Two in the state wrestling finals for Panthers

• Parker Hines

Parker Hines gets ready to rush Lodi's Michael Watters.
• Jens Lantz

Jens Lantz has control of Oconto Falls's Matt Damp.
• Roarke Langer

Roarke Langer tries to get control of Seymour's Mark Dessart.

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MADISON - Two Ellsworth High School wrestlers will compete in the finals of the WIAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament at the Kohl Center Saturday night.

Jens Lantz will look to repeat as a Division 2 state champion after he shutout Oconto Falls's Matt Damp 5-0 a 113-pound semifinal.

Teammate Parker Hines won a technical fall in his semifinal match, 23-8 over Michael Watters of Lodi in 4:25 at 195 pounds.

It was the second straight match in the state meet Hines won by tech. fall. About the only thing that slowed up Hines today from attacking style was a clock malfunction in the semifinal match.

"You just know after the first takedown how you're able to style the match," Hines said afterward. "No one's stopped me down here I'm going to keep being aggressive and attacking."

Hines was runner-up in last year's state meet and looking to come away with his first state title. However, one Panther champion from last year's will not be repeating. Roarke Langer lost his 132-pound semifinal match to Seymour's Mark Dessart 2-1. The difference in the match was a controversial penalty point called on Langer in the second period for tossing a wrestler out from the mat.

Lantz will be taking on Port Washington freshman (29-6) Zack Smith in the finals, which begin at 6 p.m. Hines's opponent in the finals is a familiar foe, Neillsville/Greenwood/Loyal's Dan Schoen (Sr. 54-1). Schoen beat Tomahawk's Payton DuPlayee in overtime 2-1. His loss this season is to Hines back in the sectional meet.

Tags: sports, prep, wrestling, ellsworth