Gators Upend Rival Prowlers
By: Ryan Bergeron
Whenever the Gators and Thief River Falls Prowlers meet in a wrestling dual, fans are bound to see some entertainment and this time proved no different in TRF on February 5. In front of a large crowd and in their regular season finale, the Gators showed up strong, winning nine matches, three by pin, to pull away with the 43-19 victoryover the Prowlers.
“Thief River is always a great rival for us and it (the win) was a good way to finish out our regular season before we head into the team sections,” said Coach Bergeron, “I think hopefully our boys will be ready to rock next Saturday (at team sections). I would also like to thank Thief River Falls for including us in the ‘Takedown Cancer’ night, which benefits a good cause.”
The Gators’ Owen Novacek took the mat first, battling a familiar opponent, Cade Lundeen, at 106. Despite losing to Lundeen two previous times this season, Novacek came out the aggressor in this match, but couldn’t get anything to show for it, giving up five late points on a desperation throw to lose 10-2.
At 113, Bryce Bergeron also faced a familiar TRF opponent, Jake Davis. Defeating Davis earlier in the season, Bergeron took a 4-1 lead into the final period, but surrendered a late escape and stalling point to see his lead cut to one. He fended off Davis’ attempts to take the lead, winning 4-3.
After a first periodIsaakIsane pin and Wyatt Becker forfeit victory, Nash Sovde and TRF’s Josh Bernier met one another in a 132-pound matchup featuring two previous state entrants. Sovde wrestled competitively, but surrendered three takedowns to an aggressive Bernier in a 9-3 defeat.
At 138, Nick Kaml and TRF’s Noah Bernier, both last year state entrants, locked in against one another in the dual’s closest match. Kaml had narrowly defeated Bernier a few weeks prior. In this matchup, neither one could generate much offense, each getting warned for stalling and scoring just one point to send the match into overtime. Each wrestler received a stall point in the first overtime period, automatically sending the match to a second overtime period. Choosing down first, Kaml couldn’t break away in the 30-second period, and surrendered a late escape in the third overtime to lose 3-2; the Gators led 15-10.
Not allowing the Prowlers to get any closer, the Gators rattled off four straight victories to take a 34-10 lead. Devin Dostal, 145-pounds, started the Gator run, picking up his team’s second pin, sticking TRF’s Kyle Fowler late in the second period. Following a Trevor Undeberg 152-pound forfeit victory, Brandon Waagedominated TRF’s Noah Hawkins throughout, winning 11-0 at 160. Cody Olson wrestled smart in his own shutout victory at 170, scoring a late takedown and two back points to turn a 1-0 third period lead into a 5-0 win.
Riding a strong season, the Gators’ Beau Blumer stepped to the mat at 182 versus a formidable opponent, multiple state-placer Nathanael Holecek (ranked #2). Featuring two emotional wrestlers, this match provided plenty of drama, but in the end Holecek pinned Blumer late in the second period.
Devin Pries looked to secure the Gator victory against TRF’s Jacob Brinkman at 182. Pries defeated Brinkman 6-2 at the TRF tourney, but this match provided a closer margin. Leading 3-2 heading into the third period, Pries reversed Brinkman and took him to his back with a headlock hold to score four points, helping him hang on to an 8-6 win and secure the Gator dual victory.
Following the third Gator pin courtesy of Adam Lorenson at 220, Doug Peterson faced TRF’s Jacob Bohl, a heavyweight matchup seeing Peterson win in overtime a few weeks prior. This match provided much of the same dramatics. Giving up four stalling points, Peterson trailed late 6-2. With about 10 seconds remaining, Peterson brought the Gator fans to their feet, throwing him to his back to score two back points, narrowly missing a match-winning third point before the buzzer, to send the match to overtime. Despite the strong comeback effort, Peterson surrendered a takedown midway through the first overtime to fall 8-6.
In their final season action, the Gator JV also provided a solid showing in TRF, going 12-5 and securing 10 pins. Brandon Pries, EthanNovacek, Derrick Corneliusen, Seth Dostal, Austin Maurstad, Tristan Locken, Zach Evans, Trinity Clark, Ely Novacek, Joe Dezelar, Tyler Isane, and Andy Dostal picked up the victories. Congratulations to the Gator JV on a successful season.
Gator Varsity wrestlers still have much work to do, coming to the most important part of their schedule, section time. After a full week of practice, the Gators will start their postseason journey close to home at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in TRF for team sections on February 14, starting with preliminary action at 11 a.m. Come out and support the Gators as they look to make the blood, sweat, and tears from the practice room really count. GO GATORS!
Badger/Greenbush-Middle River 43 Thief River Falls 19
106- Cade Lundeen (TRF) maj.dec. over Owen Novacek (BGMR) 10-2
113- Bryce Bergeron (BGMR) dec. over Jake Davis (TRF) 4-3
120- IsaakIsane (BGMR) fall over Cody Sele (TRF) 1:03
126- Wyatt Becker (BGMR) wins by forfeit
132- Josh Bernier (TRF) dec. over Nash Sovde (BGMR) 9-3
138- Noah Bernier (TRF) dec. over Nick Kaml (BGMR) 3-2 (3xOT)
145- Devin Dostal (BGMR) fall over Kyle Fowler (TRF) 3:22
152- Trevor Undeberg (BGMR) wins by forfeit
160- Brandon Waage (BGMR) maj.dec. over Noah Hawkins 11-0
170- Cody Olson (BGMR) dec. over Connor Swanson (TRF) 5-0
182- Nathanael Holecek (TRF) fall over Beau Blumer (BGMR) 3:29
195- Devin Pries (BGMR) dec. over Jacob Brinkman (TRF) 8-6
220- Adam Lorenson (BGMR) fall over Ethan Halvorson (TRF) 1:40
285- Jacob Bohl (TRF) dec. over Doug Peterson (BGMR) 8-6 (OT)