Four Eagles wrap up season at state

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

The New York Mills wrestlers had their work cut out for them at the state wrestling tournament on Friday. The four Eagle wrestlers found themselves pitted against some of the top ranked wrestlers in the state in a tough draw across the board for NY Mills.

Eighth ranked Bode Roberts was able to come away with a pin over Mason Adams of Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial Area in the opening round of the 215 lbs. bracket on Friday morning. Roberts, who pointed to the NY Mills faithful in the stands after securing a pin at the 3:38 mark of the match, advanced to the state quarterfinals where he found himself pitted against fifth ranked Carson Gilbert of Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa. 

After a scoreless first period, Gilbert chose the down position to start the second period and earned an escape just 16 seconds into the period to take a 1-0 lead. Roberts chose the down position in the third period and was unable to earn an escape to tie the match or reversal to take the lead to fall by a 1-0 decision and send him into the consolation bracket. 

In his third match of the day, Roberts fell to seventh ranked Sonnie DeHeer of Eden Valley-Watkins by a 4-3 decision to end Roberts’ season. 

Following a scoreless first period, Roberts chose the down position in the second period and secured a reversal just 14 seconds into the period to take a 2-0 lead heading into the third period. DeHeer chose a neutral position in the third period and secured a take down with 1:04 remaining in the period to tie the match at 2-2. 

Roberts quickly earned an escape just 5 seconds later to take a 3-2 lead. Unfortunately, DeHeer was able to get a take down with just 23 seconds remaining in the period to take a 4-3 lead and advance to the consolation quarterfinals. 

Roberts ended his senior season with a record of 35-5 overall.

Creed Mursu dropped his opening round match of the 121 lbs. state tournament to Kaisen Johnson of Chatfield by a pin at the 2:31 mark of the match. Johnson lost his second round match to Eli Greenwaldt of Staples-Motley by an 11-3 major decision to end Mursu’s freshman season with a record of 31-15 overall. 

Austin Geiser kicked off his state tournament against top ranked and eventual runner up Colbe Tappe of Staples-Motley. Tappe secured a 9-3 decision over Geiser to advance to the second round of the state tournament. He secured a 4-3 decision over ninth ranked Brett DeRoo of Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa, which allowed Geiser a second match in the consolation bracket.

In the consolation bracket, Geiser fell to DeRoo by a 5-0 decision. DeRoo took a 2-0 decision in the first period when he secured a take down. Geiser chose the down position in the second period but was unable to get an escape or reversal to keep the score at 2-0 heading into the third and final period. 

DeRoo secured an escape and take down just 15 seconds into the period to pick up the 5-0 decision and end Geiser’s junior season with a record of 28-22 overall.

Junior Blake Unger fell to top ranked Kali Schott of Chatfield in the opening round of the 189 lbs. state tournament by a pin at the 2:50 mark of the match. Fortunately, Schott was able to secure a win in the second round to give Unger a second match at state against Charlie Witzel of St. Agnes. 

In the consolation bracket, Unger broke a scoreless tie in the second period when he secured an escape with 1:28 remaining in the period. The score remained 1-0 heading into the third period when Witzel chose the down position and earned an escape with 1:39 remaining in the match to tie the score at 1-1. He secured a take down just 4 seconds later to take a 3-1 lead, before Unger quickly earned an escape of his own to make the score 3-2 in favor of Witzel. 

Unfortunately, Witzel was able to get a second take down with 50 seconds remaining in the match to take a 5-2 lead and end Unger’s season with a record of 36-13 at state.

121- Champ. Round 1 – Kaisen Johnson (Chatfield) 30-12 won by fall over Creed Mursu (New York Mills) 31-15 (Fall 2:31)

152- Champ. Round 1 – Colbe Tappe (Staples Motley) 41-2 won by decision over Austin Geiser (New York Mills) 28-22 (Dec 9-3), Cons. Round 1 – Brett DeRoo (Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) 39-8 won by decision over Austin Geiser (New York Mills) 28-22 (Dec 5-0)

189- Champ. Round 1 – Kail Schott (Chatfield) 31-3 won by fall over Blake Unger (New York Mills) 36-13 (Fall 2:50), Cons. Round 1 – Charlie Witzel (St. Agnes) 36-8 won by decision over Blake Unger (New York Mills) 36-13 (Dec 5-2)

215- Champ. Round 1 – Bode Roberts (New York Mills) 35-5 won by fall over Mason Adams (Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial Area) 32-14 (Fall 3:38), Quarterfinal – Carson Gilbert (Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) 43-4 won by decision over Bode Roberts (New York Mills) 35-5 (Dec 1-0), Cons. Round 1 – Sonnie DeHeer (Eden Valley-Watkins) 40-11 won by decision over Bode Roberts (New York Mills) 35-5 (Dec 4-3)