Fresh off its first conference wrestling victory, the Southland Rebels were ready for hopefully finding their second league win Thursday night at home against Chatfield.

But Chatfield was just as prepared, and the Gophers got out to a 31-0 lead just six matches into the dual.

Southland fought back with a strong move in the middle weights and eventually earned a tie, 37-37, with visiting Chatfield.

The night's matchup started at 171 pounds, where Southland coach Bill Feuchtenberger put Kirk Felten into the lineup for a clash with one of the Gophers' better wrestlers in Luke Proper. Felten fought off the pin and the technical fall in a 17-3 major decision defeat, but the Rebels gave up six points in each of the next four matches and trailed 28-0.

Dan Klingfus moved up from 103 to 112 for a 2-1 loss to Alex Young, and Southland was stunned while facing a 31-0 deficit.

Zach Stratton, ranked 10th at 112, posted a 17-9 major decision for the Rebels' first victory. Southland was pinned at 125 before rattling off four straight six-point triumphs.

Isaac Klaehn got a second-period pin at 130 and Joe Klaehn, rated seventh, received a forfeit. Pete Churchill and Lucas Smith each posted first-period pins, and Chatfield's lead slipped from 37-4 to 37-28 in the blink of an eye.

Now in range, the Rebels earned their way back from the tie with Alex Padilla's 8-5 decision at 152 pounds. Chatfield forfeited to top-ranked Adam Landherr in the final match, leaving the score a 37-all tie.

"I think it was all said on the mat," said Southland coach Bill Feuchtenberger. "Alex Padilla won a huge match for us. He probably wrestled the best match of the year.

"It was definitely an exciting one when you're down 31-0 and you come back."

Padilla, who has wrestled most of the season at 171, cut down to 152 for the second occasion and won the key match of the night. Feuchtenberger also gave credit to Felten for surviving a tough opponent and 103-pounder Ross Kellogg, whose first varsity match was a loss by fall to sixth-ranked Jake Sass.

"It was a good night," Feuchtenberger said.

The Rebels (4-4-1) have a loaded week of wrestling scheduled, starting with a triangular against Rushford-Peterson and Alden-Conger Tuesday night in Adams. Southland entertains three teams on Thursday night -- Byron, Hayfield and Northwood-Kensett -- for a quadrangular. Both events start at 5 p.m.

Results:

171--Luke Proper (C) major dec. Kirk Felten 17-3; 189--Jason Loeffler (C) pinned Mike Zilgitt 2:37; 215--Landon Berge (C) won by forfeit; 275--Chad Pederetti (C) pinned Jake Schotenus :29; 103--Jake Sass (C) pinned Ross Kellogg 1:53; 112--Alex Young (C) dec. Dan Klingfus 201; 119--Zach Stratton (S) major dec. Matt Merrick 17-9; 125--Tim Finley (C) pinned Cory Mees :59; 130--Isaac Klaehn (S) pinned Tom Fieseler 2:43; 135--Joe Klaehn (S) won by forfeit; 140--Pete Churchill (S) pinned Matt Sinwell 1:37; 145--Lucas Smith (S) pinned Joel Boyum 1:14; 152--Alex Padilla (S) dec. Scott Kesler 8-5; 160--Adam Landherr (S) won by forfeit.