The Minnewaska Area wrestling team is on a roll, winning six-straight matches over the last two weeks.  The Lakers went 2-0 at a home triangular, Tuesday, Jan. 24, beating Sauk Centre-Melrose (48-29) and Kimball Area (51-28) and also went 2-0 at a quadrangular at Osakis, Friday, Jan. 27 and 2-0 at the EVW triangular last Tuesday.  

At the Osakis meet, the Lakers beat Osakis (47-31) and New York Mills (49-27) and at EVW, the team beat New Ulm (45-30) and Eden Valley-Watkins (51-25). 

The six-straight wins lifted Minnewaska Area’s overall record to 11-7 heading into its final four regular-season meets.

“We are down to weight, which makes us pretty competitive and the boys are really wrestling well right now,” Minnewaska Area head coach Chip Rankin said.

Minnewaska Area was also set to compete at the Frazee quadrangular, Thursday, Feb. 2 and at the Kimball Invitational, Saturday, Feb. 4.  The Lakers went 2-1 at the Frazee quadrangular where Nick Ankeny earned his 100th career victory.  A recap of the Frazee and Kimball meets will be highlighted next week.

The Lakers also continue to have three state-ranked wrestlers as Miles Wildman (23-1 record) is ranked fourth in Class A at 106 pounds, Chase Smith (23-1) is rated seventh at 120 and Nick Ankeny (22-2) is ranked eighth at 138.

Other top records for the Lakers are owned by Chase Boelke (18-8), Jayce Kovarik (16-8), Myles Reichmann (16-8), Noah Jensen (16-8), Xander Johnson (14-8) and Mason Schiffler (12-7).

at Waska triangular

The Lakers hosted a triangular with Kimball Area and SC-Melrose, Tuesday, Jan. 24, and Minnewaska Area walked away with a pair of victories over SC-Melrose (48-29) and Kimball Area (51-28).

The match against SC-Melrose included seven forfeits.  The Lakers trailed 17-9 after five matches as Miles Wildman earned a 2-1 victory at 106 pounds and Chase Smith won by a pin in 3:22 at 120.

The Lakers proceeded to win the next seven matches as Nick Ankeny earned a 5-4 win at 138 pounds, followed by a forfeit victory by Jayce Kovarik, a pin in 32 seconds by Nathan Dell and a pin in 13 seconds by Myles Reichmann before forfeit victories by Xander Johnson (170), Chase Boelke (182) and Noah Jensen (195).

SC-Melrose earned forfeit victories in the final two matches.

•  Against Kimball Area, the score was 12-12 after four matches as Miles Wildman earned a 15-second pin to get the match underway and Chase Smith won in 13 seconds with a fall at 120 pounds.

The Lakers had four-straight six-point pins at 132-152 pounds by Mason Schiffler (1:13), Nick Ankeny (2:34), Jayce Kovarik (2:29) and Nathan Dell (1:14) to go up 36-12, but Kimball stayed within range with victories at 160 and 170 pounds.

Xander Johnson earned a pin in 2:20 at 182 pounds and Noah Jensen clinched the victory with a 12-5 decision at 220 pounds followed by a pin in 30 seconds by Eric Bowen at heavyweight to close out the match.

at Osakis quadrangular

The Lakers won both their matches at the Osakis quadrangular, Friday, Jan. 27, beating Osakis (47-31) and New York Mills (49-27).  Minnewaska, which improved to 9-7 overall, did not wrestle United North Central, which beat NYM and Osakis in the other two duals.

During the win over Osakis, the Lakers won eight of the 14 matches.  Chase Smith earned the only win for the Lakers in the first four matches with a pin in 24 seconds at 120 pounds as Minnewaska Area trailed 13-6 after four matches.

Mason Schiffler (pin in 2:46), Nick Ankeny (pin in 1:21) and Jayce Kovarik (17-2 technical fall) won three-straight matches to put the Lakers up 23-13, but Osakis earned pins at 152 and 160 pounds to put the Silverstreaks up temporarily at 25-23.

It was all Minnewaska Area from there as Myles Reichmann (1:13), Xander Johnson (:26), Chase  Boelke (1:54) and Noah Jensen (:41) earned four-straight quick pins to give the Lakers a 47-25 lead and clinch the match victory.

•  In the other match against NYM, 11 of the 14 matches were decided by pins or forfeits.

Miles Wildman (106 pounds) and Chase Smith (120) earned forfeit wins as the two teams were tied at 12-12 after four matches, but the Lakers took the lead for good with an 8-2 decision by Mason Schiffler at 132 pounds.

Nick Ankeny (:32), Jayce Kovarik (1:32) and Nathan Dell (4:42) followed with three-straight pins to put Minnewaska up 33-12 and, after a win by NYM at 160 pounds, Xander Johnson (16-7 major), Chase Boelke (pin in 3:10) and Noah Jensen (fall in 2:10) clinched the victory for the Lakers with three more wins.  “It was a pretty good week for us, going 4-0 at home and Osakis to lift our overall record to 9-7 for the season,” coach Chip Rankin said.  “Miles Wildman (fourth-ranked in state at 106 pounds) suffered his first loss of the season against Osakis (8-6), but he had a very solid match against state-ranked Reggie George (second in Class A).”

at EVW quadrangular

The Lakers won their fifth and sixth-straight matches at the EVW quadrangular last Tuesday night, beating the host EVW Eagles’ team in one dual, 51-25, and also earning a 45-30 win over New Ulm in the other match.

Minnewaska won 9-of-14 matches against the hosts.  After losing at 106 pounds, Miles Wildman (forfeit win) and Chase Smith (pin in 1:21) put the Lakers up for good at 12-9 after four matches.

Minnewaska then won four-straight matches at 132-152 pounds as Mason Schiffler earned a pin in 3:28, Nick Ankeny won by forfeit, Jayce Kovarik edged his opponent 2-0 and Nathan Dell took just 23 seconds to earn a six-point pin at 152 pounds.

EVW earned wins at 160 and 170 pounds to cut the Lakers’ lead to 33-19, but Minnewaska clinched the victory with two-straight forfeit wins by Chase Boelke (182 pounds) and Zayden Johnson (195) followed by a pin in 2:47 by Noah Jensen at 220 pounds.

•  The Lakers were tied with NYM at 12-12 after four matches with Miles Wildman earning a pin in 3:28 at 106 pound and Chase Smith winning by a fall in 2:49 at 120 pounds.

Minnewaska went ahead for good with pins by Mason Schiffler (:30) and Nick Ankeny (1:59) at 132 and 138 pounds and Nathan Dell earned a 9-5 victory at 152 pounds to put the Lakers ahead 27-24 with four matches to go.

The Lakers continued their recent dominance in the upper weights as Xander Johnson (3:48), Chase Boelke (:56) and Noah Jensen (:33) earned three-straight pins to give the Lakers a 45-24 lead and clinch the victory before EVW closed out the contest with a forfeit win at heavyweight.

Waska quadrangular

at Minnewaska 51, Kimball 28

106:  Miles Wildman, Min pin Schmidt :15

113:  Schwieters, K pin Austyn Schuler :57

120:  Chase Smith, Min pin Danelke :13

126:  Serbus, K win by forfeit

132:  Mason Schiffler, Min pin Schief. 1:13

138:  Nick Ankeny, Min pin Schiefel., 2:34

145:  Jayce Kovarik, Min pin Brutger 2:29

152:  Nathan Dell, Min pin Schiefel., 1:14

160:  Kuseske, K tfall Cole Kittelson 20-5

170:  Guggis., K pin Myles Reichmann 3:16

182:  Xander Johnson, Min pin Meyer 2:20

195:  Rosenow, K tfall Chase Boelke 24-7

220:  Noah Jensen, Min Rosenow 12-5

285:  Eric Bowen, Min pin Mehr :30

at Minnewaska 48, SC-Mel 29

106:  Miles Wildman, Min def Kerzman 2-1

113:  Meyer, SC pin Austyn Schuler 1:20

120:  Chase Smith, Min pin Walter 3:22

126:  Christen, SC win by forfeit

132:  Santos, SC tfall Mason Schiffler 19-4

138:  Nick Ankeny, Min def Christen 5-4

145:  Jayce Kovarik, Min win by forfeit

152:  Nathan Dell, Min pin Friedrichs :32

160:  Myles Reichmann, Min pin Avalos :13

170:  Xander Johnson, Min win by forfeit

182:  Chase Boelke, Min win by forfeit

195:  Noah Jensen, Min win by forfeit

220:  Frericks, SC win by forfeit

285:  Sjogren, SC win by forfeit

———————————————–

at Osakis quadrangular

Minnewaska 47, at Osakis 31

106:  George, O def Miles Wildman 8-6

113:  Jacobson, O maj Jude Bailey 10-2

120:  Chase Smith, Min pin Bruder :24

126:  Taplin, O pin Garrett Jungclaus 1:20

132:  Mason Schiffler, Min pin Falzone 2:46

138:  Nick Ankeny, Min pin Duchene 1:21

145:  Jayce Kovarik, Min tfall Hagen 17-2

152:  Drevlow, O pin Nathan Dell :17

160:  Cimbura, O pin Cole Kittelson 3:01

170:  Myles Reichmann, Min pin Gust. 1:13

182:  Xander Johnson, Min pin Ziesmer :26

195:  Chase Boelke, Min pin Koep 1:54

220:  Noah Jensen, Min pin Kunkel :41

285:  Winkle, O win by forfeit

Minnewaska 49, NYM 27

106:  Miles Wildman, Min win by forfeit

113:  Wall., NYM pin Austyn Schuler 1:59

120:  Chase Smith, Min win by forfeit

126:  Mus, NYM pin Garrett Jungclaus 4:22

132:  Mason Schiffler, Min def Geiser 8-2

138:  Nick Ankeny, Min pin Geiser :32

145:  Jayce Kovarik, Min pin Malone 1:32

152:  Nathan Dell, Min pin Minder. 4:42

160:  Sny.,  NYM def Myles Reichmann 8-3

170:  Xander Johnson, Min maj Riner. 16-7

182:  Chase Boelke, Min pin Unger 3:10

195:  Noah Jensen, Min pin Unger 2:10

220:  Roberts, NYM win by forfeit

285:  Roberts, NYM win by forfeit

———————————————–

at EVW triangular

Minnewaska 45, New Ulm 30

106:  Miles Wildman, Min pin Miller 3:28

113:  Kiecker, NU won by forfeit

120:  Chase Smith, Min pin Rieser 2:49

126:  Kral, NU pin Garrett Jungclaus 3:49

132:  Mason Schiffler, Min pin Haynes :30

138:  Nick Ankeny, Min pin Drill 1:59

145:  Nienhaus, NU def Jayce Kovarik 12-10

152:  Nathan Dell, Min def Ruch 9-5

160:  Frederick., NU pin Cole Kittelson 2:46

170:  Pollard, NU def Myles Reichmann 11-9

182:  Xander Johnson, Min pin Freder. 3:48

195:  Chase Boelke, Min pin Lieb :56

220:  Noah Jensen, Min pin Waloch :33

285:  Thompson, NU won by forfeit

Minnewaska 51, at EV-W 25

106:  Weiss, EVW def Alex Adams 9-6

113:  Miles Wildman, Min won by forfeit

120:  Chase Smith, Min pin Erpelding 1:21

126:  Schmit, EV pin Garrett Jungclaus 1:51

132:  Mason Schiffler, Min pin Kramer 3:28

138:  Nick Ankeny, Min won by forfeit

145:  Jayce Kovarik, Min def Thompson 2-0

152:  Nathan Dell, Min pin Albers :23

160:  Ortiz, EVW pin Myles Reichmann 1:08

170:  Ludwig, EV maj Xander Johnson 18-6

182:  Chase Boelke, Min win by forfeit

195:  Zayden Johnson, Min win by forfeit

220:  Noah Jensen, Min pin Lipinski 2:47

285:  Becker, EVW pin Eric Bowen :49

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