The Minnewaska Area wrestling team earned its fourth win of the season, but it didn’t come easy.  The Lakers edged Dassel-Cokato/Litchfield at the Paynesville quadrangular, Friday, 34-33, but it took a 6-4 win by Riley Dell in the second-to-last match of the tilt and it also came after the Lakers had lost four other matches during a very tough and very busy week.

The Lakers, who are 4-8 overall and 3-2 in the conference, opened up last week’s action with a 64-6 loss to NLS and 37-33 setback to EV-Watkins during a meet at NLS last Tuesday.

Three nights later, the Lakers competed at the Paynesville quadrangular where Minnewaska beat DC-Litchfield (34-33), but also lost to the host Bulldogs (47-22) and a very strong Hutchinson-BLHS team (51-13).

“We just wrapped up our toughest week of wrestling for the season,” coach Chip Rankin said.  “We competed against four top teams in the area while also earning a ‘total team’ win against DC-Litchfield.  That was followed by a brutal WCC/Camden combined Tournament, Saturday, where we placed fourth overall. 

“I couldn’t be happier with our overall performances, and as we enter our final week of the regular season, we are peaking just at the right time.”

At the WCC-Camden Tourney, United won the 11-team title while Miles Wildman placed first overall at 114 pounds, Chase Smith (133) and Myles Reichmann (172) were both second, and Cole Kittelson (160) and Riley Dell (189) both placed third.  A full recap will appear next week.

The Lakers are set to close out the regular-season at the SC-Melrose triangular, Tuesday (tomorrow) and the Barnesville triangular, Thursday.

NLS triangular

The Lakers lost twice at the NLS triangular last Tuesday night, losing to the host Wildcats, 64-6, and also falling in a close match with Eden Valley-Watkins, 37-33.

During the loss to NLS, only Austin Schuler was able to earn a win for the Lakers as he pinned his opponent in 2:55 during the second match of the contest.Otherwise, everyone else lost by a pin, technical fall or major decision.  NLS is currently ranked 11th in Class AA state wrestling.

Things went much better against EVW, although the Lakers lost despite leading early 12-0 and 27-6 and also leading 33-21 with only three matches to go.

Alex Adams won the first match on a pin in 1:16 and Miles Wildman followed with another quick pin in 2:33 for an early 12-0 Laker lead.

After a win by EVW at 121 pounds, the Lakers won three-straight on a 9-6 decision by Jude Bailey at 127 pounds, a win by forfeit at 133 pounds by Chase Smith and a pin in 2:58 by Isaiah Rosario.

Suddenly, the Lakers were up 27-6.  It was mostly EVW from that point on as Minnewaska Area earned just one more win over the final seven matches.

EVW earned wins at 145-160 pounds to pull to within 27-21 and, after a forfeit win at 172 pounds by Cole Kittelson, EVW rallied for the victory with a pin at 189 pounds, a major decision at 215 and a forfeit win at 285 pounds.

at Paynesville quad

The Lakers went 1-2 at the Paynesville quad, beating DC-Litchfield in one match by one point, but losing to Paynesville and Hutchinson.

During the victory, Landon Schiffler (12-2 major) and Miles Wildman (pin in 2:45) gave the Lakers an early 10-0 lead.  After a loss at 121 pounds, Chase Smith put Waska up 16-6 with a pin in 58 seconds at 127 pounds.

DC-Litchfield earned victories at 133 through 152 pounds to go up temporarily 27-16, but Jayce Kovarik (pin in 1:00), Cole Kittelson (fall in 1:50) and Reichmann (9-4 decision) put Minnewaska Area back on top 31-27 and Riley Dell clinched the victory with a 6-4 decision at 215 pounds.

•  In the match against Hutchinson, Miles Wildman (pin in 17 seconds), Myles Reichmann (9-3 decision) and Riley Dell (8-0 major) picked up the only wins for the Lakers, while against Paynesville, Wildman (14-5 major), Chase Smith (pin in 1:48), Jayce Kovarik (forfeit victory) and Reichmann (forfeit win) had victories for the Minnewaska Area.

at NLS 64, Minnewaska 6

107:  Sandau, NLS pin Alex Adams 4:00

114:  Austin Schuler, M pin Halvorson 2:55

121:  Nelson, NLS pin Miles Wildman 2:36

127:  Nelson, NLS tfall Jude Bailey 17-1

133:  Nelson, NLS def Chase Smith 11-4

139:  Hanson, NLS pin Isaiah Rosario 3:22

145:  Nelson, NLS pin Nathan Dell 1:33

152:  Halv., NLS tfall Braylen Scharmer 16-1

160:  Sandau, NLS win by forfeit

172:  Duke, NLS tfall Myles Reichmann 20-5

189:  McCain, NLS maj Riley Dell 11-1

215:  Leenstra, NLS pin Eric Bowen 1:01

285:  Johnson, NLS pin Evan Friese :41

EV-Watkins 37, Waska 33

107:  Alex Adams, M pin Berg 1:16

114:  Miles Wildman, M pin Demarais 2:33

121:  Weiss, EVW pin Austin Schuler :58

127:  Jude Bailey, M def Valencia 9-6

133:  Chase Smith, M win by forfeit

139:  Isaiah Rosario, M pin Kramer 2:58

145:  Schmidt, EV pin Sawyer Erickson :46

152:  Scheeler, EV inj def Braylen Scharmer

160:  Ortiz, EVW def Jayce Kovarik 9-3

172:  Cole Kittelson, M win by forfeit

189:  Ludwig, EV pin Myles Reichmann 3:35

215:  DeHeer, EVW maj Riley Dell 11-0

285:  Becker, EVW win by forfeit

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at Paynesville quad

Team scores:  Minnewaska 34, DC-Litchfield 33, Hutchinson-BLHS 51, Minnewaska 14; Paynesville Area 45, DC-Litchfield 9; Paynesville 47, Minnewaska 22; Hutchinson-BLHS 30, Paynesville 29

Waska results:

107:  Landon Schiffler 1-1

114-121:  Miles Wildman 3-0

114-121:  Austin Schuler 0-2

127-133:  Jude Bailey 0-2

127-133:  Chase Smith 2-1

139-145:  Sawyer Erickson 0-3

139-145:  Isaiah Rosario 0-3

152:  Jack Payne 0-2

160:  Jayce Kovarik 2-1

172-189:  Myles Reichmann 3-0

172:  Cole Kittelson 1-0

189-215:  Riley Dell 2-0

285:  Zayden Johnson 0-1

Check out more photos in our photo gallery!