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Pelican Rapids Wrestling (Season Preview)

By Craig Olson, 12/03/19, 10:00AM CST

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Harold Holt has 40 years of experience as a Head Wrestling Coach, 37 of them in Pelican Rapids.  His Vikings will be led by a solid group of returning letter winners, including senior Matty Ziebell (28-8) who earned a trip to state in each of the last two years.

 

The Vikings will have ten juniors and sophomore letter winners, filling in the middle and upper weights this year.  Captains are senior Max Dykhoff (7-15) and sophomore Sebastian Centeno (20-12).  Senior Matt Osborne is coming off a football injury and should be ready for the season.

Other returners include juniors Thommy Thach (13-9), John Ziebell (25-19), Isaac Olson (5-17), Noah Kapenga (5-11) and Jacob Willits (7-23), sophomores Carson McNeal (3-20) and Mark LaPoint (6-10), and freshmen Oakly Carlson (10-24), Daniel Diaz (2-7), Carter Johnson (6-12) and Alex Carlson (0-2).

“Staying healthy and injury free will be a key for this team,” said Coach Holt.  “We do not have a lot of depth and if the wrong wrestler is out of the lineup it could hurt the team’s performance.  We have nineteen 7th, 8th, and 9th graders out for the team.  May of the freshmen have had some varsity matches and are ready for the challenge of being on the varsity full time at the lower weights.  We should fill out all 14 weight classes in most of our matches.  One of our goals is to be in the top four teams in the section so we can host an opening round match in the team tournament.”

Holts sees Perham and Frazee as favorites in the Heart O’ Lakes Conference, and says Ottertail Central, West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansville and Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie are the teams to beat in Section 6A.

Dylan Evenson, Aaron Kapenga, Mike Osborne and Brian Dykhoff will assist Holt.