The Lakers had three individual champions and placed third as a team during the eight-team Minnewaska Area Invitational, Friday at Minnewaska Area High School.

Scott West won the team title with 196 points, followed closely by Canby in second with 176.5 points and the Lakers in third with 170.

Miles Wildman (106 pounds), Chase Smith (120) and Xander Johnson (170) were individual champions for the Lakers, while Mason Schiffler (132) and Chase Boelke (182) both placed second.

Earlier in the week, the Lakers lost a dual match against Morris Area-Hancock, 42-36, dropping the Lakers to 4-4 overall and 0-2 in the WCC.

Minnewaska Area was set to host a quadrangular, Tuesday (tomorrow) before taking a week to prepare for a home triangular, Tuesday, Jan. 24.  Wrestling action is set to begin at 4 p.m. when Minnewaska takes on WCA-Ashby-BE.  Beginning at 5:15 p.m., two mats will be used.  Other teams taking part are Paynesville Area, Border West and BOLD.

•  In the latest state rankings, Miles Wildman is ranked eighth at 106 pounds in Class A, while Chase Smith is ranked ninth at 126 pounds and Nick Ankeny is eighth at 138 pounds.  Wildman has one other Section 5A wrestler ranked third at 106 pounds, while Smith and Ankeny are the only Section 5A wrestlers ranked in the top 10.

at MAHACA 42, Waska 36

The Lakers led 36-24 late in the match against MAHACA before the Tigers won the final three matches on two pins and a forfeit to pull out a 42-36 victory during a WCC wrestling match at Morris Area, Thursday night.

Minnewaska Area won six of the 14 matches, including three forfeit wins by Alex Adams (106 pounds), Miles Wildman (113) and Chase Smith (120) to open up the match, along with pins by Nick Ankeny at 138 pounds (3:40), Myles Reichmann at 170 (3:35) and Xander Johnson at 182 (3:45).

The match was tied up at 24-24 heading into Reichmann’s match.  The Lakers went up 36-24 on pins by Reichmann and Johnson before the Tigers registered pins at 195 and 220 pounds and also earned a forfeit victory at heavyweight.

Minnewaska Invite

The Lakers had three individual champions and two runners-up on the way to placing third at the Minnewaska Area Invitational, Friday night.

Miles Wildman (106) and Chase Smith (120) both went 2-0 to win their weight classes, while Xander Johnson went 2-1 to claim the title at 170 pounds.

Wildman (13-0 overall this season), had a first-round bye before winning by a pin and 9-1 major decision in his other two matches, while Smith also had a first-round bye before winning his next two matches by pins to claim the championship.

Johnson meanwhile, had four wrestlers in his 170-pound weight class and, despite going 2-1, he won a tiebreaker over a wrestler from Nick Wagner, who beat him in the first round.

“Xander pinned the No. 1 seeded wrestler so their was a three-way tie for first,” coach Chip Rankin said.  “He had a great tournament and I’m happy for him.”

Placing second for the Lakers were Mason Schiffler at 132 pounds and Chase Boelke at 182, while earning third were Myles Reichmann, who went 3-1 at 160 pounds and Noah Jensen at 195.

In addition, Nick Ankeny (138) and Nathan Dell (152) were both fourth and Jayce Kovarik (145) earned fifth.

Overall, the Lakers’ 10 wrestlers went a combined 18-12 during the invitational.

“I thought we had a very good tournament,” coach Rankin said.  “Scott West is a top-five team in AA and Canby has some very good wrestlers.”

at Morris triangular

MAHACA 42, Minnewaska 36

106:  Alex Adams, Min win by forfeit

113:  Miles Wildman, Min won by forfeit

120:  Chase Smith, Min won by forfeit

126:  Gibson, Mor pin Isaiah Rosario 1:38

132:  Schmid. Mor pin Garrett Jungclaus 1:26

138:  Nick Ankeny, Min pin Sperr 3:40

145:  Marty, Mor maj Mason Schiffler 9-1

152:  Rose, Mor tfall Jayce Kovarik 15-0

160:  Rose, Mor def Nathan Dell 12-6

170:  Myles Reichmann, Min pin Erickson 3:35

182:  Xander Johnson, Min pin Olson 3:45

195:  Gibson, Mor pin Chase Boelke 3:19

220:  Marty, Mor pin Noah Jensen 1:45

285:  Johnson, Mor win by forfeit

———————————————–

Minnewaska Invitational

Team results:

(1) Scott West 196  (2) Canby 176.5  (3) Minnewaska 170  (4) MAHACA 127.5  (5) Crookston 104  (6) ACGC 86  (7) Albany 63  (8) Badger-GMR 57

Laker individual results:

106:  Miles Wildman 2-0 (first place)

120:  Chase Smith 2-0 (first)

132:  Mason Schiffler 2-1 (second)

138:  Nick Ankeny 2-2 (fourth)

145:  Jayce Kovarik 2-2 (fifth)

152:  Nathan Dell 1-2 (fourth)

160:  Myles Reichmann 3-1 (third)

170:  Xander Johnson 2-1 (first)

182:  Chase Boelke 1-1 (second)

195:  Noah Jensen 1-2 (third)

Check out more photos in our photo gallery!