After two weeks rest the Lightning wrestling team headed to Little Falls for a quadrangular against Pierz, Little Falls and Deer River on Friday, Jan 4.
Head coach Ben Youngs made a tough decision going into the meet.
"We held back some of the junior high aged kids who normally wrestle varsity," Youngs said. "We chose to forfeit a few weights that we normally don’t. We wanted to give them a practice and a good night’s sleep before their big junior high tournament in Rocori."
Coach Youngs indicated that there are different theories as to whether this was the right thing to do.
"We felt it was best for our program to give the junior high kids their day and not bring them along for this quad," Youngs said. "These are the tough decisions that come up in a season, and they are tougher when other kids are not down to weight and we can’t fill all weight classes."
Pierz 55, ANML 15
106: Jackson Bunde loss, 1-9
113: Zane Brown win, fall :46
120: Jed Wester win, fall 5:08
126: Forfeit loss
132: Hunter Holewa loss, TF 0-15
138: Forfeit, loss
145: Forfeit, lost
152: Forfeit, loss
160: Jack Klug, loss 1-4
170: Adam Neuman loss, fall 1:53
182: Linus Brown loss, MD 4-14
195: Daniel Luna loss, 7-11
220: Kessler Kenning win, 1-5
285: Cole Patch loss, fall 3:13
The Lightning started off the night against Pierz.
The Lightning managed only three wins. Zayne Brown at 113 and Jed Wester at 120 got the Lightning out to a quick lead.
Kessler Kenning was the only other wrestler to win at 220 pounds.
At 126 Hunter Holewa took to the mat for his first career match," Youngs said. "He joined the team late, a week or so before Christmas break and he gave a great effort."
Two Lightning wrestlers lost close matches to state-ranked kids: Jack Klug at 160, and Daniel Luna at 195.
"Both battled well and showed they can compete with top-tier kids," Youngs said.
Little Falls 43, ANML 29
106: Bunde loss, 3-9
113: Brown win, fall :46
120: Jed Wester wink fall 5:08
126: Holewa win forfeit
132: Double Forfeit
138: Forfeit loss
145: Ben Schuldt loss, fall 1:35
152: Forfeit loss
160: Jack Klug loss, 2-14 MD
170: Adam Neuman win, fall :49
182: Nick Moe loss, fall 1:28
195: Brown loss, fall 3:36
220: Kenning win, fall 3:36
285: Patch loss, fall 4:50
For the second match of the night, the Lightning took on Little Falls.
"It has been a few years that we have been going to this quad and this match always seems to be a close battle," Youngs said. "The last few times the Lightning coming out on top."
This year the Lightning lost a close one.
The Lightning had a 15-0 lead after pins from Brown and Wester and Holewa took a forfeit.
The Flyers responded with wins from 138 pounds to 160.
"They have some tough kids in the middle and on top," Youngs said.
"Jack Klug, wrestling at 160, faced his second straight state-ranked kid and again limiting bonus points against one of the top kids in the state," Youngs said. "All of the coaches noted the toughness he showed battling all the way through the matches."
After Adam Neumann’s pin at 170, the other top kids from Little Falls got pins against Nick Moe and Linus Brown. Kenning got a nice win at 220 with a fall at 2:21.
"Cole Patch had a tough kid at 285," Youngs said. "Cole was leading in the third but got turned at the end and pinned at 4:50.
Annandale 42, Deer River 33
106: Bunde loss, 6-10
113: Brown win, fall 1:19
120: Wester win, fall 4:28
126: Forfeit loss
132: Holewa loss, fall :43
138: Forfeit loss
145: Schuldt loss, fall 2:35
152: Forfeit, loss
160: Klug win fall :39
170: Neuman win fall, :34
182: Brown win, forfeit
195: Luna win, forfeit
220: Kessler win, fall :36
285: Patch win, forfeit
The Lightning then moved on to the third place match.
The Lightning took on Deer River in the last match of the night.
"This was a fun, back-and-forth dual with a lot of forfeits and pins," Youngs said. The Lightning split the first two matches, with Bunde losing in a 6-10 decision and Zayne Brown winning with a pin at 1:19.
"Then the feature match of the night came up," Youngs said. "ANML’s Jed Wester taking on Deer River’s Trevor Michienzi.
"Wester is a seventh grader with only one loss this season. Michienzi is a junior who made it to state last year.
It was back and forth during the match, but in the third period Wester got aggressive, tossed his opponent and finished the match with a pin.
"The remaining matches went fast, as there were several forfeits and first period pins," Youngs said. "In the end, the Lightning stormed back winning every match from 160 on up."
Up next
■ Thursday, Jan. 10, the Lightning head to Dassel-Cokato High School for a 5 p.m. WCC-W triangular. Competing will be ANML, Mound-Westonka and Dassel-Cokato.
■ Saturday, Jan. 12, the team travels to Elk River High School for a 9 a.m. invitational. Competing will be Dassel-Cokato, Princeton, Wayzata, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted, Rogers, Albany, Zimmerman, Prior Lake, Hutchinson, Osseo, Washburn, Fridley, Hibbing and Elk River.