On the Bench with Byron Higgin

Strange turn of events

Wrestling enthusiast, follower and grandpa to two wrestlers, Ed Lozinski, told me a couple days before the Section 3A Individual Wrestling Tournament that Minneota heavyweight T.J. Esping was NOT going to wrestle in the sections.

I was STUNNED. Ed said he read it on the Guillotine (wrestling newspaper online), quoting someone who said it was strange to think about the state tournament without an Esping.

I checked it out — and sure enough, T.J. Esping did NOT wrestle in the sections.

Now, he broke his finger in an earlier match against Adrian heavyweight Scot Edwards. But everyone expected Esping would tape his fingers and take to the mat. His father Tony said a variety of events led to the decision not to wrestle, including the doctor’s opinion.

Esping has signed to play football next fall at Dakota Wesleyan College in Mitchell, SD. Maybe that had something to do with it. In any case, Esping, the Class A defending state champion, put both Edwards and Josh Hansen of Canby in a better position by pulling out.

The two met in the finals and Edwards beat Hansen with a pin at 3:05. Hansen had to come back and pin Kyle Jacobson of Wabasso-RRC in 5:09 to earn a spot in state. Certainly this was a strange turn of events.

“Under the circumstances (without Esping and injured 126-pounder Brant Buysse), we wrestled pretty well,” said Coach Joel Skillings.

Had things gone better for the Vikings, Esping and Buysse may have been able to wrestle their way to state — which would have given them six, instead of four wrestlers going to the big show.

ODDS & ENDS:

•Last week’s Class A rankings, which comes out on Wednesday, reflected Minneota’s boys’ win over Russell-Tyler-Ruthton. Minneota moved up from seventh to fifth in the rankings. Russell-Tyler-Ruthon, which was the last ranked team with an undefeated record before Minneota beat them, remained in third place. From the area, Springfield is now ranked No. 2; Westbrook-Walnut Grove eighth; BOLD 10th and Dawson-Boyd 19th. In the girls’ rankings, Lyle/Austin Pacelli continues to hold down the No. 1 spot.

Hayfield which beat Minneota and Tracy-Milroy-Balaton at the start of the year has risen to third with a 22-4 record. Ironically, Minneota and Lac qui Parle Valley are tied for the No. 7 rank in the recent rankings. Wabaso was ranked 15th; BOLD 17th and Southwest MN Christian of Edgerton was ranked 19th.

•Marshall lost its first game at the state in hockey, 9-2 to the Breck School. A member of the team is Rachel Van Keulen, a senior and daughter of the Steve VanKeulen’s. They live in the Minneota area but Rachel goes to Marshall High School. She went to St. Edward School before open enrolling to Marshall.

•Twelve of Minneota’s 14 wrestlers in the Section 3A Tournament placed in the section.

•Sunday, March 11 is the Wrestling Banquet at noon, at the Minneota High School Competition Gym. All are welcome, wrestlers K-12, parents, siblings, family and friends. A banquet meal of Roast Beef Catered by Rusty’s Cafe. Free-will donation at the door. RSVP to Brad Laleman at 507-828-2911

•On Friday, March 16 the Wrestling Boosters will hold a COMEDY NIGHT Wrestling Fundraiser at KB’s in Ghent. Tickets available until March 12. RSVP to Brad Laleman 507-828-2911 or Tony Esping 507-829-2953.

•At the section qualifier for nationals, Minneota’s Cole Hennen at 184 pounds won his first match and lost his next two and was eliminated from the competition. Hennen beat Keegan Berry of Minot State, 8-0; then lost to Tyree Overton of St. Cloud State, 7-5.

He went into the wrestlebacks and forfeited to Jackson Schicel of U Mary. Minneota’s Brock Buysse lost his first match, 7-2 to Brayden Curry of Augustana at 133 pounds. He went into wrestlebacks and lost to Daide Agnew of Central Missouri, 8-4.

The only SMSU wrestler to advance to nationals was Cortez Arredondo at 157 pounds. He lost in the finals to take second place. Arredondo will compete at the NCAA Championships on March 9-10. He is the first SMSU wrestler to advance to the championships since heavyweight Cole Wilson placed seventh in 2016.

•State Tournament Pairings: Minneota wrestlers have the following match-ups on Friday at the Class A State Tournament:

•106-Eric Carrasco vs. Michael Majerus, Zumbrota-Mazzepa, sophomore, 31-5.

•132-Teddy Pesch vs. Dillon McGee, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley-Nevis, senior, 32-6.

•152-Cole VanOverbeke vs. Mason Huemann, Goodhue, senior, 36-5.

•182-Shawn Buysse vs. Michael Nelson, Dover-Eyota, junior, 32-5.

Byron Higgin

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