WARRIORS PERFORM WELL ON THE MAT

Our FMCC Warriors made the trip to Tracy Minnesota for a multi team event in which they would compete in four duals against Luverne, Springfield, Red Rock Central, and Tracy-Milroy-Balaton, of which the Warriors would go on and take 3 of the four duals.

First on the docket the Warriors would take on the Springfield Tigers and would take the dual 48-36. After forfeits to Lucas Kuball and Teague Meyer, Noah Mathiowetz would be the first Warrior to take to the mat for a match against Wyatt Schmidt. Noah was a worthy competitor going 4 minutes against the more experiences upper classmen before taking the fall.

Denver Ash always coming out of the gate hard took Kody Bast of Springfield to the mat early with a crossface defending a single leg by Bast. Denver got a hold of a tight armbar and fought for the knuckleroll eventually circled the head of Bast pinning his shoulders to the mat for the pin putting the warriors up 24-6.

Owen Olsem worked two periods against Paytin Johnson for his chance at a wing then half way through the third period got it. Johnson started in the bottom referees position and didn’t escape as Olsem pinned him to the mat circling his head in a armbar knuckleroll.

Aiden Lorenzen wrestled Joe Jensen getting a huge double leg takedown and working on the edge of the mat. After returning to the center Aiden started where he left off and obtained a tight butcher and twisted Jensens arms towards the ceiling and got the 59 second pin.

Carter Benda would receive a forfeit at 152 and Devin Landsman took a fall at 160 against Ashtin Johnson. Christian Kuball made a brilliant outside single against Gabe Weber and would thread the needle for the one minute and five second pin.

The Warriors were open at 182 and Ryder Henning and Rylan Klein both took falls at 195 and 220 followed by another open weight for the Warriors at 285, giving the Tigers 24 points in the last four weights. The Warriors would hang on though as the bonus point wins in the lower weight gave them enough for the 48-36 win

Next up was Red Rock Central and Teague Meyer being the first horse out of the gate set the pace for the Warriors at 106 getting the first takedown getting an outside single then switching to a double leg getting his two. After getting Willardson to the mat Meyer Locked up a crossface cradle and walked it out putting Willardson on his back giving the Warriors an early lead.

After Lucas Kuball took a forfeit at 113 Noah Mathiowetz took to the mat against Jonah Skarupa. These biblical characters would wrestle together for one minute and forty eight seconds before Mathiowetz got a messy headlock that Skarupa couldn’t defend getting the pin for six more team points, putting the Warriors up 18-0 after the first three weights.

Quinten Lewis put up an excellent fight against Evan Bartholomaus of Red Rock Central going three periods only giving up a decision making the score 18-3

8th grader Luke Iverson went up against the RRC senior Zakary Zimmerman at 132 and made him work for the entire first period before giving up the fall making the score 18-9

Owen Olsem for the most part put on a dominating performance against 10th grader Carter Beranek of RRC getting the 1st take down on an outside single after almost two minutes of hand fighting Owen finally found his angle to score. The second period put Beranek on the bottom position where he would use a granby roll putting Olsems back to the mat for a 3 point nearfall. Beranek would get two reversals and a nearfall in the second period and Olsem couldn’t make up the difference in the third as Beranek was on the defense only giving up 4 takedown points and earning two reversal making the final score of the match 9-11 and the team score 18-12.

Aiden Lorenzen put on a dominating performance against Bode Determan of RRC scoring two takedowns and getting his legs in for a power half and a nearfall in the first period. The second period was much the same as Lorenzen opted to start in the neutral position and got his takedown and put the legs in for the turn which led to a power half pin.

Carter Benda holding his own at 152 put on a tremendous takedown show against Andrew Pankonin of RRC scoring three takedowns in the 1st period. Then starting on the bottom in the second got his escape and another takedown eventually putting Pankonin on his back with a reverse half.

With a score of 30-18 going into the upper weights Carson Klein wrestling Jacob Amsden of RRC neither wrestler was able to find an agle for a takedown for three periods. In the third period Amsden started in the bottom position and earned an escape with a penalty point to take the decision making the score 30-15.

Devin Landsmen took a forfeit from RRC upping the score 36-15.

Christian Kuball wrestled up at 182 and Vander Mathiowetz followed him there. A much anticipated matching as these two met in the Redwood River Riot where Vander took the match on points. This day didn’t go quite as good. Kuball went in and got the first takedown with an outside single of which Vander was able to escape. Then Vander got a takedown of his own and finished it pinning Kuball and putting the Falcons score up 6 and the team score 36-21.

Colby Kesteloot went the distance against Keaton Skarupa with a technical fall and 5 team points. 36-26

Ryder Henning received a forfeit for 6 team points and Rylan Klein lost by pinfall in the first period against Gavin Hesse making the final score 42-32

The Luverne Cardinals warmed up after wrestling two duals of their own were waiting as the Warriors took their positions in the cushioned seats on the edge of the mat. Teague Meyer got the nod at 106 and after a host of cradles through three periods took a tech. fall against Brody Kopp. Again getting the Warriors off to a strong start. Lucas Kuball following Meyer would thread a very tight needle on Matthew Gangestad of which there was no escape pinning him to the mat making the score 11-0 Warriors.

Noah Mathiowetz makes for good writing going three periods against Rayden Boyenga scoring a takedown a nearfall and an escape in the 1st period. Mathiowetz lost his grip on a cradle allowing Boyenga to reverse for two. With a score of 6-2 Mathiowetz going into the second period Boyenga had his work cut out for himself. Boyenga being behind chose bottom in the 2nd period looking to score an escape or reversal of which he did. With a reversal and a nearfall Boyenga closed the deficit and getting the lead the score 7-6. Mathiowetz starting the third period in the neutral position needed a takedown for the win and got a leg early but couldn’t finish getting a stalemate call on the edge of the mat. Starting in the neutral position again in the center of the mat Mathiowetz bounced Boyengas head down to the mat and with a front headlock Mathiowetz put his head in the hole, reached for the near ankle and scored the takedown winning the match with a decision with only seconds to spare. The Warriors lead 14-0 going into the 126# bout and Quinten Lewis would not disappoint as he used a total of 49 seconds to obtain a takedown and lock up a cradle for the pin putting the Warriors up 20-0.

Denver Ash took the nod at 132# against the Cardinals Hudson Hough. With 2 cradle nearfalls, 2 armbar nearfalls, he went into the third period 11-2 and kept scoring with a reversal and working a double eagle chicken wing for a nearfall. With a score of 16-2 he would skunk a half holding Hough to the mat for the pin making the score 26-0.

Aiden Lorenzen in a well fought match against Noah Mehlhaff gave up a takedown early in the first period only to get a reversal where he got a leg and crawled forward held on to a bar wrist for a nearfall. With a score of 6-4 going into the 2nd period Lorenzen didn’t have a comfortable lead and Mehlhaff came out firing with a reversal from the bottom position and two takedowns with hard cuts Mehlhaff closed the deficit and got the lead 8-10. The third period Lorenzen fought with his heart and got a reversal and an escape getting the lead 11-10 but couldn’t get his legs in giving up a last second reversal and losing by decision 11-12.

8th grader Owen Olsem took on senior Zach Bradley and fell early in a double chicken wing. Making the score 26-9

Carter Benda Fought through three with Braydon Ripka giving up a nearfall and two takedowns in the first period. The second period Benda escaped like a ball of fire scoring his second escape point. Benda doesn’t give up and fights with everything he has and took two penalty points and another escape after giving up a takedown in the second period. The third period was all Ripka fighting out of the bottom position and scoring a takedown and nearfall, but Benda was able to escape again not giving up a pin and only giving up a major decision.26-13

Carson Klein had a marathon of a match against Jacob Madison fighting not only Madison but a nosebleed and an elbow bleed that wouldn’t give up. With a takedown in the first being his only points in the match he held on through the third period giving up a penalty point and an escape putting the match into overtime. Carson couldn’t hang on as Madison secured the sudden death overtime takedown, putting the Cardinals at 16.

The rest of the weights received forfeits making the final score 56-16

The Tracy-Milroy-Balaton Panthers are a dominant force in the section as they took the first four weights in falls. Denver Ash took his turn to the mat and wanting to make a differ ence plowed through 18 points against Damian Alatriste giving up 6 earning a major decision making the team score 24-4

After falls at 138 and 145 against running back Ayden Horner and his practice partner Alex Schuh. Carter Benda would step to the mat again and light some fireworks scoring the first takedown with a crossface on a bad shot by Gage Struchen and a head in the hole getting the near ankle and spinning behind for the takedown point. Struchen was able to reverse on Benda only for Benda to return the favor much the same as the first. The second period was all Benda earning a reversal from the down position then cutting Struchen only to score another takedown. With two takedowns and hard cuts in the third period the final score of the match would be 12-5 earning 3 team points with a decision making the score 36-7.

Carson Klein went the distance again wrestling 3 grueling periods with Ashton Squires. With a lone escape point in the third period Klein fought off move after move not giving up anything but a decision. 39-7

Christian Kuball hoping for a chance at Caden Johnson ended up wrestling Jonathon Erbes pinning him with a skunked half in the second period. 39-13

After a forfeit at 182 Ryder Henning got the nod and took to the mat at 195 against Eathan Martinez. Martinez would score the first takedown and get 2 nearfall points before Henning had a chance to escape. After the escape Matinez scored another takedown and a 3 point nearfall this time making the score 9-1. Ryder then from underneath the weight of Martinez, who was holding an armbar, got his hips over Martinez and forced Martinez to the mat securing an armbar of his own with a wrist pinning Martinez. Winning the match Henning pushed the Warriors closer at 39-19.

With a fall by Rylan Klein and a forfeit at 285 the Warriors ended up 51-19.

On Friday afternoon and into the evening the FMCC Warriors travelled to Lamberton for the first annual HighWater Ethanol Invite and placed 11 wrestlers and 4th as a team behind New Ulm, United South Central, and Kerkhoven Murdock Sundberg “KMS”.

Teague Meyer took 4th lace at #106

Torrin Clark took 4th place at #113

Lucas Kuball 5th at #113

Quinten Lewis 4th #126

Owen Olsem 3rd #138

Aiden Lorenzen 5th #145 Carson Klein 5th #160

Carson Klein 5th #160

Carter Benda 2nd #152

Christian Kuball 2nd #170

Ryder Henning 4th #195

Rylan Klein 5th #220

This wrestling club is moving leaps and bounds as they travel through the season. It takes a lot of grit and determination to be a successful wrestler. Success in wrestling is not measured by wins and losses but an individuals ability to deal with their emotions and character. Watching this tournament as the wrestlers were divided between three mats, there were two coaches putting their heart and soul into the match as well on every mat. This team is blessed to have the support of not only their parents but the staff and coaches as well. It is a huge undertaking at these tournaments to put these wrestlers in the best position for their personal success and Friday night the character of the team as a whole, including the coaches, managers, and parents was shown and to say they are becoming excellent would be an understatement. To pull out a win in overtime, as a couple of these matches did, everyone leaves their seats and our wrestlers prevailed in more ways than one.

Now back to the practice room as these boys prepare for another busy week and a home triangular in the MCC Competition Gym against Wabasso and KMS. Celebrating Parents night and Senior night you won’t want to miss.