, 2:53. 285: Lucas Stoney, B/P, pinned Sam Moyer, MH/B, 1:08. 106: Travis Syvrud, MH/B, won by forfeit. 113: Bob Ties, MH/B, pinned Alex Niehaus, B/P, 0:46. 120: Ryan Crum, MH/B, maj. dec. Adam Niehaus, B/P, 14-5. 126: Cole Cyvrud, MH/B, pinned, D, pinned Cora Cornett, B/P, 0:43. 132: Klayton Krantz, MH/B, won by forfeit. 138: Sam Kruse, MH/B dec., John Hentrich, B/P, 3-0. 145: Gabe Kruse, MH/B, pinned Peter Holloway, B/P, 1:53.

Belmont/Platteville 42, Darlington 33
160: Vincent Anderson, B/P, pinned Alex Schulte, D, 0:45. 170: Dusty Jentz, B/P, pinned Slade Norton, D, 1:34. 182: Tyler Brunkow, D, won by forfeit. 195: Eli Humphrey, D, pinned Jacob Sheperd, B/P, 1:00. 220: Dave Stoney, B/P, pinned Cruz Bahena, D, 1:25. 285: Lucas Stoney, B/P, pinned Hayden Black, D, 1:11. 106: double forfeit. 113: Alex Niehaus, B/P, won by forfeit. 120: Adam Niehaus, B/P, pinned Kyrin Halvorson, D, 0:44. 126: Michael Sinclair, D, pinned Cora Cornett, B/P, 0:27. 132: Patrick Roche, D, won by forfeit. 138: John Hentrich, B/P, inj. def. Bo Brunkow, D. 145: Brady McDaniel, D, pinned Peter Holloway, B/P, 0:52. 152: Scott McDaniel, D, dec. Austin Loeffoelholz, BEPL, 10-6.

Belmont/Platteville 42, Dodgeville 36
170: Dusty Jentz, B/P, won by forfeit. 182: double forfeit. 195: Clay DiCiaula, D, pinned Jacob Sheperd, B/P, 4:47. 220: Dave Stoney, B/P, won by forfeit. 285: Lucas Stoney, B/P, pinned Taran Mortimer, D, 0:20. 106: John Rey Obieria, D, won by forfeit. 113: Austin DeVoss, D, pinned Alex Niehaus, B/P, 3:37. 120: Adam Niehaus, B/P, pinned Matt Dougherty, D, 3:59. 126: Tyler Wunnicke, D, pinned Cora Cornett, B/P, 1:15. 132: Jacob Recob, D, won by forfeit. 138: Jasper Meeker, D, pinned Peter Holloway, B/P, 1:05. 145: John Hentrich, B/P, pinned Cody Degenhardt, D, 2:20. 152: Austin Loeffoelholz, B/P, pinned Tristin Hill, D, 4:24. 160: Vincent Anderson, B/P, pinned Brett Binsfeld, D, 4:52.
 
Belmont/Platteville 48, Cuba City/Southwestern 36
182: Brett Wilson, CC/S, won by forfeit. 195: Forrest Thill, CC/S, pinned Jacob Sheperd, B/P, 1:06. 220: Dave Stoney, B/P, pinned Jacob  Droezzler, CC/S, 0:39. 285: Lucas Stoney, B/P, pinned Nathan Poll, CC/S, 0:44. 106: Zach Guerin, CC/S, won by forfeit. 113: JJ Donar, CC/S, won by forfeit. 120: Alex Niehaus, B/P, won by forfeit. 126: Adam Niehaus, B/P, won by forfeit. 132: Cora Cornett, B/P, won by forfeit. 138: John Hentrich, B/P, pinned Marcus Theill, CC/S, 3:54. 145: Jarod Donar, CC/S, pinned Peter Holloway, B/P, 0:38. 152: Scott Digman, CC/S, pinned Austin Loeffoelholz, B/P, 1:30. 160: Vincent Anderson, B/L, pinned Scott Fink, CCS, 0:35. 170: Dusty Jentz, B/P, pinned Kyle Pickel, CC/S, 0:25.

River Ridge/Cassville 39, Belmont/Platteville 33
(from Tuesday, Jan. 10 @ River Ridge)
106: Marty  Fischer, RR/C, won by forfeit. 113: David  Seng, RR/C, pinned Alex Niehaus, B/P, 5:34. 120: Adam Niehaus, B/P, pinned Anthony Remis, RR/C, 0:16. 126: Alex Morgan, RR/C, pinned Cora Cornett, B/P, 1:21. 132: Luke  Kirschbaum, RR/C, won by forfeit. 138: John Hentrich, B/P, dec. Cordt Esser, RR/C, 10-4. 145: Desmond Crapp, RR/C, dec. Peter Holloway, B/P, 6-4, OT. 152: Andrew Breuer, RR/C, pinned Austin Loeffoelholz, B/P, 3:59. 160: Vincent Anderson, B/P, pinned Noah Fure, RR/C, 0:54. 170: Dusty Jentz, B/P, won by forfeit. 182: double forfeit. 195: Shea Esser, RR/C, pinned Jacob Sheperd, B/P, 1:47. 220: Dave Stoney, B/P, won by forfeit. 285: Lucas Stoney, B/P, won by forfeit.