Panthers top St. Clair, fall to Blue Earth in triangular
HIGH FLYING ACTION — The Panthers’ Cody Ripka tangles with his Blue Earth Area opponent during the 182-pound match at New Richland last Friday. Ripka lost the bout and the Panthers lost the dual meet, but they bounced back to beat St. Clair. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)
By DALE KUGATH
Sportswriter
NEW RICHLAND – After nearly three weeks of inactivity, the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva wrestling team returned to the mats.
Coach Paul Cyr’s wrestlers, who had not competed since Dec. 15, made their initial home appearance Friday.
NRHEG lost to Blue Earth and bounced St. Clair in the triangular meet at New Richland.
“It was great to get a chance to compete again after being off for three weeks,” said Cyr. “We are good in places, but not real good in others.”
The Panthers are 1-0 in the Gopher Conference and 2-1 for the year.Blue Earth
Blue Earth racked up 39 straight points against the Panthers and went on to post a 42-21 victory.
The Buccaneers won 10 of the 14 matches, including three falls.
Last season, NRHEG defeated BE 36-30 and 39-23.
Cordell Peterson and Dillon Kubiatowicz gave the Panthers a quick 12-0 lead with falls in the first two matches.
Peterson built up a 13-2 lead before sticking BE’s Adam Legred with 24 seconds remaining in their 106-pound match. Kubiatowicz needed just 1:40 to nail Wyatt Tungland of the Bucs at 113.
However, Blue Earth won the next nine matches to build a 39-12 margin.
NRHEG had chances for some wins during the streak. Dustin Burshem had a 5-0 lead after one period against Jordan Stelter at 132, but lost an 11-5 decision.
Tyler Logan dropped a 7-1 verdict at 145 and Dillon Parpart fell 7-4 at 170.
Blue Earth’s Gus Phillips edged Cody Ripka of the Panthers 3-2 at 182-pounds.
Keith Maxon ended BE’s run at 195 when he decisioned Chris Ramos 7-2.
Todd Erickson got the final Panther win with a forfeit victory at 220.
St. Clair
The Panthers won all but three weights in destroying a short-handed St. Clair squad 66-12.
NRHEG won 11 of 14 weight classes, including seven forfeits and four falls.
The Panthers beat St. Clair 54-15 a year ago.
Cordell Peterson got his second fall of the night, sticking Dylan Rasmusson of the Cyclones in 1:26.
Bryce Flowers decisioned Jet Wayne 7-4 at 126-pounds for the first Cyclone win.
But, two more forfeits and a fall from Logan in 2:44 at 145 quickly stretched the Panther lead to 36-3. Logan defeated Dylan Boeticher, who defeated him twice last season.
SC answered with a technical fall and a pin to pull within 36-14.
However, NRHEG won the final five weights to win going away. Maxon (2:29) at 190 and Todd Erickson (1:15) at 220 had pins for the Panthers.
Forfeit winners for NRHEG were Kubiatowicz, Palmer Peterson, Burshem, Al Zimmerman, Parpart, Ripka and Fitterer.
“Cordell Peterson continues to be impressive and Kubiatowicz also wrestled well,” said Cyr. “Maxon has performed well at times this season and tonight was another example of that.”
NRHEG will compete at the Stewartville Invite Saturday.
The Panthers will wrestle at Chatfield Jan. 17.
Blue Earth 42, NRHEG 21
106-C. Peterson (NR) pinned Legred (BE) 5:36, 113-Kubiatowicz (NR) pinned Tungland (BE) 1:40, 120-Rowers (BE) pinned P. Peterson (NR) 2:36, 126-Huber (BE) tech. fall Wayne (NR) 17-0, 132-Stelter (BE) dec. Burshem (NR) 11-5, 138-Ankeny (BE) pinned Zimmerman (NR) :58, 145-Alleuen (BE) dec. Logan (NR) 7-1, 152-Schauey (BE) pinned Webster (NR) 4:35, 160-Franta (BE) maj. dec. Bartness (NR) 19-9, 170-Hanson (BE) dec. Parpart (NR) 7-4, 182-Phillips (BE) dec. Ripka (NR) 3-2, 195-Maxon (NR) dec. Ramos (BE) 7-2, 220-Erickson (NR) won by forfeit, 285-Granados (BE) dec. Fitterer (NR) 9-3.
NRHEG 66, St. Clair 14
106-C. Peterson (NR) pinned Rasmusson (SC) 1:26, 113-Kubiatowicz (NR) won by forfeit, 120-P. Peterson (NR) won by forfeit, 126-Flowers (SC) dec. Wayne (NR) 7-4, 132-Burshem (NR) won by forfeit, 138-Zimmerman (NR) won by forfeit, 145-Logan (NR) pinned Boeticher (SC) 2:44, 152-Optedahl (SC) tech. fall Webster (NR) 23-8, 160-Thom (SC) pinned Bartness (NR) 1:58, 170-Parpart (NR) won by forfeit, 182-Ripka (NR) won by forfeit, 195-Maxon (NR) pinned Grabowska (SC) 2:29, 220-Erickson (NR) pinned Hauser (SC) 1:15, 285-Fitterer (NR) won by forfeit.
NEXT: Saturday – NRHEG at Stewartville Invite, 10 a.m.