The Minnewaska Area wrestling team is off to a 2-2 start after competing in two triangulars in December.  The Lakers, who are 0-1 in the WCC, also competed at the Big Lake Invitational to open up the season.

At the opening Big Lake meet, Miles Wildman and Nick Ankeny both placed first, while Chase Smith and Myles Reichmann were both third.

The Lakers have two triangulars coming up to begin the new year.  Minnewaska Area was set to wrestle at the Redwood Valley triangular, Thursday, Jan. 5 before competing at the Morris Area-CA-Hancock triangular, Thursday, Jan. 12 and hosting a meet at Minnewaska Area High School, Friday, Jan. 13.

Members of the Laker wrestling team, coached by Chip Rankin, Dan Ankeny, Eric Adams and Rich Bond, are seniors Nick Ankeny, Chase Boelke and Xander Johnson; juniors Nathaniel Dell, Garrett Jungclaus, Cole Kittelson, Jayce Kovarik, Myles Reichmann and Mason Schiffler; sophomores Noah Jensen and Chase Smith; freshmen Eric Bowen and Braylen Scharmer; eighth-graders Landon Schiffler, Austyn Schuler, Riley Spindler and Miles Wildman; and seventh-graders Alex Adams, Jude Bailey, Grady Braaten, Sawyer Erickson, Zayden Johnson and Isaiah Rosario.

Seventh-grader Miles Wildman (103 pounds) and senior Nick Ankeny (138) are both 7-0 so far this season to lead the Lakers through the early part of the season.

Sophomore Chase Smith (120) is right behind with a 7-1 record, followed by junior Myles Reichmann (160), who is 7-2; senior Chase Boelke (182), who is 6-2; junior Mason Schiffler (145), who is 4-0; and junior Jayce Kovarik (152), who is 5-4.

In the latest TheGuillotine.com poll, Miles Wildman is rated sixth in state Class A at 103 pounds, while Smith is ranked 10th at 126 pounds and Ankeny is 10th at 138 pounds.

Wildman and Smith are the highest-rated Section 5A wrestlers at their weight classes, while Ankeny has wrestlers from BBE and Minneota ranked ahead of him at 138 pounds.

•  The Lakers lost four wrestlers from last year’s team due to graduation, but did 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) and Nathan Dell (11-13).  

Laker wrestling 

records for 2022-23

Weight:  Name Grade W-L

103:  Alex Adams 7 1-0

103:  Miles Wildman 8 7-0

113:  Jude Bailey 7 0-1

120:  Chase Smith 10 7-1

132:  Garrett Jungclaus 11 1-5

138:  Nick Ankeny 12 7-0

145:  Mason Schiffler 11 4-0

152:  Jayce Kovarik 11 5-4

152:  Braylen Scharmer 9 1-2

160:  Nathan Dell 11 2-2

160:  Myles Reichmann 11 7-2

160:  Cole Kittelson 11 0-1

170:  Xander Johnson 12 4-4

182:  Chase Boelke 12 6-2

220:  Noah Jensen 10 3-4

285:  Eric Bowen 9 1-0