Wrestling team splits pair of matches at Mankato West

By: Keith Harner and Colin Staab

Mankato West hosted the Raiders as well as the Scott West Panthers on Thursday night.

In the first dual, Northfield took on Mankato West. Dylan Sirek wrestled his first varsity match at 107 pounds losing by fall to Maverick Baker. Drew Pribyl won the next match against Westin Ruch with a 49 second fall. At 121 pounds, Charlie Johnson came back and pinned Ian Risto. Caden Staab racked up the points against Robert Wicks winning 16-3. 

It was a double forfeit at 133 pounds. Zane Engels defeated Soren Ehmke with a fall 33 seconds into the second period. Sam Harner kept things going at 145 pounds with a fall of his own in 3:38. At 152 pounds, Northfield’s Jamison Baker lost to Caden Truebenbach 7-3 setting the team score at 28-9 in favor of the Raiders. Colin Staab lost by fall to Schafer Ehmke in 3:42 seconds. Iah Schwieck lost to the fifth ranked wrestler in AA, Brody Koberoski, in 1:25. Ryan Kuyper, Braxton Wood and Noah Ackerman all received forfeits putting the final team score at 46-21 in favor of the visiting Raiders.

The second dual of the night would be much more difficult as Scott West is ranked fifth in AA according to The Guillotine. Northfield forfeited at 107 pounds. Then at 114 pounds Drew Pribyl lost by fall to the second ranked wrestler in AA at 107 pounds, Ethan Strack. Scott West’s fifth ranked Caleb Tracy pinned Charlie Johnson in 30 seconds. Caden Staab put the first points on the board for Northfield with his 4-3 decision over Allen Krenik. At 133 pounds, Tate Heiden got his first varsity win in his first varsity match for the Raiders with his 4-0 decision over Jonah Harding. Zane Engels pinned his opponent in 1:48 at 139 pounds. 

The team score read 18-12 in favor of the Panthers. Sam Harner lost 4-2 to Mason Breegemann in the 145 pound match. 152 pounder Jamison Baker lost 11-1 to Ethan Dvorak, and Joran Peterson fell to the top ranked wrestler at 145 pounds in class AA, Matt Randolph. Colin Staab pinned Daniel Callahan in 3:27. Ryan Kuyper took on former Northfield wrestler Dylan Thomas. Thomas is ranked third at 189 pounds, and Dylan picked up the win against Kuyper 6-3. Braxton Wood and Noah Ackerman both lost by fall to round out the second to last and final match of the night. Scott West won the dual 46-18.

Northfield travels to Cannon Falls on Saturday for three more team matches then they will round out the regular season on Thursday, February 8 at Rochester Century.