The Minnewaska Area wrestling team is peaking at the right time.  The Lakers have won 10 of their last 11 matches, including two-of-three at the Frazee quadrangular, Feb. 2, and two more at the Henning triangular, Thursday night.

At Thursday’s triangular, the Lakers routed Ottertail Central (51-28) and Barnesville (57-24).

The Lakers, who also placed sixth of 11 teams at the combined WCC-Central Minnesota Meet, Feb. 4 at Kimball, ended the regular season with a 15-8 overall record and 2-3 mark in the WCC.  United edged WCA-Ashby-BE for the team title.

The Lakers were set to compete at the BBE triangular last Tuesday, but that meet was canceled.

This week, Minnewaska begins the Section 5A Team Wrestling Tournament.  The Lakers were seeded eighth and were set to face 9th-seeded Ortonville at 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 16 with the winner facing top-seeded KMS at 7 p.m. The winner of the “mini tourney” moves on to the semis at Benson, Saturday.

The Section 5A Individual Wrestling Tournament is set for Saturday, Feb. 25 at Minnewaska Area High School.  The top two individuals in each weight class move on to the State Wrestling Tournament, set for March 2-4 at the ExCel Energy Centre in St. Paul.

Top records going into the postseason for the Lakers are Miles Wildman (31-2), Chase Smith (30-2), Nick Ankeny (30-3), Chase Boelke (23-10), Myles Reichmann (23-10), Xander Johnson (21-9), Noah Jensen (21-12), Jayce Kovarik (19-9) and Nathan Dell (18-11).

at Frazee quadrangular

Minnewaska Area continued its great showing over the second half of the regular-season by going 2-1 at the Frazee quadrangular, Thursday, Feb. 2.  The Lakers beat Park Rapids (51-30) and Bagley-Fosston (47-27) while also losing to the host Frazee team (53-27).

Going 3-0 for the Lakers were Miles Wildman (106-113), Chase Smith (120), Nick Ankeny (138), Xander Johnson (170) and Chase Boelke (182).

•  The Lakers had six-straight pins to beat Fosston-Bagley, 47-27  Miles Wildman won 6-1 at 106 pounds, Chase Smith earned a 16-0 technical fall at 120 and Ankeny earned a tough 5-4 decision at 138 pounds.

Trailing 15-11, the Lakers earned six-straight pins to go up 47-15 and clinch the win.  Winning by falls from 145-195 pounds were Jayce Kovarik (3:19), Nathan Dell (:50), Myles Reichmann (1:26), Xander Johnson (1:47), Chase Boelke (2:44) and Noah Jensen (2:45).

•  Frazee earned nine victories during the 53-27 win over the Lakers, including four by pins and four by forfeits.  

Picking up victories for the Lakers were Miles Wildman at 106 pounds (5:36), Chase Smith at 120 (9-4 decision), Nick Ankeny at 138 (forfeit win), Xander Johnson at 182 (pin in 4:36) and Chase Boelke at 195 pounds (3:45).

•  The match against Park Rapids included only four competitive matches and 10 forfeits.  Miles Wildman earned a 2-0 decision at 113 pounds, Mason Schiffler won by a pin in 3:27 at 132 pounds and Nick Ankeny earned a pin in 4:56 at 138 pounds.

In addition, picking up forfeit victories were Chase Smith (120), Nathan Dell 9152), Myles Reichmann (160), Xander Johnson (170), Chase Boelke (182) and Noah Jensen (195).

at Kimball Invitational

The Lakers placed sixth of 11 teams at the WCC/Central Minnesota Conference combined meet at Kimball last Saturday despite competing with only eight wrestlers.

Chase Smith led the Lakers with a runner-up finish at 120 pounds, while Miles Wildman (106) and Nick Ankeny both went 3-1 to place third, Myles Reichmann (160) and Chase Boelke (182) were both 2-2 to earn fourth, Nathan Dell was also 2-2 at 152 pounds to place fifth, and Noah Jensen was 1-3 at 195 pounds to earn sixth.

United, which earned the WCC regular-season title with a perfect 6-0 record, won the team title with 208 points, followed in the top five by WCA-Ashby-BE (179), ACGC (127.5), Kimball Area (113.5) and MAHACA (106).

at Henning triangular

The Lakers dominate their two matches at the Henning triangular, beating OTC (51-28) and Barnesville (57-24).  The Lakers lost just nine matches during the two duals and six of them were forfeits.

During the win over OTC, Miles Wildman (2:44), Jude Bailey (:56), Chase Smith (1:07), Jayce Kovarik (3:25), Nathan Dell (1:52), Myles Reichmann (:56) and Xander Johnson (1:28) earned pins for the Lakers, while Noah Jensen won by forfeit at 195 pounds and Nick Ankeny earned a 9-3 victory at 138.

•  The match against Barnesville didn’t last long as their were seven forfeits and six pins.

Earning pins for the Lakers were Wildman (1:34), Ankeny (2:43), Dell (2:24), Reichmann (1:36) and Jensen (2:33), while Minnewaska Area also earned forfeits wins by Bailey (120 pounds), Smith (126), Kovarik (145) and Xander Johnson (182), along with a 10-8 victory by Austyn Schuler to get the match underway.

at Frazee quadrangular

at Waska 51, Park Rapids 30

106:  Scherk, PR win by forfeit

113:  Miles Wildman, M def Maanum 2-0

120:  Chase Smith, Min win by forfeit

126:  London, PR win by forfeit

132:  Mason Schiffler, Min pin Sch. 3:27

138:  Nick Ankeny, Min pin Thor. 4:56

145:  Kritz., PR maj Jayce Kovarik 10-1

152:  Nathan Dell, Min win by forfeit

160:  Myles Reichmann, M win by for

170:  Xander Johnson, M win by forfeit

182:  Chase Boelke, Min win by forfeit

195:  Noah Jensen, Min win by forfeit

220:  Johnson, PR win by forfeit

285:  Johnson, PR win by forfeit

at Frazee 53, Minnewaska 27

106:  Miles Wildman, Min pin Oster. 5:36

113:  Hamm, F win by forfeit

120:  Chase Smith, Min def Sonnen. 9-4

126:  Borah, F win by forfeit

132:  Nagel, F pin Mason Schiffler 3:52

138:  Nick Ankeny, Min win by forfeit

145:  Peichel, F win by forfeit

152:  Moe, F tfall Nathan Dell 19-3

160:  Nagel, F pin Braylin Scharmer 1:25

170:  May., F pin Myles Reichmann :39

182:  Xander Johnson, Min pin Rue 4:36

195:  Chase Boelke, M pin Graham 3:45

220:  Zitzow, F pin Noah Jensen 1:45

285:  Kolsher, F win by forfeit

Waska 47, Fosston-Bagley 27

106:  Miles Wildman, Min def Phrak. 6-1

113:  Thompson, F pin Jude Bailey 3:58

120:  Chase Smith, Min tfall Thomp. 16-0

126:  Hardwood, F win by forfeit

132:  Wolfe, F def Mason Schiffler 8-2

138:  Nick Ankeny, Min def Thomp. 5-4

145:  Jayce Kovarik, M pin Larson 3:19

152:  Nathan Dell, Min pin Rudie :50

160:  Myles Reichmann, M pin Lar. 1:26

170:  Xander Johnson, M pin Sand. 1:47

182:  Chase Boelke, Min pin Sannes 2:44

195:  Noah Jensen, Min pin Rose 2:45

220:  Beckman, F win by forfeit

285:  Hagen, F win by forfeit

———————————————–

at WCC-CMC Meet at Kimball Area High School

Team scoring:

(1) United 208  (2) WCA-Ashby-BE 179  (3) ACGC 127.5  (4) Kimball 113.5  (5) MAHACA 106  (6) Minnewaska Area 91  (7) Wabasso 84  (8) Benson 83.5  (9) SC-Melrose 75  (10) EV-Watkins 42  (11) BOLD 25

Minnewaska results:

106:  Miles Wildman 3-1 (third place)

120:  Chase Smith 2-1 (second)

138:  Nick Ankeny 3-1 (third)

152:  Nathan Dell 2-2 (fifth)

160:  Myles Reichmann 2-2 (fourth)

170:  Xander Johnson 0-2

182:  Chase Boelke 2-2 (fourth)

195:  Noah Jensen 1-3 (sixth)

———————————————–

at Henning triangular

Minnewaska 51, at OTC 28

106:  Miles Wildman, M pin Barry 2:44

113:  Jude Bailey, M pin Geilhester :56

120:  Chase Smith, M pin Lopez 1:07

126:  Christian., OTC maj Isaiah Rosario 19-7

132:  Rousu, OTC win by forfeit

138:  Nick Ankeny, M def Roehel 9-3

145:  Jayce Kovarik, M pin Nelson 3:25

152:  Nathan Dell, M pin Evavold 1:52

160:  Myles Reichmann, M pin Lewis :56

170:  Xander Johnson, M pin Hoper 1:28

182:  Schwartz, OTC pin Zayden Johnson 2:55

195:  Noah Jensen, M win by forfeit

220:  Larson, OTC win by forfeit

285:  Rich, OTC win by forfeit

Minnewaska 57, Barnesville 24

106:  Austyn Schuler, M def Hauck 10-8

113:  Miles Wildman, M pin Pauna 1:34

120:  Jude Bailey, M win by forfeit

126:  Chase Smith, M win by forfeit

132:  Hauck, B win by forfeit

138:  Nick Ankeny, M pin O’Brien 2:43

145:  Jayce Kovarik, M win by forfeit

152:  Rotz, B pin Braylen Scharmer 2:42

160:  Nathan Dell, M pin Halver. 2:24

170:  Myles Reichmann, M pin Bli. 1:36

182:  Xander Johnson, M win by forfeit

195:  Noah Jensen, M pin Robideau 2:33

220:  Kroll, B win by forfeit

285:  Krueger, B win by forfeit

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