Spirit Lake Park wrestling can now claim its first ever champion from the Minnesota Christmas Wrestling Tournament in Rochester. Junior Doug Miner, last year’s 103-pound state champion in Iowa’s Class 2A, won five matches over two days to earn the individual title at 113 pounds. The championship victory came by pin fall in the second period over Brady Berg, a seventh-grader from Kasson-Mantorville, MN. At 195 pounds, Casey Jones finished the tournament 4-2 to grab sixth place. Zach Skopec ended up in eighth place, posting a 4-3 record. As a team, the Indians tallied 81 points to finish 15th out of 34 teams. Jackson County Central ended the two-day event in tenth place with 108 points, sending two grapplers to the championship match. Cooper Moore claimed the title at 170 pounds, winning 10-2 in the title bout to go 5-0. During the tournament, Moore also surpassed the 200-win mark on his way to the championship. In the 160-pound bracket, Darick Vancura was 3-1 to take second place, losing by pin fall to the top-seeded wrestler. Apple Valley, MN was the top overall team with 291.5 points.
The Okoboji wrestling team put together an impressive showing over the weekend, taking second place overall at the West Hancock Invitational. The Pioneers collected 235 points, finishing 43 points back of Sumner-Fredricksburg. Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire also competed, and their 119 points put the Knights in sixth place. Okoboji’s lone title winner was senior Tanner Taylor at 182 pounds. Six others obtained runner-up honors, Taylor Cody (138), Cody Louscher (152), Zach Jones (160), Justin Richardson (170), Jacob Sauter (195), and Blake Manwarren (285).
Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn took part in the Cherokee Invite on Saturday. The Hawks were paced by Nick Drenth, who notched four wins at 126 pounds and took three by pin fall. Heath Nagel matches the three pin fall victories, going 3-1 on the day in the 132-pound bracket.
North of the border, Fairmont/Martin County West took eighth at the Redwood Valley Tournament, scoring 102 points. Worthington was 15th with 72 points.
