Miles Wildman and Nick Ankeny won individual titles to lead the Minnewaska wrestling team to a sixth place finish at the Big Lake Invitational, Friday, to open up the 2022-23 season.

Chase Smith, Myles Reichmann and Chase Boelke added thirds for the Lakers, who finished one point behind fifth-place KMS in a meet won by Royalton.

The Lakers went 12-9 overall last year, including a 3-2 finish in the WCC.  Minnewaska is set to host a triangular this Friday before going on the road for the LQP quadrangular, Tuesday, Dec. 13.

at Big Lake Invitational

The Lakers competed with only 10 wrestlers at the Big Lake Invitational, Friday, but still placed sixth of 10 teams.

Royalton dominated the meet with 218 points, while Pierz was second with 170, Big Lake was third with 161.5 and Minnewaska Area was sixth with 134 points.

Miles Wildman and Nick Ankeny both went 3-0 to place first for the Lakers.  Wildman won his first 106-pound match in 18 seconds, the semifinals with a 10-2 major and the championship with a fall in 1:46 over Roman McKenney of Pine City, while Ankeny won his first match at 138 pounds, 8-1, his second 12-6 and the finals with a 5-3 overtime decision over Roy top-seeded Roy Yourczek of Royalton.

Myles Reichmann had four wins on the day, going 4-1 to place third at 160 pounds.  He won his first two before losing in the semifinals to the eventual champion and then coming back to win by a fall in 1:52 and 8-0 major to place third.

Chase Smith also placed third at 120 pounds, going 3-1 with his only loss in the semifinals to eventual champion, Trey Gunderson of KMS.  And Chase Boelke also went 3-1 at 182 pounds to earn third, losing in the semifinals but coming back to win his last two matches by pins in 1:54.

Earning fourths for the Lakers were Xander Johnson at 170 pounds and Noah Jensen at 220, who both went 2-2, while Jayce Kovarik went 2-3 at 145 pounds to place sixth.

Also competing for the Lakers, who went 23-14 overall, were Garrett Jungclaus at 132 pounds (0-2) and Braylen Scharmer at 152 (1-2).

at Big Lake Invitational

Team scoring:

(1) Royalton 218  (2) Pierz 170  (3) Big Lake 161.5  (4) Amery 156  (5) KMS 135  (6) Minnewaska Area 134  (7) Pine City-Hinckley-Finlayson 74.5  (8) Minnetonka 71.5  (9) Sartell 59  (10) NLS 56.5

Minnewaska results:

106:  Miles Wildman 3-0 (first place)

113:  No wrestler

120:  Chase Smith 3-1 (third)

126:  No wrestler

132:  Garrett Jungclaus 0-2

138:  Nick Ankeny 3-0 (first)

145:  Jayce Kovarik 2-3 (sixth)

152:  Braylen Scharmer 1-2

160:  Myles Reichmann 4-1 (third)

170:  Xander Johnson 2-2 (fourth)

182:  Chase Boelke 3-1 (third

195:  No wrestler

220:  Noah Jensen 2-2 (fourth)

285:  No wrestler