Local Sports Journal
A dramatic reversal in the final 10 seconds of the final match broke a tie and lifted the Hesperia Panthers to a 29-26 victory over New Lothrop in the Division 4 team wrestling state semifinals on Saturday.
The teams were tied at 26-all with just the 130-pound match remaining.
The championship tournament is being held in Battle Creek. Hesperia will take on top-ranked Hudson, a 39-24 winner over Bronson in the other Division 4 semifinal match.
It all came down to the final match with Hesperia’s David Jacobs, a junior, earning a hard fought 8-6 victory over New Lothrop’s Gabe Bennett, a sophomore, in the 130-pound match.
The match was tied in the late going as Bennett’s reversal in the final minute tied the match at 6-all. But Jacobs was able to notch the winning points to push Hesperia into the state finals.
The match between the Panthers and Hornets saw six lead changes.
Hesperia 29, New Lothrop 26
135: Chase Siersema, H, p. Dalton Birchmeier, 2:58
140: Jacob Perrin, NL, tf Elijah Olson, 26-11
145: Josh Wendling, NL, tf, Mark Workman 22-7
152: Cash Bolles, H, d. Aaron Bauman, 6-2
160: Taylor Krugg, NL, md Lee Siersema, 13-4
171: Jeff Rumsey, H, d. Dakota Clark, 5-1
189: Eldon Graham, H, d. Cody Symons, 4-2
215: Owen Wilson, NL, d. Scott Rosencrans, 5-2
285: Wyatt Conkle, H, d. Dalton DeSander, 3-1
103: Davian Gowens, H, md. David Malloy, 30-6
112: Cole Hersch, NL, d. Corey Agens, 7-2 (OT)
119: Johnny Robinson, NL, p. Austin Kleiner, 3:18
125: Zach Yates, H, md. Trevor Copes, 15-5
130: David Jacobs, H, d. Gabe Bennett, 8-6.
