By JIM LUTGENS
Sports Editor
Is Annabelle Petsinger ready for the second-ever Minnesota State High School League girls' wrestling state tournament?
It sure looks like it.
Petsinger, an NRHEG High School junior who finished third in the state last year at 120 pounds, pinned her way to the championship in last Saturday's Section 1-2 Tournament at Hastings.
Petsinger needed only 19 seconds to dispatch Zoe Steinkamp of Grand Meadow/LeRoy-Ostrander-Southland in Saturday's quarterfinals.
It took just 42 seconds for Petsinger to put away Lexi Timmerman of St. Peter.
Petsinger's finals opponent, Destiny Lofton of New Prague, wrestled into the second period before being pinned at the 2:57 mark.
NRHEG coach Shawn Larson had high praise for Petsinger.
"Annabelle is demonstrating what it takes to compete at a high level lately," he said. "For the second week in a row, Annabelle has pinned her way through a tournament without allowing a point against her. We are hoping she continues to wrestle well in the coming weeks. If she can continue to wrestle her style of matches, there is a very good chance that Annabelle can do well in the state tournament. I can assure you that Annabelle is not going to be looking past any of her opponents, and she will do everything she can one match at a time. We are very proud of Annabelle, and we cannot wait to see her compete at the state tournament again!"
In last year's state tournament, Petsinger was outpointed 7-4 by Ortonville senior Brooklyn Conrad in the opening round at 120. She pinned sophomore Nora Hoglum in 3:35 in the third-place match. The 120 champion was eighth-grader Audrey Gogotzke of Stillwater Area, who defeated Conrad 5-2 in the finals.
Petsinger will wrestle for the NRHEG High School team in the section tournament Thursday, Feb. 16 in Wells. She'll wrestle in the state tournament set for March 2-4 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.