Joe Franta

Jackson County Central flexed their muscles Thursday night and showed why they are the favorites to represent Section 2A at the State Meet team competition next month in St. Paul.

The Huskies won 11 of 14 matches to dominate Blue Earth Area 45-9 in Jackson and hand the Bucs their first loss in 18 dual meets.

JCC boasted six ranked wrestlers in their lineup; three rated No. 1, one at No. 3, another at No. 5 and one at No. 8.

BEA’s strategy to shuffle the lineup in the first two matches to pick up wins didn’t pay off.

JCC got a pin at 103 pounds and a decision at 112 to take a 9-0 lead.

The Bucs got on the scoreboard with three points on Jake Wirtjes’ 5-2 win at 119 pounds.

BEA’s only other victories came at 145 and heavyweight.

Junior Joe Franta scored a 4-3 win over Jesse Regalado, who is ranked No. 5 at 140 pounds and finished third last year at the State Meet at 135.

With less than a minute in the match Franta trailed 3-2, but was able to pick up a couple of penalty points for the victory and improve his season record to 20-1.

Sophomore heavyweight Josh Johnson needed almost a full minute of overtime to pull out a win over Garrett Ramstad.

With six seconds left in the first overtime period, Johnson got a takedown for a 3-1 decision.

The Bucs were back on the mat Friday in a conference meet at New Ulm.

JCC 45, BEA 9

103: Kyle Edlin (JCC) pinned Mike Ankeny, 3:42.

112: Dylan Riggle (JCC) dec. Travis Hagedorn, 13-8.

119: Jake Wirtjes (BEA) dec. Paden Moore, 5-2.

125: Bronson Steuber (JCC) maj. dec. D.J. Gronewald, 14-5.

130: Spencer Johnson (JCC) maj. dec. Dave Franta, 13-0.

135: Darick Vancura (JCC) pinned Mitch Heronimus, :37.

140: Taylor Menke (JCC) maj. dec. Matt Dulas, 11-2.

145: Joe Franta (BEA) dec. Jesse Regalado, 4-3.

152: Tucker Freeman (JCC) tech. fall Abi Vasquez, 18-2.

160: Patrick Hanson (JCC) dec. Carter Hanson, 4-3.171: Cooper Moore (JCC) maj. dec. Daniel Eckhardt, 15-4.

189: Alex Tewes (JCC) dec. Cody Eckhardt, 8-7.

215: Jordan Phibbs (JCC) dec. Taylor Andrews, 3-1.

285: Josh Johnson (BEA) dec. Garrett Ramstad, 3-1 in overtime.

BEA downs Eagles

The Bucs were on the road Tuesday night and improved to 17-0 with a 51-13 win over Maple River.

BEA never trailed, jumping out to a 6-0 lead with a pin in the first match at 103 pounds.

The Bucs won seven of 11 matches actually wrestled.

The Eagles forfeited the last three matches when winning the meet was out of reach.

BEA 51, M. River 13

103: Travis Hagedorn (BEA) pinned Aaron Trio, 3:34.

112: Zach Kuhns (MR) dec. Jesse Alleven, 9-3.

119: Jake Wirtjes (BEA) dec. Jesse Jaeger, 9-2.

125: D.J. Gronewald (BEA) pinned Dylan Dietz, 5:00.

130: David Franta (BEA) dec. Tyler Olson, 7-3.

135: Jeremiah Ennen (MR) dec. Mitch Heronimus, 5-0.

140: Joe Franta (BEA) tech. fall Bryce Woitas, 20-5.

145: Charlie Sieberg (MR) dec. Matt Dulas, 8-3.

152: Carter Hanson (BEA) maj. dec. Aaron Wittrock, 15-5.

160: Scott Schoneck (MR) maj. dec. Devon Jahnke, 14-3.

171: Daniel Eckhardt (BEA) pinned Jacob Niebuhr, 5:36.

189: Cody Eckhardt (BEA) forfeit.

215: Taylor Andrews (BEA) forfeit.

285: Jason Mertens (BEA) forfeit.

BEA 5-0 at duals

The Bucs picked up five wins at the Estherville Duals on Jan. 16 and improved their season record to 16-0.

BEA defeated Sioux City Heelan, 74-0; Estherville, 84-0; Spirit Lake Park, 57-9; Forest City, 45-24; and Linn Mar, 32-27.

Five wrestlers went undefeated on the day.

Buc 189-pounder Cody Eckhardt collected three falls and a major decision for four of his wins.

D.J. Gronewald (125-130) had three pins; Daniel Eckhardt (171) registered two falls and a major decision; Joe Franta (135-140) scored two major decisions to go with pin; and heavyweight Josh Johnson had four decision wins.

Travis Hagedorn (103); Jake Wirtjes (119); David Franta (125-130); Carter Hanson (152-160); and Taylor Andrews (215), all finished with a 4-1 record.

BEA 74, S. City Heelan 0

103: Travis Hagedorn (BEA) dec. Ethan Taylor, 3-0.

112: Jesse Alleven (BEA) pinned Austin Taylor, :35.

119: Jake Wirtjes (BEA) pinned Ryan Miller, 1:54.

125: David Franta (BEA) pinned Brett Rickard, 3:10.

130: D.J. Gronewald (BEA) forfeit.

135: Mitch Heronimus (BEA) forfeit.

140: Joe Franta (BEA) pinned Joe Ulven, :45.

145: Matt Dulas (BEA) pinned Jake Twohig, 1:47.

152: Carter Hanson (BEA) maj. dec. Zach Johnson, 21-8.

160: Abi Vasquez (BEA) forfeit.

171: Daniel Eckhardt (BEA) forfeit.

189: Cody Eckhardt (BEA) maj. dec. Alex Flores, 11-1.

215: Taylor Andrews (BEA) pinned Justin Baker, 1:51.

285: Josh Johnson (BEA) dec. Jacob Tastad, 3-1.

BEA 84, Estherville 0

103: Hagedorn (BEA) forfeit.

112: Alleven (BEA) forfeit.

119: Wirtjes (BEA) forfeit.

125: Gronewald (BEA) pinned Austin Mitchell, 1:22.

130: D. Franta (BEA) forfeit.

135: J. Franta (BEA) forfeit.

140: Matt Dulas (BEA) forfeit.

145: Chris Ramos (BEA) forfeit.

152: Hanson (BEA) forfeit.

160: Devon Jahnke (BEA) pinned Aaron Howing, :34.

171: D. Eckhardt (BEA) pinned Riley Edwards, 1:07.

189: C. Eckhardt (BEA) pinned Cole Mace, 1:16.

215: Andrews (BEA) forfeit.

285: Johnson (BEA) forfeit.

BEA 57, S. Lake Park 9

103: Hagedorn (BEA) pinned Sam Bosma, 3:53.

112: Alleven (BEA) dec. CJ Kent, 6-0.

119: Wirtjes (BEA) pinned Skylar Hartwig, :25.

125: Gronewald (BEA) dec. Dylan Bryce, 9-3.

130: D. Franta (BEA) forfeit.

135: J. Franta (BEA) forfeit.

140: Rick Maris (SLP) dec. Dulas, 4-2.

145: Casey Jones (SLP) pinned Ramos, 4:39.

152: Hanson (BEA) maj. dec. Brandon Griffen, 11-2.

160: Vasquez (BEA) pinned Andrew Brooks, 1:22.

171: D. Eckhardt (BEA) maj. dec. Richard Wilson III, 12-3.

189: C. Eckhardt (BEA) forfeit.

215: Andrews (BEA) pinned Adam Dreeszen, 1:27.

285: Johnson (BEA) dec. Shae Henrichs, 2-1.