Paynesville
The Eagles wrestling team dropped the first four matches, and later fell into a 35-4 deficit after seven matches versus the Paynesville Bulldogs on Thursday, Feb. 30. After falling into this hole, the Eagles won five of the final six matches, but this early deficit proved too much to overcome in an eventual 41-26 road loss to the Bulldogs, ranked sixth in the latest Class A team rankings from The Guillotine.
The Eagles won six of the 13 matches, but six of its seven losses came via pin or forfeit. The team fell by pin at 107, 127, 189 – all coming versus ranked Bulldog wrestlers. According to the latest rankings, the Bulldogs have four ranked wrestlers. The Eagles forfeited at three weights (121, 139, and 145).
The only Eagle loss that didn’t come via pin or forfeit came at 114: a 17-2 technical fall for the Eagles’ Brody Sieben to Jamison Meagher, ranked eighth at Class A 114 pounds.
With the Eagles trailing 23-0 after four matches, Brayden Kramer (133) got the Eagles on the board with an 8-0 major decision over the Bulldogs’ Isaac Mergen.
After forfeiting two weights, the Eagles went on their dual-ending run. Ryder Schmidt (152) started the run in dramatic fashion, pulling out a 16-13 win in overtime over the Bulldogs’ Mitchel Blonigen.
Carter Scheeler (160) followed with a 19-3 technical fall win over the Bulldogs’ Alex Weber, and Treyce Ludwig earned the team’s lone pin – at the 3:08 mark over the Bulldogs’ Daniel Flint.
After a Bulldog pin, the Eagles won the final two matches, both by major decision. Mitchell Lipinski (215) earned a 10-2 win over the Bulldogs’ Zach Weis. The Eagles’ lone ranked wrestler, Nick Becker – ranked eighth at Class A 285 pounds – secured a 10-1 major decision win over Brice Messer to end the dual action.
Royalton
The Eagles’ Ryder Schmidt had just pulled out a 15-10 win over Lane Olson – ranked tenth at Class A 152 pounds – to extend the Eagles’ lead to five, at 20-15.
The Eagles had a chance to build off that win and extend its advantage. Carter Scheeler (160) took the mat for the Eagles versus the Royals’ Parker Dietman, a match that went to overtime. By match’s end, Scheeler found himself on his back, getting caught and pinned, and the Eagles found itself down 20-21.
The Eagles wouldn’t lead again, dropping three of the final four matches, and fell by a 36-23 final in Royalton on Friday, Jan. 31.
After that overtime loss by pin, the Eagles’ Treyce Ludwig (172) fell by an 7-3 final to Brady Yourczeck, putting the Eagles in a 20-24 deficit. Eli Hernandez (189) then fell by default to the Royals’ Jake Leners, extending the Eagles’ deficit to 10, at 20-30.
Mitchell Lipinski (215) pulled out a 2-1 win over the Royals’ Rex Revior, but, trailing by seven with just one match remaining, the Eagles’ dual fate was secured. The team forfeited to the Royals’ Brandon Mugg – ranked second at Class A 285 pounds – providing for the final margin.
Of the Eagles’ seven losses in the dual, five would end by either pin (127 and 160), default (189), or forfeit (145 and 285). Both teams forfeited at 139.
Besides Scheeler’s overtime loss by pin, the Eagles dropped another overtime match when Cason DeMarais (107) fell by a 10-7 final to the Royals’ Jackson Dietman to open the dual.
Accounting for the team’s other wins, Brody Sieben (114) earned the Eagles’ lone pin – with 34 seconds left in the third period. John Weiss (121) followed with an 18-2 technical fall over the Royals’ Andrew Hayes, giving the Eagles an early 11-3 lead. Brayden Kramer (133) picked up the Eagles’ lone forfeit victory.
Next action
The team ends its regular season with a home dual versus -Kimball on Friday, Feb. 7.