BEA’s Timmy Nagel, top picture, works to score more points during one of his matches at the Section 2A Individual Meet on Saturday, Feb. 22. Nagel, lower left, is shown with his second-place medal for the 121-pound weight category. Will Weerts, lower right, took third place at 160 pounds.

Blue Earth Area’s Timmy Nagel earned his first-ever trip to the individual portion of the Minnesota State Wrestling Tournament with his second-place finish at 121 pounds at the Section 2A Individual Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 22.

Nagel began his quest for a spot at State with two byes which sent him into a semifinal match against Elliot Jones of Medford. Nagel only needed 38 seconds to put Jones’ shoulders to the mat and advance to the championship match.

Nagel’s opponent in the championship was Connor Othoudt of Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial. It was a close match with Othoudt winning the contest after a controversial stalling call was assessed against Nagel.

Nagel then had to wrestle a true second match against Braydon Won of St. Clair-Mankato Loyola.

With the opening period progressing towards the end, Nagel was able to put Won on his back. It took awhile, but with one second remaining in the period, the referee slapped the mat signifying a pin for Nagel and earning the junior a spot at the State Tourney.

Sophomore Will Weerts finished third at 172 pounds.

After a first-round bye, Weerts defeated Aiden Hunt of Medford by a technical fall in the quarterfinals by a score of 19-4.

In the semifinals, Weerts went up against Ryan Schlaak of New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva. Schlaak, the No. 1-seeded wrestler and eventual Section champion at 172 pounds, pinned Weerts in 1:22.

The loss to Schlaak sent Weerts into the match for third place against Lucas Vaughan of St. Clair-Mankato Loyola.

Weerts was trailing Vaughan 10-0 when the Buccaneer wrestler was able to turn Vaughan onto his back with about 40 seconds remaining in the match. With 28 seconds to go, Weerts got the pin and the chance to wrestle a true-second match for a chance to go to State.

Unfortunately for Weerts, Maddox Moreno of Waterville-Elysian-Morristown/Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton earned a technical fall in the true-second match which gave Weerts third place.

Six other BEA wrestlers also earned a spot on the podium by finishing sixth or higher at the tourney.

Layden Basset finished fourth at 145 pounds, Drake Engelby at 114 pounds, Colton Tolzmann at 152, Jacob Gambell at 215 and Chase Gambell at 285 each finished in fifth place.

The State Tournament bracket shows Nagel wrestling Keegan VeonEnde, a sophomore from Badger-Greenbush-Middle River during the opening round of the State Individual Tournament on Friday, Feb. 28. Nagel has a record of 26-15 heading into the match while VonEnde is 25-10.

The Minnesota State Wrestling Tournament, which is held at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, will conclude with the championship rounds on Saturday, March 1.