BOYS WRESTLING: Huskies claim first at Pizza Ranch Tournament

JACKSON — Class A No. 1-ranked Jackson County Central rallied in the final round to win the championship of the 2012 Pizza Ranch Invitational on Saturday.

It was the 10th time overall and fifth time in the last seven years the Huskies have won the team title of their tournament.

“We had nine guys enter the finals and eight of them won their matches,” JCC head coach Randy Baker said. “If (Wabasso/Red Rock Central) would have had one more decision, we would have finished second.”

But Jackson County Central preserved a slim 195-192½ victory in the team standings.

The Class A No. 4-ranked Bobcats, who advanced 12 wrestlers to place-matches, went 6-6 during the final round, when the Huskies used a 30-27 advantage to slip past Wabasso/Red Rock Central.

JCC came away with six weight-class champions. At 126 pounds, Jordan Biehn bested Adrian’s Tony Lynn 3-2. At 132, Cameron Henning pinned Eagan’s Joe Dubbels in 5:23. At 138, Eliot Jurries toppled Fargo, N.D., Davies’ Cole Mehring 7-4. At 152, Luke Norland won 1-0 over Wabasso/Red Rock Central’s Tanner Rohlik. At 160, Paden Moore shut out Fargo, N.D., Davies’ Cole Alexander 4-0. At 170, Darrick Vancura pinned Fargo Davies’ Darren Crissler in 1:59.

Biehn, Henning, Jurries and Moore all wrestled up one and, sometimes, two weight classes. Biehn is ranked No. 7 in Class A at 120. Henning is rated No. 10 in Class A at 126. Jurries is ranked No. 1 in Class A at 132. Moore, who is rated No. 2 in Class A at 145, posted his 100th win Saturday. Norland (152) and Vancura (170) are both ranked No. 1 in their respective weight divisions.

“I think this gives us a lot of momentum,” Vancura said. “We started out pretty soft, but we just started building from there. Our first round wasn’t the greatest. We were down by about 34 points heading into the semifinals. We just had to come back to the top.”

On Friday, the Huskies begin grueling competition in the annual Christmas tournament at the University of Minnesota at Rochester.

“We will be facing teams from all three (Minnesota) classes in one bracket, plus teams from out of state,” Vancura said. “Their will be a lot of No. 1-ranked wrestlers there. It’s going to be a test for us.”

In addition to Jackson County Central and Wabasso/Red Rock Central, 14 more teams took part in the Pizza Ranch Invitational. Fargo Davies finished third with 120½ points, followed by Adrian (112), Wabassa-Kellogg (110), Eagan (105), Windom Area/Mountain Lake Area (94), Worthington (79½), Luverne (72), Spirit Lake Park (70½), Fargo North (69), Sioux City, Iowa, East (69), Hayfield (63), Fulda/Murray County Central (60), Harrisburg, S.D. (27) and New Ulm (14).

The level of competition at the Pizza Ranch Invitational was beefed up this season. Adrian checked in at No. 11 in Class AA, while Spirit Lake Park is rated No. 9 in Iowa Class 2A. Fargo Davies (No. 6) and Fargo North (No. 8) are both ranked in North Dakota.

There were 39 ranked wrestlers in action Saturday at Jackson County Central.

At 120, the championship bout featured North Dakota No. 1-ranked Tommy Walton, of Fargo North, against Iowa No. 1-ranked Doug Miner, of Spirit Lake Park.

Walton, who trailed 8-3 in the third period, forced overtime before pinning Minor in 7:25. Walton was selected as the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.

Adrian’s Skylar Hieronimus won the Fastest Pins Award. He pinned four opponents in 5:57.

PIZZA RANCH TOURNAMENT

Saturday

At Jackson Central County Central

TEAM STANDINGS

1. Jackson County Central 195; 2. Wabasso/Red Rock Central 192½; 3. Fargo, N.D., Davies 120½; 4. Adrian 112; 5. Wabbasa-Kellogg 110; 6. Eagan 105; 7. Windom Area/Mountain Lake Area 94; 8. Worthington 79½; 9. Luverne 72; 10. Spirit Lake 70½; 11. (tie) Fargo, N.D., North and Sioux City, Iowa, East 69; 13. Hayfield 63; 14. Fulda/Murray County Central 60; 15. Harrisburg, S.D. 27; 16. New Ulm 14.

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES

106: Hieronymus (A) p. Fulton (W/RRC), 0:33; 113: Stevens (WA/MLA) d. Hartle (F/MCC), 4-3; 120: Walton (FN) p. Miner (SL), 7:25, OT; 126: Biehn (JCC) d. Lynn (A), 3-2; 132: Henning (JCC) d. Dubbels (E), 5:23; 138: Jurries (JCC) d. Mehring (FD), 7-4; 145: Skopec (SL) p. Dooyema (L), 3:12; 152: Norland (JCC) d. Rohlik (W/RRC), 1-0; 160: Moore (JCC) d. Alexander (FD), 4-0; 170: Vancura (JCC) p. Crissler (FD), 1:59; 182: Secrist (W-K) d. Johnson (WA/MLA), 7-3; 195: Martinez (E) d. Norgrant (W-K), 3-2; 220: Hanson (FN) d. Behrends (F/MCC), 5-2; 285: Schrieffer (W/RRC) d. Fisher (E), 6-3.

THIRD-PLACE MATCHES

106: Olson (W-K) m.d. Ali (E), 11-0; 113: VanderWoude (JCC) d. Natte (L), 7-6; 120: Luft (W) p. Jennings (W/RRC), 5:54; 126: Stadler (H) d. Altermatt (W/RRC), 8-2; 132: Willaby (WA/MLA) p. Zellmer (SCE), 4:47; 138: Mulder (A) inj. def. Moreno (Hay); 145: Ourada (W/RRC) d. Miller (W-K), 5-1; 152: Nelson (Hay) p. Matter (WA/MLA), 3:58; 160: Slater (A) p. Altermatt (W/RRC), 3:48; 170: Schroepfer (W/RRC) d. Goodman (FN), 6-4; 182: Mairs (FD) d. Aubert (L), 4-0; 195: Bierl (W/RRC) p. Pavelko (W), 1:00; 220: Shepherd (W-K) d. Reker (L), 7-3; 285: Swensen (FD) p. Norton (SL), 1:59.

FIFTH-PLACE MATCHES

106: Wangen (Hay) d. Pwae (W), 6-3; 113: Pwae (W) p. Deirl (W/RRC), 5:19; 120: Eldin (JCC) d. Gebreab (E), 8-4; 126: Pruess (A) p. Hess (L), 1:55; 132: Loosbrock (A) d. Gross (Har), 5-3; 138: Fulton (W/RRC) p. Cihak (NU), 1:26; 145: Murray (SL) p. Riggle (JCC), 2:57; 152: Schambach (SCE) p. Tokman (E), 4:32; 160: Otto (SCE) p. Larson (WA/MLA), 1:36; 170: Kempema (W) m.d. Swedlund (SCE), 14-5; 182: Schrieffer (W/RRC) p. Schroeder (W), 1:00; 195: Schirado (Har) p. Martin (FD) 1:46; 220: Cabney (SCE) p. Kjera (FD), 3:24; 285: Schively (W-K) p. Benson (F/MCC), 3:51.

Tags: jackson county central, red rock central, mountain lake, murray county central, sports, prep, wrestling, trojans, adrian, windom, luverne, fulda