Wrestling

Chaska senior Pat Smith came as close as a wrestler can get to a championship - without winning it.

Smith fell 3-2 to Jarrett Jensen of Rapid City (S.D.) Stevens in the championship of the 152-pound weight bracket at the Rumble on the Red tournament in Fargo, N.D.

Hawk junior R.J. Hallman took eighth place at 112. He went 5-3 at the two-day tournament.

Chaska sophomore Gavin Larsen won five of seven matches to place seventh at 119.

By Tom Schardin, Staff Writer

By Tom Schardin, Staff Writer

A grueling, physical week ended with the Shakopee wrestling team finishing fifth at the Richfield Duals.

The Sabers wrestled seven dual meets in five days and came away with a 4-3 record.

“We had a grueling week,” head coach Mark Neu said. “Tuesday, Friday, Saturday is always tough because of the travel and making weight three times. It takes a lot out of the kids.”

To end the week, Shakopee wrestled in the Richfield Duals on Saturday and won its final two matches after losing a tough match to Eagan.

By Tom Schardin, Staff Writer

By Tom Schardin, Staff Writer

The Shakopee wrestling team went 4-3 in a four day span.

First, the Sabers defeated Missota Conference foe Northfield 54-21 on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

Than on Friday, Dec. 19 they participated in the Minnetonka Quad, losing to Buffalo 27-46 and Eastview 33-40. They defeated Minnetonka 43-34.

On Saturday, Dec. 20 the Sabers lost their opening round match to Eagan 37-36 at Richfield duals. They bounced back to defeat Richfield 62-12 and Brooklyn Center 69-10.

Shakopee wrestlers with a winning record in those seven matches:

Tom Casey went 7-0
Matt Foss went 5-0
Patrick Casey went 6-1

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In what was easily one of the most exciting matches of the night, Eden Prairie’s Corey O’Brien (left) turned getting beat himself into a momentum-changing pin.

Troy Elmore, head coach of the Eden Prairie High School wrestling team, didn’t have to give a pep talk prior to Thursday’s home match with Eagan.

“They were fired up before the match even started,” he said.

Reasons were many.

“Sam [Brancale] was in the lineup,” said Elmore. “That changes some things.”

The winter snow and ice could not keep many of the state's best wrestling programs from plowing their way into Rochester for the Minnesota Christmas Tournament, one of the showcase events for Minnesota high school wrestling hosted by the University of Minnesota. Apple Valley, rated #5 in the country would win the tournament as the Eagles amassed 273.5 team points, which was more than enough to win over an impressive Simley team that is rated #23 in the country. "It was another very good tournament as it always is," states Scott West wrestling coach Darren Ripley.

By Tom Schardin, Staff Writer