By Chad Koenen

Publisher

After a string of upsets and tough losses, three New York Mills wrestlers had a chance to punch their ticket to the state wrestling tournament after working their way through the consolation bracket. Unfortunately, all three Eagles fell in their true second match to come up just short of the state wrestling tournament.

Even though no Eagles will make an appearance at the state tournament this week, the Eagles fared quite well at the individual section tournament on Friday at Wadena-Deer Creek High School. 

A total of four Eagles placed third to lead the charge on Friday, including a number of underclassmen.

Oakley Kern advanced to the semi-finals of the 107 lbs. tournament, before he fell to eventual champion Adam Grabow of Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie by a fall. Kern secured a pin and major decision in the wrestlebacks to set up a true second match against Brody Brunkow of West Central Area. Kern came out on the short end of a 13-0 major decision to finish in third place in the tournament. Kern ended his season with a record of 11-6 overall. 

Creed Mursu also advanced to the semi-finals of the 127 lbs. tournament, but fell to eventual champion Brodie Pachan of Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Browerville by an 8-4 decision. Mursu made quick work of the wrestlebacks as he pinned Zackery Bruder of Osakis in just 1:32, before winning by a tech fall over Brock Martig of Border West in the third place match.

In the true second match, Evan Dingwall of West Central Area was able to secure a 16-1 tech fall over Mursu in the third period to qualify for the state tournament. Mursu ended his season with a record of 30-14 overall.

Joe Mann secured a win over Sam Olson of West Central Area in the quarterfinals of the 172 lbs. tournament by a 6-1 decision, before falling to eventual champion Mason Bruder of Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Browerville by a fall in the semi-finals. 

Mann went on to pick up a commanding tech fall win over Jaydyn Kenney of Wadena-Deer Creek in the consolation semi-finals, before pinning Sam Olson of West Central Area in the semi-finals in the first period to set up a true second match against Mark Kapenga of Pelican Rapids. 

Mann fell to Kapenga by a pin at the 3:36 mark of the match to capture third place and finish his season with a record of 11-13. 

Blake Unger also placed third at 189 lbs. after he fell to Ettore Pinnella of Wadena-Deer Creek by a 6-1 decision in the semi-finals. Unger bounced back with a pin over Drew Sudbeck of Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Browerville at the 3:20 mark to advance to the third place match. 

Unger went on to secure a major decision over Dylan Groebner of Border West by a 17-4 major decision in the third place match, but since Pinnella lost in the finals, Unger did not have a chance to wrestle for second place. 

107- 3rd place- Champ. Round 1 – Oakley Kern (New York Mills) 11-6 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal – Oakley Kern (New York Mills) 11-6 won by fall over Guy Steinbeisser (Osakis) 17-27 (Fall 1:20); Semifinal – Adam Grabow (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 32-11 won by fall over Oakley Kern (New York Mills) 11-6 (Fall 1:21); Cons. Semi – Oakley Kern (New York Mills) 11-6 won by fall over Blake Fuhrman (Border West Buccaneers) 10-27 (Fall 2:53); 3rd Place Match – Oakley Kern (New York Mills) 11-6 won by major decision over Guy Steinbeisser (Osakis) 17-27 (MD 16-2); 2nd Place Match – Brody Brunkow (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 25-17 won by major decision over Oakley Kern (New York Mills) 11-6 (MD 13-0)

114- 7th place- Champ. Round 1 – Jaeger Zutter (New York Mills) 4-6 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal – Danny Salazar (Pelican Rapids) 29-9 won by fall over Jaeger Zutter (New York Mills) 4-6 (Fall 0:15); Cons. Round 2 – Jaeger Zutter (New York Mills) 4-6 received a bye () (Bye); Cons. Round 3 – Mason Tomschin (Border West Buccaneers) 2-12 won by fall over Jaeger Zutter (New York Mills) 4-6 (Fall 1:21); 7th Place Match – Jaeger Zutter (New York Mills) 4-6 received a bye () (Bye)

121- 8th place- Champ. Round 1 – Carlyle Tumberg (New York Mills) 8-20 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal – Tryg Olson (Border West Buccaneers) 22-14 won by tech fall over Carlyle Tumberg (New York Mills) 8-20 (TF-1.5 2:00 (18-1)); Cons. Round 2 – Carlyle Tumberg (New York Mills) 8-20 won by fall over Dylan Geihsler (Ottertail Central Bulldogs) 2-16 (Fall 3:54); Cons. Round 3 – Keiran Gehrke (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 16-21 won by fall over Carlyle Tumberg (New York Mills) 8-20 (Fall 0:29)

127- 3rd place- Champ. Round 1 – Creed Mursu (New York Mills) 32-10 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal – Creed Mursu (New York Mills) 32-10 won by tech fall over Peter Newark (Ottertail Central Bulldogs) 16-18 (TF-1.5 2:48 (15-0)); Semifinal – Brodie Pachan (LPGE-Browerville Wolves) 36-7 won by decision over Creed Mursu (New York Mills) 32-10 (Dec 8-4); Cons. Semi – Creed Mursu (New York Mills) 32-10 won by fall over Zackery Bruder (Osakis) 25-13 (Fall 1:32); 3rd Place Match – Creed Mursu (New York Mills) 32-10 won by tech fall over Brock Martig (Border West Buccaneers) 28-13 (TF-1.5 4:10 (16-0)); 2nd Place Match – Evan Dingwall (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 30-14 won by tech fall over Creed Mursu (New York Mills) 32-10 (TF-1.5 4:44 (16-1))

133- 6th place- Champ. Round 1 – Elijah O`Dea (New York Mills) 17-15 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal – Tucker Hennessy (Border West Buccaneers) 22-18 won by tech fall over Elijah O`Dea (New York Mills) 17-15 (TF-1.5 4:53 (18-2)); Cons. Round 2 – Elijah O`Dea (New York Mills) 17-15 received a bye () (Bye); Cons. Round 3 – Elijah O`Dea (New York Mills) 17-15 won by fall over Cristian Ponce (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 12-16 (Fall 3:34); Cons. Semi – Hudson Schultz (Wadena-Deer Creek) 19-16 won by decision over Elijah O`Dea (New York Mills) 17-15 (Dec 15-11); 5th Place Match – John Paul Buntjer (LPGE-Browerville Wolves) 19-21 won by major decision over Elijah O`Dea (New York Mills) 17-15 (MD 22-8)

145- 5th place- Champ. Round 1 – Tony Nichols (New York Mills) 18-19 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal – Simon Jacobson (Osakis) 21-10 won by major decision over Tony Nichols (New York Mills) 18-19 (MD 8-0); Cons. Round 2 – Tony Nichols (New York Mills) 18-19 received a bye () (Bye); Cons. Round 3 – Tony Nichols (New York Mills) 18-19 won by fall over Jaxn Heintzelman (Pelican Rapids) 15-18 (Fall 3:12); Cons. Semi – Mason Brauch (Wadena-Deer Creek) 24-11 won by decision over Tony Nichols (New York Mills) 18-19 (Dec 3-2); 5th Place Match – Tony Nichols (New York Mills) 18-19 won by major decision over Tayden Soma (Ottertail Central Bulldogs) 20-15 (MD 16-8)

172- 3rd place- Champ. Round 1 – Joe Mann (New York Mills) 11-13 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal – Joe Mann (New York Mills) 11-13 won by decision over Sam Olson (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 13-21 (Dec 6-1); Semifinal – Mason Bruder (LPGE-Browerville Wolves) 33-4 won by fall over Joe Mann (New York Mills) 11-13 (Fall 2:28); Cons. Semi – Joe Mann (New York Mills) 11-13 won by tech fall over Jaydyn Kenney (Wadena-Deer Creek) 10-15 (TF-1.5 3:47 (20-3)); 3rd Place Match – Joe Mann (New York Mills) 11-13 won by fall over Sam Olson (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 13-21 (Fall 1:39); 2nd Place Match – Mark Kapenga (Pelican Rapids) 27-10 won by fall over Joe Mann (New York Mills) 11-13 (Fall 3:36)

189- 3rd place- Champ. Round 1 – Blake Unger (New York Mills) 24-12 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal – Blake Unger (New York Mills) 24-12 received a bye () (Bye); Semifinal – Ettore Pinnella (Wadena-Deer Creek) 25-13 won by decision over Blake Unger (New York Mills) 24-12 (Dec 6-1); Cons. Semi – Blake Unger (New York Mills) 24-12 won by fall over Drew Sudbeck (LPGE-Browerville Wolves) 15-15 (Fall 3:20); 3rd Place Match – Blake Unger (New York Mills) 24-12 won by major decision over Dylan Groebner (Border West Buccaneers) 14-15 (MD 17-4); 2nd Place Match – Ettore Pinnella (Wadena-Deer Creek) 25-13 won by no contest over Blake Unger (New York Mills) 24-12 (NC)

215- 5th place- Champ. Round 1 – Ashton Lehmann (New York Mills) 12-16 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal – Tommy Miron (LPGE-Browerville Wolves) 16-19 won by major decision over Ashton Lehmann (New York Mills) 12-16 (MD 14-4); Cons. Round 2 – Ashton Lehmann (New York Mills) 12-16 received a bye () (Bye); Cons. Round 3 – Ashton Lehmann (New York Mills) 12-16 won by fall over Mitchell Schmitz (Wadena-Deer Creek) 6-13 (Fall 3:42); Cons. Semi – Will Schwartz (Ottertail Central Bulldogs) 3-2 won by fall over Ashton Lehmann (New York Mills) 12-16 (Fall 3:44); 5th Place Match – Ashton Lehmann (New York Mills) 12-16 won by fall over Caleb Karnes (Osakis) 7-9 (Fall 1:55)

285- 4th place- Champ. Round 1 – Grady Roberts (New York Mills) 27-14 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal – Grady Roberts (New York Mills) 27-14 won by fall over Heston Almendinger (LPGE-Browerville Wolves) 13-21 (Fall 3:40); Semifinal – Braden Shamp (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 37-10 won by decision over Grady Roberts (New York Mills) 27-14 (Dec 6-2); Cons. Semi – Grady Roberts (New York Mills) 27-14 won by fall over Edwin Escobar (Pelican Rapids) 5-15 (Fall 2:54); 3rd Place Match – Matthew Wegscheid (Wadena-Deer Creek) 27-15 won by fall over Grady Roberts (New York Mills) 27-14 (Fall 4:21)