Five make a ‘State’-ment

Minneota had two champions and three runners-up at the Section 3A Individual Wrestling Tournament on Saturday at Canby High School. Eric Carrasco was the 113-pound section champion, while Zack Fier captured the 126-pound title. Kade Lozinski at 132 pounds, Jonah Gruenes at 138, and Blake Reiss at 145 all placed second.

Those five wrestlers will be competing in the state individual wrestling tournament on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 28-29) at Xcel Energy Center in Minneapolis.

The team wrestling tournament is Thursday, Feb. 27. “I thought all the kids wrestled outstanding,” said Minneota first-year coach Matt Myrvik.

“Especially after we lost a heartbreaker in the section team tournament. You never know how they will react after something like that.”  “That’s the one thing about this sport that is different than any other sport. You can come back from a (team) loss, clean up a few things, and wrestle some of those same kids again (in the individual tournament). Our kids just went out and gave it everything they had. I couldn’t be prouder of all of the kids and all my coaches.” Eight of the 12 Minneota wrestlers placed in the top six.

The Vikings had two open weights. Peyton Gillund, a freshman at 103 pounds, went 3-3 on the day and finished in sixth place, while sophomores Jackson Esping at 220 and Jayden Gamrak at heavyweight each went 2-2 and placed fourth. Carrasco (37-4), a junior, defeated Logan Butzon of Jackson County Central 7-1 in his championship match to earn his third straight section title.

“I just tried to control him and neutralize him,” said Carrasco, who beat Butzon in a previous meeting this season 11-3.  “In the third period, I was ahead 5-1 and I just wanted to stay ahead of him and not let him get any points on me.”

Carrasco finished 0-1 at state as a sophomore, and he went 2-2 last season. “I’m sure going to try to do better than that this year,” he said with a big smile.

Fier (27-12), a freshman, won an sudden-death overtime thriller over Levi Ellingson, a senior and the top seed from Tracy-Milroy-Balaton/Westbrook-Walnut Grove, to advance to the state tournament for the first time. Fier’s victory avenged a recent 2-1 loss to Ellingson in the Section 3A team tournament. Fier led 1-0 with five seconds left in this match when Ellingson earned an escape point.

The match then went into overtime where Fier scored a takedown in just 37 seconds to secure the title. “I was confident that I could beat him,” said Fier.

“He likes to shoot a double and he caught me a little off-guard at first in overtime. But I was able to get my hips around and get the takedown. It just shows how all the hard work in practice pays off.”

Lozinski (29-10), a sophomore, lost 8-4 in his finals match against Kade Simmons of Windom-Mt. Lake.

This will mark his second straight state appearance. “I was behind 8-2 going into the third period and I just thought I was going to try my best and see what happens,” he said.

“I wish I would have done a little better, but getting to state was my goal.” Gruenes (37-8), a sophomore, lost a 1-0 decision to Brett Willaby of Windom-Mt. Lake in the championship.

The two wrestlers were scoreless throughout the match, but Willaby was awarded a point after the final whistle. “I got called for a figure-four and they gave him a point,” said a dejected Gruenes after the match. 

“It was the correct call, but you still hate to see it end like that,” said Myrvik, who spent a few minutes discussing the call with an official after the match. This will be the first state appearance for Gruenes, who finished third at the section tournament last season. Reiss (35-8), a senior, fell to Payton Handevidt of Jackson County Central 4-2 in his championship bout. He will advance to state for the second time. Although he went 1-2 at the state tournament last year at 138 pounds, one of those losses was a 5-3 decision to eventual state champion Mark Burringa of St. Charles in the quarterfinals. Reiss trailed 2-0 after one period to Handevidt, and 4-0 after two. “Going into the third period, I was just hoping to get some points early and then take my chances,” he said. “I was able to get a reversal late. I’m not disappointed. I wanted to win, but I wanted to get back to state and I was able to do that.”

Individual Minneota results: 106 pounds PEYTON GILLUND - pinned Adryen Tietz, Wabasso-Red Rock Central 1:36 … lost 6-10 decision to Hudson Burnett, Pipestone Area … pinned Denver Ash, Fulda/Murray County Central :38 … won 10-6 decision over Tucker Renquist, Windom-Mountain Lake … lost 1-9 major decision to Devin Carter, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton/Westbrook-Walnut Grove … lost 5-6 decision to Nolan Ambrose, Jackson County Central … 6th place

113 pounds ERIC CARRASCO - received a bye ... pinned Zackary Zimmerman, Wabasso-Red Rock Center 2:52 ... won 6-2 decision over Lincoln Fink, Canby ... won 7-1 decision over Logan Butzon, Jackson County Central ... 1st place

120 pounds EZEQUIEL MONZON - won 16-14 decision over Carter Beranek, Wabasso-Red Rock Central ... was pinned by Ayden Horner, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton/Westbrook-Walnut Grove 1:28 ... received a bye ... lost 2-4 decision to Reese Morrison, Adrian Area

126 pounds ZACK FIER - received a bye ... pinned Easton Antony, Canby, 3:20 ... won 12-0 major decision over Wyatt Westcott, St. James Area ... won 3-1 overtime decision over Levi Ellingson, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton/Westbrook-Walnut Grove ... 1st place

132 pounds KADE LOZINZKI - received a bye .... won 8-2 decision over Jake Wagner, Canby ... won 6-4 decision over Matthew Haley, Jackson County Central ... lost 4-8 decision to Kade Simmons, Windom-Mountain Lake ... 2nd place

138 pounds JONAH GRUENES - received consecutive byes … pinned Blaine Petersen, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton/Westbrook-Walnut Grove 3:22 … lost 0-1 decision to Brett Willaby, Windom-Mountain Lake … 2nd place

145 pounds BLAKE REISS - received a bye … pinned Damon Holmen, Wabasso-Red Rock Central 3:26 … won 4-2 decision over Logan Taylor, Adrian Area … lost 2-4 decision to Payton Handevidt, Jackson County Central … 2nd place

152 pounds BRANDEN JOHNSON - pinned Andrew Manko, Springfield 3:20 … was pinned by Ethan Hendrickson, Jackson County Central :37 … received a bye … was pinned by Isaac Bullerman, Adrian Area

160 pounds CONNER SIK - was pinned by Hayden Determan, Wabasso-Red Rock Central 4:34 … received a bye … lost 4-13 major decision to Quentin Wolf, Adrian Area  182 pounds HUDSON SCHOLTEN - was pinned by Lance Wagner, Wabasso-Red Rock Central 1:26 … was pinned by Ethan Langseth, Springfield 1:59

220 pounds JACKSON ESPING - received a bye … pinned Peyton Engelking, St. James Area 3:01 … lost 2-3 decision to Shane Noyes, Canby … pinned Tyler DeGroote, Pipestone Area 4:51 … lost 9-11 overtime decision to Sam Dunker, Jackson County Central … 4th place

285 pounds JAYDEN GAMRAK - received a bye ... pinned Cory Anderson, Wabasso-Red Rock Central, 5:19 … was pinned by Denver Noyes, Canby, 2:25 … pinned Shane Clemon, Springfield, 3:13 … was pinned by Eli Mutz, Windon-Mt. Lake, 1:48 … 4th place