WHERE WILL HE LAND? — NRHEG senior Seth Petranek has Blue Earth Area’s Kysten Zierke in a precarious position during Section 2A Dual Meet action at Mapleton Saturday. Petranek won the match 10-6 and the Panthers won the meet 39-33. They went on to fall 56-11 to eventual section champion Jackson County Central. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
Things worked out about as expected Saturday for the NRHEG wrestling team.
The Panthers put together what coach Paul Cyr called a workmanlike effort in defeating Blue Earth Area 39-23 before falling 56-11 to eventual champion Jackson County Central in the Section 2A Dual Meet Tournament at Mapleton.
“JCC proved to be the dominant force in our section as they ran over the competition in their three dual meets,” said Cyr, whose team finished the dual-meet season with a 16-6 record.
The highlights in the BEA meet, according to Cyr, were a fall by Dillon Kubiatowicz at 106 pounds and a victory by Dillon Parpart at 160 which avenged a loss earlier in the season. Pins by Dustin Esplan and David Lassahn helped provide some cushion.
Also winning for NRHEG: Jade Waltz, 120; Tyler Logan, 132; Nate Krohn, 152; Matt Dahle, 170; Keith Maxon, 182; and Seth Petranek, 195.The Panthers won three matches against JCC, by Kubiatowicz, Esplan and Petranek.
“We wrestled well at times,” said Cyr. “We were close in two other matches, but give JCC credit. They have a great team and certainly are the best team in our section.”
Next up for the Panthers is the section individual tournament at Blue Earth Area this weekend. Action begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday.
“I am anxious to see how our guys will react this week on Friday and Saturday in Blue Earth,” said Cyr. “I believe we can turn some of these matches around and qualify a number of individuals for the state tournament.”
The state tournament is March 1-3 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.