Gators Fall To Frazee at Mahnomen Duals
By: Ryan Bergeron
After having to miss duals with DGF and Detroit Lakes due to weather, the
Gator wrestling team surely looked forward to getting onto the mat before the
weekend. They headed to the annual Mahnomen-Waubun Cougar duals, and came
out firing, winning convincingly, 67-6 over Red Lake County Central and 77-0 over
Wadena Deer Creek en route to a finals matchup versus section foe, the Frazee
Hornets. In matchup of two state ranked teams (Frazee #2 and BGMR #12), the
Gators fell to an aggressive Hornets team by a 48-15 to finish second, losing some
close matches and giving up many bonus points, including four pins, three with less
than one minute remaining.
“The boys wrestled hard, but need to work on winning the close matches and
preventing bonus points,” said Coach Bergeron, “I know the guys will get back to the
room and continue to work hard because they have a lot of pride in our program.”
In the quarterfinal match versus RLCC, the Gators didn’t waste much time,
picking up four pins, all in the first period. Bryce Bergeron (113), Nash Sovde (132),
Brandon Waage (152), and Devin Pries (182) pinned their opponents. The Gators
won by forfeit in six matches, including Owen Novacek (106), Isaak Isane (120),
Nick Kaml (138), Daron Sikorski (170), Beau Blumer (195), and Adam Lorenson
(220). Wyatt Becker (120) also helped the Gators score extra bonus points,
dominating his RLCC opponent from start to finish to win 12-1.
Two matches in this dual gave the fans a little excitement. At 160, Cody Olson
wrestled recent 100-match winner, Cameron Lundeen. Trailing 3-1 entering the
final period, Olson chose down and escaped about midway through this period to
cut the deficit to one and give him a chance to take the lead. Unfortunately, Olson
would surrender the takedown and fall by a 5-2 decision.
The second bout of excitement came at the end, featuring the Gators’ Doug
Peterson (285) versus RLCC’s Tristan Larson. Leading 3-1 entering the final period,
Peterson gave up two nearfall points with about ten seconds remaining in the match
to go to overtime. Peterson ended the match with a takedown midway through
overtime to win 5-3.
Following their 67-6 victory over RLCC, the Gators advanced to the
semifinals versus Wadena Deer Creek (WDC). They continued to wrestle
aggressively, pinning six opponents. Novacek, Bergeron, Olson, Sikorski, Blumer,
and Lorenson picked up those pins. Wrestling another short-handed team, the
Gators took advantage of some forfeits. Sovde, Kaml, Waage, and Pries received such
victories. Trevor Undeberg (145) also gave the Gators bonus points, dominating his
way to a technical fall at the 5:31 mark.
The Gators won by decision in two other matches, one going into overtime.
Following Isane’s 8-2 decision, Becker faced WDC’s Tristan Godel. Trailing 3-1 early
in the final period, Becker picked up a takedown to send the match to overtime.
Becker took down Godel early in overtime to escape with the 5-3 win.
With the dominating shutout effort, the Gators faced off against a perennial
Class A state power, the Frazee Hornets. Wrestling hard in many matches, the Gators
didn’t catch many breaks, coming out on the losing end of some early decisions, five
to be exact, to trail 26-0 heading into the 152-pound match.
One close match not going the Gators way came at 113, featuring Bergeron
and the Hornets’ Blaine Beaty. Trailing 1-0 with less than thirty seconds in the
match, Bergeron continued to wrestle aggressively, getting in deep on a takedown to
possibly take the lead, but couldn’t finish. Fortunately, Bergeron picked up a penalty
point on this takedown attempt to tie the match, as Beaty tried to flee the mat.
Bergeron wouldn’t get the last laugh, surrendering a takedown with less than five
seconds remaining to fall 3-1.
Wrestling in another close match, Becker faced off against the Hornets’ Ethan
Byer at 126. Tied at two, Becker would get ridden out the whole final period to go to
overtime. After three tense overtime periods, the match didn’t have a winner,
sending it to a sudden death period. Becker chose down and would need to get out
to win. Unfortunately, he couldn’t escape, coming close by falling by a 3-2 final.
The Gators’ Trevor Undeberg may have lost by a decision but wrestled hard
against a last year third place state finisher in Austin Skillings at 145. Although this
match didn’t feature any late dramatics, Undeberg competed until the final whistle,
pushing Skillings to the very end in a 10-4 loss.
Brandon Waage would finally get the Gators on the board at 152, pinning
Frazee’s Austin Beaty early in the second period.
The Gators finally ended up on the winning side of a close match, featuring
Blumer and the Hornets’ Alex Splonskowski. Trailing by as many as three, Blumer
cut the deficit to one entering the final period. Choosing down, he would escape to
send the match into overtime. Blumer took Splonskowski down and in the same
move to his back, giving him the chance to pick up the pin. Blumer couldn’t stick
Splonskowski but won by a 10-5 decision.
Peterson gave the Gators their second pin and third victory in the dual’s final
match, getting a fall midway through the final period.
The Gators will get back to the practice room and continue to work hard as
they have done all year long. Their next action will take place at the Swamp on
Tuesday, January 13, before a visit to the annual Prowler Invite in Thief River Falls
on Saturday, January 17. Come on out and support the Gators as take the mat at and
close to home. Go Gators!
Badger/Greenbush-Middle River 66 Red Lake County Central 6
106 Owen Novacek (BGMR) Won by Forfeit
113 Bryce Bergeron (BGMR) Fall Tyler Sandahl (RLCC) 1:52
120 Isaac Isane (BGMR) Won by Forfeit
126 Wyatt Becker (BGMR) Maj. Dec. Dylan Gustafson (RLCC) 12-1
132 Nash Sovde (BGMR) Fall Ben Kolling (RLCC) :54
138 Nick K (BGMR) Won by Forfeit
145 Cody Gagner (RLCC) Dec. Seth Dostal (BGMR) 7-1
152 Brandon Waage (BGMR) Fall Kyle Gagner (RLCC) :53
160 Cameron Lundeen (RLCC) Dec. Cody Olson (BGMR) 5-2
170 Darren Sikorski (BGMR) Won by Forfeit
182 Devin Pries (BGMR) Fall Nick Pahlen (RLCC) :57
195 Bean Blumer (BGMR) Won by Forfeit
220 Adam Lorensen (BGMR) Won by Forfeit
285 Douglas Peterson (BGMR) Dec. Tristan Larson (RLCC) 5-3
Badger/Greenbush-Middle River 77 Wadena-Deer Creek 0
106 Owen Novacek (BGMR) Fall Mason Snyder (WDC) 2:59
113 Bryce Bergeron (BGMR) Fall Colton Knudson (WDC) :45
120 Isaak Insane (BGMR) Dec. Chase Godel (WDC) 8-2
126 Wyatt Becker (BGMR) Dec. Tristin Godel (WDC) 5-3
132 Nash Sovde (BGMR) Won by Forfeit
138 Nick Kaml (BGMR) Won by Forfeit
145 Trevor Undeberg (BGMR) Tech. Fall Carter Wright (WDC)
152 Brandon Waage (BGMR) Won by Forfeit
160 Cody Olson (BGMR) Fall Blaine Snyder (WDC) 1:22
170 Daron Sikorski (BGMR) Fall Steve Erkenbrack (WDC) 1:23
182 Devin Pries (BGMR) Won by Forfeit
195 Beau Blumer (BGMR) Fall Joseph Baker (WDC) 1:03
220 Adam Lorenson (BGMR) Fall Isaac Malone (WDC) 3:53
285 Doug Peterson (BGMR) Won by Forfeit
Frazee 48 Badger/Greenbush-Middle River 15
106 Tanner Schermerhorn (FRA) Fall Owen Novacek (BGMR) 5:56
113 Blaine Beaty (FRA) Dec. Bryce Bergeron (BGMR) 3-1
120 Tanner Reetz (FRA) Tech. Fall Isaak Insane (BGMR) 4:00
126 Ethan Byer (FRA) Dec. Wyatt Becker (BGMR) 3-2 3X OT
132 Byron Byer (FRA) Dec. Nash Sovde (BGMR) 2-0
138 Grant Jepson (FRA) Dec. Nick Kaml (BGMR) 7-1
145 Austin Skillings (FRA) Dec. Trevor Underberg (BGMR) 10-4
152 Brandon Waage (BGMR) Fall Austin Beaty (FRA) 2:23
160 Calvin Streeper (FRA) Fall Cody Olson (BGMR) 5:03
170 Tanner Bachmann (FRA) Fall Daron Sikorksi (BGMR) 5:19
182 Jonah Lange (FRA) Maj. Dec. Devon Pries (BGMR) 13-1
195 Beau Blummer (BGMR) Dec. Alex Splonskowski (FR) 10-5
220 Garrett Malstrom (FRA) Fall Adam Lorenson (BGMR) 1:55
285 Douglas Peterson (BGMR) Fall Roger Thorp (FRA) 4:54