CASS LAKE — Craig Orlando of Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie was the only area wrestler to claim an individual title after two days of competition at the 41-team Big Bear Tournament that concluded Saturday, Dec. 21.
The senior defending Class 1A state champion pinned all five of his opponents on his way to the heavyweight title and improved his season record to 18-0. He pinned Ottertail Central’s Cian Buhler at 3:23 of the championship match.
BHVPP’s Gideon Ervasti suffered just his second defeat of the season (13-2) when he lost an 11-5 decision at 182 pounds and Hunter Dean finished sixth at 170. Their efforts helped BHVPP to eighth place in the tournament’s team standings which was won by Long Prairie-Grey Eagle.
The Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus Road Crew placed ninth with four wrestlers in the top eight finishers led by Conner Tulenchik (15-2) who was third at 145. Josh Pettit took fifth at heavyweight, Owen Carlson was sixth at 106, and Caleb Ruhl, seventh at 120.
Sixteenth-place Aitkin was led by Marshall Owen, second at 106, and Tyler Spolarich, fourth at 152.
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Crosby-Ironton’s John Paul Fitzpatrick’s sixth-place finish at 126 helped lead the Rangers to a tie for 30th.
The 35th-place Pierz Pioneers entered only four wrestlers in the tournament and were led by Trevor Radunz who placed fourth at 120.
Wadena-Deer Creek finished 37th without placing anyone in the top eight individuals.
Team Results (41 teams): 1-Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 216, 2-Minnewaska 163.5, 3-Detroit Lakes 154.5, 4-Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 154, 5-Big Lake 152, 6-Hutchinson 141, 7-Thief River Falls 134, 8-Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie 125, 9-Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus 113, 10-West Central 109…16-Aitkin 81…30(t)-Crosby-Ironton, Barnesville 36…35-Pierz 29…37-Wadena-Deer Creek 17
Aitkin
106: 2-Marshall Larson 4-1, Kenny Erickson 1-2
113: Nathan Trotter 1-2
120: Walker Jones 2-2
126: Carson Kulhem 2-2
132: Nathan Rom 1-2
138: Dan Decent 1-2
145: Jacob Williams 1-2
152: 4-Tyler Spolarich 5-2
160: Tyler Decent 2-2
170: Zach Leitinger 1-2
182: Hunter Hills 1-2
195: Jacob Espeseth 0-2
220: Cory Teal 1-2
285: Nathan Stifter 1-2, Sam Ostrode 0-2
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Crosby-Ironton
106: Dillion Barna 2-2
113: William Erickson 0-2
120: Gabe Ridlon 1-2
126: 6-John Paul Fitzpatrick 4-3
132: Fletcher Peterson 0-2
138: Jake Klancher 1-2
145: none
152: none
160: Ben Smith 0-2
170: Sam Smith 0-2
182: Michael Fitzpatrick 2-2
195: Hayden McGowan 1-2
220: Austin Dezeeuw 1-2
285: Kyle Blazer 2-2
PL/PRB
106: 6-Owen Carlson 3-2
113: Max Trumpold 2-2
120: 7-Caleb Ruhl 5-2
126: Grant Thompson 0-2
132: Karsen Kinyon 1-2, Korey Kinyon 0-2
138: Evan Koering 3-2
145: none
152: Finnegan O’Dell 1-2, Austin Staricha 1-2
160: Jake Poehler 2-2
170: Payton Scott 0-2
182: Keenan Dahl 3-2
195: Corbin Knapp 2-2
220: Riley Peterson 1-2
285: 5-Josh Pettit 5-2
Pierz
106: none
113: none
120: 4-Trevor Radunz 4-2
126: none
132: none
138: Brandon Funk 1-2
145: none
152: none
160: none
170: Mason Zajac 0-2
182: none
195: Brandon Schlegel 3-2
220: none
285: none
BHVPP
106: Bennet Arceneau 3-2, David Revering 2-2
113: Deagen Captain 2-2
120: Eli Eggert 0-2
126: Reese Thompson 2-2
132: Matt Mensinger 2-2
138: Justin Koehn 0-2
145: Jason Koehn 2-2
152: none
160: Brock Peterson 1-2
170: 6-Hunter Dean 4-3,, Mason Schroeder 3-2
182: 2-Gideon Ervasti 4-1,, Carter Rokes 2-2
195: Tyler Eggert 2-2, Hayden Captain 2-2
220: Jaden Finck 3-2
285: 1-Craig Orlando 5-0
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WDC
106: River McQuiston 1-2
113: Simon Snyder 0-2
120: none
126: none
132: none
138: Jayson Young 2-2
145: Connor Dirks 1-2
152: none
160: Brayden Kleinke 1-2
170: none
182: Cody Wheeler 2-2
195: none
220: Logan Wegscheid 2-2
285: none
Bjerga gets title in Monticello
MONTICELLO — Staples-Motley’s Owen Bjerga won the 170 pound title and Logan Weite placed fourth at 152 in the 17-team Monticello Invitational Saturday, Dec. 21.
The Cardinals placed 12th in the team standings with 44 points. St. Cloud Tech won the event with 200.5.
Bjerga improved his season record to 13-1 with a 6-5 decision over Faribault’s Josh Oathoudt (15-2) in the title match. Bjerga won by pin in his quarterfinal match and a 12-8 decision in the semifinals.
Weite opened with a major decision in round one and a pin in the quarterfinals before losing by decision and pin in the semifinals and third-place matches.
Team Results: 1-St. Cloud Tech 200.5, 2-Faribault 193, 3-Eden Valley-Watkins 138, 4-Benson 122, 5-Zimmerman 116.5, 6-Park Center 97.5, 7-Edina 79, 8-Minneapolis Patrick Henry 73, 9-Hopkins 68.5, 10-Monticello 67.5, 11-Spectrum 55.5, 12-Staples-Motley 44, 13-Norwood-Young America 35, 14-Brooklyn Center 20, 15-Austin 15.5, 16(t)-New Century Academy, Rockford 0
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