BY DOUG WOLTER
WORTHINGTON -- Even in defeat, Marcos Herrera was one of the more impressive wrestlers Thursday night in the Worthington Trojans’ dual meet with Redwood River Valley.
Herrera lost 8-5 in overtime against the Badgers’ Kaleb Hasse at 220 pounds, but he was unbowed as he walked off the mat.
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“I weighed in at 187. I believe he weighed in above 215,” Herrera said.
Though Hasse was the heavier wrestler, he was also strong and aggressive. So was Herrera, which didn’t surprise his coach, Mark Prunty.
“To take Marcos down, you’re going to have to finish your shots, ‘cuz Marcos doesn’t quit,” said Prunty.
Worthington won the Parents’ Night match 32-25, which Prunty hoped was a start to a comeback. The Trojans have struggled with absence and injury in recent weeks, “and this match is definitely the right direction,” explained the head coach. “The morale is still high in the (wrestling) room.”
Herrera’s match didn’t test the Trojans’ team morale at all. The well-muscled WHS senior fought Haase to a 0-0 tie at the end of the first period, then fell behind 3-0 in the second by allowing an escape and a takedown. Good conditioning aided Herrera’s comeback effort, and he tied the score late in the period when Hasse attempted a throw that slipped.
To begin the third period, Herrera opted to go neutral, giving up a point. But with 1:27 to go, he went ahead 5-4 with a snapdown.
“That’s when I kind of noticed he was getting tired, and I took advantage of that. I think I could’ve used a little speed on him a little bit more,” Herrera said.
Haase evened the score at 5-5 with another escape.
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There was no scoring in the one-minute first overtime period. Haase scored an escape and a takedown in the 30-second second OT, and there was no more scoring in the 30-second third overtime.
“I just kind of got a little overwhelmed, and his weight took a little bit out of me,” said Herrera, who was also hampered due to a ligament tear in his ankle from a previous match.
“You gotta suck it up. You gotta fight it,” said the Trojan.
Worthington won matches at 106 pounds, 113, 126, 132, 160, 170, 182 and 195.
Damon Schutz defeated Redwood River Valley’s Carter Brandt 10-4 at 106 and Ivan Martinez followed with a 13-6 win over Damico Arredondo. Erik Artiga and Jacob Prunty recorded back-to-back pins at 126 and 132, and both in the first period.
Trojan Brayden Donkersloot won 8-3 at 160 pounds and Kyle Mullaney won a tough 8-5 match at 170. WHS captured its final win at 195 when Jacob Neuberger beat Mason Rummel 5-3.
Coach Prunty said the 113-pound match was key. Redwood River Valley bumped up in that bout, he said, and was expecting a victory. He praised his wrestlers for good damage control from the middle weights.
“We needed a win. Redwood River Valley is really and up-and-coming team. We needed to do our best and we did.”
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Worthington 32, RRV 25
106- Schutz (W) dec. Brandt 10-4; 113- Martinez (W) dec. D.Arredondo 13-6; 120-Bertram (RRV) dec. Lais 10-3; 126-Artiga (W) pin Manko 1:10; 132-Prunty (W) pin Anderson 1:38; 138-O.Arredondo (RRV) MD Hennings 12-3; 145-Harazin (RRV) MD Paw 12-4; 152-Johnson (RRV) TF Cornejo 15-0, 2:22; 160-Donkersloot (W) dec. E.Bommersbach 8-3; 170-Mullaney (W) dec. Fischer 12-8; 182-Byrne (W) by forfeit; 195-Neuberger (W) dec. Rummel 5-3; 220-Haase (RRV) dec. Herrera 8-5 in OT; 285-Maddock (RRV) pin Russell 1:31.
