The Minnewaska Area wrestling team is set to open up the season Friday, Dec. 2 at the Big Lake Invitational.  The Laker wrestling program has been an area power for the past five years, going 91-42 during that period.  The Lakers, who were 12-9 last year, return a handful of athletes from last year’s team, which also went 3-2 in the WCC to finish third of six full teams.

United, the combined forces of Montevideo, Lac qui Parle and Dawson-Boyd High Schools, won the WCC title last year with a 5-0 record, followed by Morris Area-CA-Hancock (4-1), Minnewaska Area (3-2), Sauk Centre-Melrose Area (1-4) and BOLD-BLHS (0-5).

In all, 12 high schools compete in the WCC, although there are only officially six teams.

Chip Rankin is back to lead the Lakers.  He served as head coach from 2017-20, took one year off to fulfill military service obligations and then resumed as the head coach last year.

The Minnewaska Area wrestling program has gone 393-324-1 overall since 1985-86.

After competing at the Big Lake Invitational, the Lakers come home for the Minnewaska Area Invitational, set for Dec. 9

Last year’s records

The Lakers lost four wrestlers from last year’s team due to graduation, but do return 10 wrestlers with double-digit wins from a year ago. 

Senior Jacob Blair and ninth-grader Chase Smith earned state berths last year with Blair going 1-2 at state and Smith 2-2.

The top returning wrestlers for the Lakers are Smith (30-6 last season), Nick Ankeny (30-8), Mason Schiffler (23-14), Miles Wildman (21-10), Chase Boelke (20-11), Jayce Kovarik (13-10), Xander Johnson (12-12), Nathan Dell (11-13), Brady Blair (10-12) and Myles Reichmann (10-23).

Miles Wildman starts out the season ranked sixth in the state at 106 pounds, while Chase Smith is ranked third at 120 pounds to open up the season.