Bluejays pin loss on Bucs; BEA downs Fairmont
Blue Earth Area wrestlers gave up too many pins in their 46-26 conference loss to the Waseca Bluejays Thursday night in Blue Earth.
The Bucs won just five of 14 matches, three by way of a pin. However, the Bluejays registered six pins in their nine match wins.
Waseca was spotted a 9-0 match lead before Joe Franta pinned his opponent in 2:42 at 119 pounds.
The visitors built their lead to 15-6 when senior co-captain Mark Bartley put four team points on the scoreboard with a 19-9 major decision at 130 and trimmed Waseca’s lead to 15-10.
Back-to-back pins at 135 and 140 put the Bluejays ahead 27-10.
BEA’s Dan Eckhardt took 2:41 to put his opponent’s shoulders to the mat to make the score 27-16.
Waseca answered with four straight wins — two pins, a major decision and decision — to seal the victory.
The final two matches of the meet would belong to the Bucs.
At 215 pounds, Mat Willner scored a takedown with 1:05 remaining in the match and the score tied at 2-2. The Buc junior put his opponent to his back and gained a fall at 5:31.
Heavyweight Jake Lee had little trouble in his match to earn a 13-5 major decision.
Waseca 46, BEA 26
103: Zach Gehloff (Waseca) dec. Jake Wirtjes (BEA), 5-3.
112: Nick Durisen (Waseca) pinned D.J. Gronewald, 3:55.
119: Joe Franta (BEA) pinned Connor Oelke (Waseca), 2:42.
125: Bruce Harguth (Waseca) pinned Jared Resutek (BEA), 1:15.
130: Mark Bartley (BEA) maj. dec. Caleb Korb (Waseca) 19-9.
135: Brandon Pederson (Waseca) pinned Collin Nienhaus (BEA), 3:10.
140: Zanik Bartelt (Waseca) pinned Tyler Johnsrud (BEA), 1:29.
145: Dan Eckhardt (BEA) pin, 2:41.
152: Levi Fossen (Waseca) pinned Sinjin Bell (BEA), 1:12.
160: Sam Milbrett (Waseca) pinned Cody Eckhardt (BEA), 1:12.
171: Aaron Ingram (Waseca) dec. Clinton Nienhaus (BEA), 6-2.
189: Josh Conrath (Waseca) maj. dec. Taylor Andrews (BEA), 10-0.
215: Mat Willner (BEA) pinned Kevin Britton (Waseca), 5:31.
285: Jake Lee (BEA) maj. dec. Cavit Wobschall (Waseca), 13-5.
BEA 64, Fairmont 12
It was their first match in three weeks for the Blue Earth Area Buc wrestling team, but it didn’t look like it as they pinned their way to a 64-12 conference win over the Fairmont Cardinals Friday in Blue Earth.
“We were expected to win, but you want to wrestle well and hard. We try a lot of things in practice and it’s nice to see the boys try the moves we drill on,” said Buc head coach Randy Wirtjes. BEA had seven pins, two tech falls and two decisions, while Fairmont won its only two matches by falls.
The Bucs jumped out to a 43-0 lead — with four pins, two technical falls, a decision and a forfeit — before the Cards won their first match of the night.
“We’re so darn young and we’re wrestling not to get beat. We’re just not wrestling aggressive,” said Fairmont head coach Tom Kuisle.
One of the more exciting matches of the night involved the battle of the heavyweights.
The Bucs Jake Lee led Fairmont’s Scott Hines 2-0 after the first period and 4-2 going into the the final frame.
With 45 seconds left in the match Hines tied the score at 4-4 on a reversal, but Lee scored an escape with 20 seconds left on the clock for a 5-4 win.
BEA 64, Fairmont 12
103: Jake Wirtjes (BEA) forfeit.
112: D.J. Gronewald (BEA) pinned Brady Krosch (FMT), 3:12.
119: Joe Franta (BEA) tech. fall Mike Bleess (FMT), 4:38. 22-7.
125: Jared Resutek (BEA) pinned Cody Olson (FMT), 2:38.
130: Mark Bartley (BEA) tech fall Carson Ricard (FMT), 2:51. 17-2.
135: Collin Nienhaus (BEA) dec. James Hady (FMT) 9-6.
140: Tyler Johnsrud (BEA) pinned Chris McCartney (FMT), 1:39.
145: Dan Eckhardt (BEA) pinned Miguel Avalos (FMT), 1:39.
152: Brock Bonin (FMT) pinned Sinjin Bell (BEA), 4:56.
160: Cody Eckhardt (BEA) pinned Quentin Ballenger (FMT), 1:19.
171: Cody Vanasse (FMT) pinned Clinton Nienhaus (BEA), 4:33.
189: Taylor Andrews (BEA) pinned Andy Sanden (FMT), 1:44.
215: Mat Willner (BEA) pinned Jake Sanden (FMT), 1:56.
285: Jake Lee (BEA) dec. Scott Hines (FMT) 5-4.