Geiser, Unger take second to advance to state

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

There will be plenty to cheer about for the New York Mills faithful when the state wrestling tournament kicks off this week at the Xcel Energy Center.

Bode Roberts, Creed Mursu, Blake Unger and Austin Geiser will compete in the individual state wrestling tournament beginning Friday morning in St. Paul. Roberts and Mursu captured the Section 6A individual championship, while Unger and Geiser finished at runner ups.

Roberts, who came into the section tournament as the top seed, made quick work of Conner Koep of Osakis in the semi-finals as he secured a pin in just 1:16 to advance to the finals. In the finals, the defeated Braden Shamp of Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie by a 3-0 decision to win the section title. Roberts heads into the state tournament with a record of 34-3 overall. 

Mursu worked his way through a loaded 121 lbs. weight class with a quick pin over Peter Newark of Otter Tail Central in the quarterfinals, before overtaking Evan Flan of Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Browerville by a 3-1 decision in the semi-finals. 

In the finals, Mursu scored a bit of an upset as he stuck top seeded Isaac Grabow of Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie as time was expiring in the third period to win the section title by a pin at the 5:58 mark of the match.

Austin Geiser came into the section tournament as the second seeded and defeated Jaxn Heintzelman of Pelican Rapids by a pin in just 1:12 in the quarterfinals. In the semi-finals he defeated Tucker Hagen of Osakis by an 11-5 decision, before falling to top seeded and second ranked Tucker Zigan of Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Browerville by a 12-3 major decision.

Geiser’s day wasn’t over as he was forced to win a true second match against Tanner Schulke of Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie, which he was able to do when he secured a 5-3 decision to capture second place in the section.

NY Mills’ fourth state tournament entrant came at 189 lbs. when top seeded Blake Unger won his opening round match over Andrew Ziesmer of Osakis by fall in the quarterfinals. He went on to defeat Cayden Kimber of Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie in the semi-finals by a 4-2 decision, before falling to second seeded Jeremy Blascyk of West Central Area by an 8-5 decision in the finals. 

Unger ultimately took second place when Kimber won the third place match and there was no need for a true second match. 

Other Eagles who placed in the tournament include: Carlyle Tumberg who took eighth place at 114 lbs., Finn Wallgren who took eighth place at 127 lbs., Elijah Geiser who took sixth place at 145 lbs., Weston Simpson who took eighth place at 160 lbs., Joe Mann who took sixth place at 172 lbs. and Grady Roberts who took eighth place at 285 lbs.

The Class A individual state wrestling tournament will get underway at 9 a.m. on Friday morning at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

In the opening round of the 121 lbs. state bracket, Creed Mursu, who is 31-14 on the season, will take on ninth ranked Kaisen Jonson of Chatfield. The winner of the match will take on either Moe Erdman (35-6 of Adrian) or second ranked Eli Greenwaldt (47-3 of Staples-Motley). 

At 152 lbs., Austin Geiser, who is 28-20 on the season, will take on top ranked and top seeded Colbe Tappe of Staples Motley. Tappe comes into the state tournament with a record of 38-1 overall. The winner of the match will take on either John Alcantara Lund (36-10 of Minneapolis North) or ninth ranked Brett DeRoo (37-6 of Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa). 

Blake Unger, who comes into the 189 lbs. state tournament with a record of 36-11, will take on top ranked and top seeded Kail Schott of Chatfield who has a record of 27-2 overall. The winner of the match will take on either Charlie Witzel (34-6 of St. Agnes) or fourth ranked Jackson Melcher (36-5 of Pipestone).

Eighth ranked Bode Roberts will take his 34-3 record into the state tournament as he will face Mason Adams of Lake Crystal-Wellcome-Memorial in the opening round of the 215 lbs. tournament. Adams has a record of 32-13 overall. The winner of the match will take on either seventh ranked Sonnie DeHeer (39-9 of Eden Valley-Watkins) or fifth ranked Carson Gilbert (39-3 of Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) in the second round. 

114- 8th place- Champ. Round 1 – Carlyle Tumberg (New York Mills) 8-22 received a bye () (Bye), Quarterfinal – Hudson Truax (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 29-7 won by decision over Carlyle Tumberg (New York Mills) 8-22 (Dec 10-5), Cons. Round 2 – Carlyle Tumberg (New York Mills) 8-22 received a bye () (Bye), Cons. Round 3 – Evan Dingwall (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 30-16 won by major decision over Carlyle Tumberg (New York Mills) 8-22 (MD 10-0)

121- 1st place- Champ. Round 1 – Creed Mursu (New York Mills) 31-14 received a bye () (Bye), Quarterfinal – Creed Mursu (New York Mills) 31-14 won by fall over Peter Newark (Otter Tail Central) 5-22 (Fall 1:09), Semifinal – Creed Mursu (New York Mills) 31-14 won by decision over Evan Flan (LPGE-Browerville Wolves) 24-17 (Dec 3-1), 1st Place Match – Creed Mursu (New York Mills) 31-14 won by fall over Isaac Grabow (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 37-7 (Fall 5:58)

127- 8th place- Champ. Round 1 – Finn Wallgren (New York Mills) 0-13 received a bye () (Bye), Quarterfinal – Owen Gruchow (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 40-6 won by fall over Finn Wallgren (New York Mills) 0-13 (Fall 5:06), Cons. Round 2 – Finn Wallgren (New York Mills) 0-13 received a bye () (Bye), Cons. Round 3 – Tucker Hennessy (Border West Buccaneers) 22-21 won by fall over Finn Wallgren (New York Mills) 0-13 (Fall 1:44)

145- 6th place- Champ. Round 1 – Elijah Geiser (New York Mills) 16-27 won by decision over Gideon Pinnella (Wadena-Deer Creek) 10-14 (Dec 7-1), Quarterfinal – Jude Olson (Border West Buccaneers) 29-4 won by fall over Elijah Geiser (New York Mills) 16-27 (Fall 0:49), Cons. Round 2 – Elijah Geiser (New York Mills) 16-27 received a bye () (Bye), Cons. Round 3 – Elijah Geiser (New York Mills) 16-27 won by decision over Drew Sudbeck (LPGE-Browerville Wolves) 19-20 (Dec 8-7), Cons. Semi – Preston Captain (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 13-18 won by fall over Elijah Geiser (New York Mills) 16-27 (Fall 0:48), 5th Place Match – Gideon Pinnella (Wadena-Deer Creek) 10-14 won by fall over Elijah Geiser (New York Mills) 16-27 (Fall 4:19)

152- 2nd place- Champ. Round 1 – Austin Geiser (New York Mills) 28-20 received a bye () (Bye), Quarterfinal – Austin Geiser (New York Mills) 28-20 won by fall over Jaxn Heintzelman (Pelican Rapids) 7-24 (Fall 1:12), Semifinal – Austin Geiser (New York Mills) 28-20 won by decision over Tucker Hagen (Osakis) 28-23 (Dec 11-5), 1st Place Match – Tucker Zigan (LPGE-Browerville Wolves) 41-2 won by major decision over Austin Geiser (New York Mills) 28-20 (MD 12-3), 2nd Place Match – Austin Geiser (New York Mills) 28-20 won by decision over Tanner Schulke (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 16-31 (Dec 5-3)

160- 8th place- Champ. Round 1 – Weston Simpson (New York Mills) 12-13 received a bye () (Bye), Quarterfinal – Gaven Cimbura (Osakis) 37-14 won by fall over Weston Simpson (New York Mills) 12-13 (Fall 1:09), Cons. Round 2 – Weston Simpson (New York Mills) 12-13 received a bye () (Bye), Cons. Round 3 – Eli Benning (Wadena-Deer Creek) 15-19 won by fall over Weston Simpson (New York Mills) 12-13 (Fall 2:55)

172- 6th place- Champ. Round 1 – Joe Mann (New York Mills) 15-28 received a bye () (Bye), Quarterfinal – Ezekiel Sieckert (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 36-6 won by fall over Joe Mann (New York Mills) 15-28 (Fall 5:19), Cons. Round 2 – Joe Mann (New York Mills) 15-28 received a bye () (Bye), Cons. Round 3 – Joe Mann (New York Mills) 15-28 won by fall over Xavier Lewis (Otter Tail Central) 7-12 (Fall 2:56), Cons. Semi – Mark Kapenga (Pelican Rapids) 31-15 won by decision over Joe Mann (New York Mills) 15-28 (Dec 10-3), 5th Place Match – Seth Stroeing (Wadena-Deer Creek) 25-14 won by fall over Joe Mann (New York Mills) 15-28 (Fall 3:18)

189- 2nd place- Champ. Round 1 – Blake Unger (New York Mills) 36-11 received a bye () (Bye), Quarterfinal – Blake Unger (New York Mills) 36-11 won by fall over Andrew Ziesmer (Osakis) 5-18 (Fall 3:49), Semifinal – Blake Unger (New York Mills) 36-11 won by decision over Cayden Kimber (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 20-12 (Dec 4-2), 1st Place Match – Jeremy Blascyk (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 35-10 won by decision over Blake Unger (New York Mills) 36-11 (Dec 8-5), 2nd Place Match – Blake Unger (New York Mills) 36-11 won by no contest over Cayden Kimber (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 20-12 (NC)

215- 1st place- Champ. Round 1 – Bode Roberts (New York Mills) 34-3 received a bye () (Bye), Quarterfinal – Bode Roberts (New York Mills) 34-3 received a bye () (Bye), Semifinal – Bode Roberts (New York Mills) 34-3 won by fall over Conner Koep (Osakis) 24-21 (Fall 1:16), 1st Place Match – Bode Roberts (New York Mills) 34-3 won by decision over Braden Shamp (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 27-16 (Dec 3-0)

285- 8th place- Champ. Round 1 – Grady Roberts (New York Mills) 11-16 received a bye () (Bye), Quarterfinal – Zachary Winkle (Osakis) 24-16 won by fall over Grady Roberts (New York Mills) 11-16 (Fall 3:47), Cons. Round 2 – Grady Roberts (New York Mills) 11-16 received a bye () (Bye), Cons. Round 3 – Kale Rich (Otter Tail Central) 24-12 won in sudden victory – 1 over Grady Roberts (New York Mills) 11-16 (SV-1 6-4)