Caleb Beeler used a cradle to pin Eric Mauss of Caledonia-Houston in the 126-pound match at the 23rd annual Bob Swalla Memorial Team Duals held in Kasson on Saturday, Jan. 26. Blue Earth Area faced some stiff competition during the tournament including the Class AA No. 1-ranked Kasson-Mantorville KoMets. It was the second straight day of wrestling for the Bucs who defeated St. James the previous evening.

The Blue Earth Area wrestlers traveled to Kasson on Saturday, Jan. 26, to compete in the 23rd annual Bob Swalla Memorial Team Duals.

There were nine teams competing in the tournament. Included in the nine teams were four teams ranked in the top 10 in the state.

Those included Forest Lake, which is ranked No. 10 in Class AAA, along with three teams ranked in the top 10 in Class AA. Those three teams were Kasson-Mantorville which is ranked No. 1, the No. 5- ranked Fairmont/Martin County West team and No. 7-ranked Waconia.

The Bucs ended up winning one and losing three for the day.

BEA 39,

Caledonia-Houston 32

BEA began their day matched up against the Caledonia-Houston Warriors from the Three River Conference.

The Warriors took the early lead when Brandon Ross pinned Carson Sturtz of the Bucs at 106 pounds in 1:10.

Ty Peterson evened the score at 6-6 in the 113-pound match with a second period pin of Tucker Ginther.

Davis Sunken at 120 pounds scored a third period pin over Jacob Cripps to put the Bucs up 12-6. Caleb Beeler made it 18-6 when he pinned the Warrior’s Eric Mauss in the 126-pound contest.

Jacob Beeler lost a 7-5 decision to Aaron Francis at 132 pounds to make the score 18-9 in favor of the Bucs.

Jaxen Klinkner of the Bucs received a forfeit at 138 pounds giving BEA a 24-9 lead.

Max Ehrich lost a 19-8 major decision to the Class A, No. 1-ranked Kyle Cavenaugh, at 145 pounds. BEA still held the lead at 24-13.

Koby Nagel lost a 4-3 decision to Isaac Denstad of the Warriors at 152 pounds to cut BEA’s lead to 24-16.

Logan Johnson of the Bucs scored an upset victory over Jack Strub in the 160-pound match to extend the Buc’s lead to 30-16.

Nick Frank lost by fall at 170 pounds to Payton Schott and Luke Mertens, wrestling at 182 pounds, suffered a fall to Ryan Wagner allowing the Warriors to pull within two points of the Bucs at 30-28.

Dominic Whitlow pinned Owen Blocker in 1:16 at 195 pounds to give BEA a 33-28 lead.

Eric Anderson sealed the outcome for the Maroon and Gold with a 6-1 decision in the 220-pound match which gave the Bucs a 39-28 lead.

Ian Cornelio of the Bucs lost a major decision to Alec Francis in the 285-pound match to make the final score 39-32 in favor of BEA.

Kasson-Mantorville 66, BEA 0

The KoMets of Kasson-Mantorville showed why they are the No. 1-ranked team in Class AA. The defending state champions won every match against the Buccaneers on their way to a 66-0 victory.

Carson Sturtz dropped an 8-0 major decision to Jace Minelli at 106 pounds. Ty Peterson was beaten 7-3 at 113 pounds by the No. 3-ranked Logan Vaughan, giving the KoMets a 7-0 lead.

Davis Sunken lost by a pin to No. 2 ranked Robby Horsman with 15 seconds remaining in the 120-pound match.

Caleb Beeler was pinned by Giovanni Ruffo in the first period of the 126-pound match. Jacob Beeler lost by a fall to the No. 5-ranked Matthew Harfmann at 132 pounds. The KoMets now led 25-0.

The ranked wrestlers just kept coming for Kasson-Mantorville. Tanner Paulson, the No. 8-ranked wrestler at 138 pounds, defeated Jaxen Klinkner by a 10-5 decision.

Max Ehrich of the Bucs lost a 15-1 major decision to Carlos Ruffo in the 145-pound match to put the Warriors ahead 32-0.

Koby Nagel lost a 4-2 decision at 152 pounds to Nic VanOort. Logan Johnson was defeated by a major decision in the 160-pound match, losing to Kail Wynia. The KoMets now led by a 39-0 score.

Bennet Berge, ranked No. 2 at 160 pounds, won by a pin in the third period to gain a victory over Nick Frank in the 170-pound match.

Dominic Whitlow lost by a second period fall to Patrick Kennedy at 182 pounds. Kennedy is ranked No. 1 in Class AA at 170 pounds.

Grant Parish, the No. 3-ranked wrestler at 195 pounds, scored a first period pin over Luke Mertens to make the score 57-0.

Eric Anderson lost by a pin to the No. 2-ranked Garsen Schorr at 220 pounds. Ian Cornelio dropped a 5-2 decision to Anthony Moe-Tucker in the 285-pound match making the final score 66-0 in favor of the KoMets.

Forest Lake 47, BEA 21

BEA dropped the first five matches against the Rangers to fall behind 23-0.

Carson Sturtz at 106 pounds lost by a technical fall. Ty Peterson lost a 5-2 decision at 113 and Davis Sunken lost by a pin at 120 pounds giving Forest Lake a 14-0 lead.

Caleb Beeler suffered a first period fall at 126 pounds and Jacob Beeler lost a 3-2 decision at 132 to put the Rangers on top 23-0.

Jaxen Klinkner got the Bucs on the scoreboard with a 56 second pin in the 138-pound match. Max Ehrich lost by a technical fall at 5:30 at 145 pounds to give Forest Lake a 28-6 lead.

Koby Nagel lost by a fall at 152 pounds. Logan Johnson dropped a 2-0 decision at 160 and Nick Frank was beaten by a major decision at 170 to put Forest Lake in front 41-6.

Luke Mertens scored a pin for the Bucs at 182 pounds and Dominic Whitlow won by a 5-4 decision at 195 pounds to make the score 41-15 in favor of the Rangers.

Erik Anderson received a forfeit at 220 pounds. Ian Cornelio lost by a fall with six seconds left in the match at 285 pounds to give Forest Lake the 47-21 victory.

LARP 41, BEA 36

Blue Earth Area had their final dual of the day against the Lewiston-Altura/Rushford-Peterson Cardinals.

Carson Sturtz lost to Tyler Kreidermacher by a first period pin at 106 pounds. Ty Peterson received a forfeit in the 113-pound match to even the score at 6-6.

Davis Sunken was pinned in the third period by

the Card’s No. 4-ranked Carter Jonsagaard at 120 pounds, which gave the Cardinals a 12-6 lead.

Caleb Beeler lost in overtime by a 6-4 score to Gable Speltz at 126 pounds. Jacob Beeler was pinned by Caleb Mueller at 132 pounds with just three seconds left in the match. The score was now 21-6 in favor of LARP.

Jaxen Klinkner scored a first period fall over Kolton Riser at 138 pounds but the Cardinals came back with a major decision at 145 pounds when No. 9-ranked Dominic Jenkins bested Max Ehrich by a 12-2 score. LARP now led 25-12.

Koby Nagel pinned Tristyn Hegland in the second period of the 152-pound match to pull the Bucs to within seven points of the Cardinals at 25-18.

The Cardinals regained the momentum when Jacob Meyer defeated Logan Johnson at 160 pounds by a 12-4 major decision. Ethan Sense put Nick Frank’s shoulders to the mat with 12 seconds left in the 170-pound match to give the Cardinals a 35-18 lead.

Dominic Whitlow at 182 pounds and Luke Mertens at 195 both received forfeits. BEA now trailed LARP by five points at 35-30.

Erik Anderson scored an opening takedown in the 220-pound match but got pinned with eight seconds remaining in the first period to put the victory out of reach for the Buccaneers who now trailed 41-30 with one match remaining.

Ian Cornelio received a forfeit at 285 pounds making the final score 41-36 in favor of the Cardinals.

BEA 63,

St. James Area 16

Blue Earth Area defeated the Saint James Area Saints in a Big South Conference contest held on Friday, Jan. 25, in St. James. The Saints were only able to win three matches as the Buccaneers won 63-16.

“We looked at the meet with St. James as one we should win,” coach Randy Wirtjes commented. “The boys were ready to go and we wrestled well as a team.”

Carson Sturtz recorded a fall over Levi Miest in 34 seconds at 106 pounds. Ty Peterson took only 32 seconds to pin Geo Flores in the 113-pound match. Davis Sunken then scored an 11-3 major decision over Joshua Olivares at 120 pounds to give BEA a 16-0 lead.

Caleb Beeler defeated Wyatt Westcott by a first period pin at 126 pounds. The Saints finally got on the board when Sam Kulseth earned a first period pin over Jacob Beeler at 132 pounds. The Bucs led at this point 22-6.

Jaxen Klinkner helped the Bucs regain the momentum with a third period fall over Austin Knickrehm at 138 pounds. Max Ehrich scored a 22-7 technical fall over Alexander Hanson at 145 pounds. Koby Nagel pinned Landon Hoppe of the Saints in 1:03 in the 152-pound contest, which gave the Buccaneers a 39-6 lead.

The Saints’ Tallin Johnson earned a second period fall against Logan Johnson at 160 pounds but Nick Frank countered with a second period pin of Oscar Trejo at 170 to put the Bucs out front 45-12.

Dominic Whitlow won with a first period pin of Alfredo Carreon at 182 pounds. Luke Mertens lost by a 13-5 major decision to Jacob Brey at 195 pounds making the score 51-16 in favor of the Buccaneers.

Erik Anderson received a forfeit at 220 pounds. Ian Cornelio ended the night with a third period pin of Koltin Johnson at 285 pounds to put the Bucs on top by the final score of 63-16.

Blue Earth Area traveled to Lake Crystal on Friday, Feb. 1 to take on the Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial Knights. Results of that contest will appear in next week’s edition of the Faribault County Register.