Most of these varsity wrestlers (but not all) began their careers at the elementary levels. If a person ever has the chance to go watch kindergarten grapplers square off please do so. There is very little technique, lots of exuberant hand shakes, some smiles, some tears, lots of hugs between coaches, competitors and between the wrestlers themselves. It is more cute than competitive. The athletes advance over time as they hit tournament after tournament, the hours put in by the parents getting their young person to these events is a feat in itself. The wrestler then enters Jr. High. He or she begins the stages of out of season practices, spring wrestling, summer wrestling, individual and team camps and for some endless hours in a gym hounded by overbearing coaches trying to pack on muscle and mental fortitude. By the time the wrestler reaches full swing at the varsity level they will have had dozens of coaches and the time put in is not for the feint of heart person. It has passed a hobby or something to keep busy with, for the serious teams like the Knights it evolves into a lifestyle and all of this is organized and overseen by head coaches like Mr. Gruchow.

The reason for stating the above is important. It gives us the ability to contemplate what the varsity Knight wrestler goes through, but it is not enough just because of time put in. It takes steel to sharpen steel and Coach Gruchow does a good job of looking out of the local region to find solid match-ups for his team. There are times when its necessary to wrestle within the conference or section and those matches must exist but if reaching the top is the goal then a good supply of constant competition is needed. The Knights have blown out many of the local teams. They have again established themselves as a top level unit in the wrestling world. Mr. Gruchow has stretched out his search for improved competition and this week it landed in Minneota.

The Minneota Vikings have cemented themselves as a top level team in the state for what seems forever. When looking up rankings, the Vikings have been in the top 20 as far back as the ‘Guillotine’ offers data….since 2013. They are a measuring stick to find out who is who in Class A Minnesota wrestling. Minneota is a squad steeped in tradition that expects annual excellence. They tend to deliver. To walk into their own building one must be expecting a dog fight. There is an adage that goes..”paying with a pound of flesh”. If you walk into the Minneota gym for a wrestling match and expect to come out with a win, you’d better be willing to leave something behind because it is going to take more than just skill to topple the Vikings.

The dual began with both teams short a couple starters, it was going to take back-ups to deliver the ‘W’. Somebody will have to beat somebody else that on paper is not supposed to happen. Minneota took the first match of the night as at 106 lbs they captured a major decision. As it would be, at 113 lbs Sam Olson (whom was not aware that he was even wrestling that day when school began) stepped out for WCAABE. Sam has filled in admirably all season at weights that have ranged from 113, 120 and 126 lbs. In this match he not only just filled in, he won by a pin fall and gave the lead to the Knights at 6-4. The Vikings showed they were unimpressed with Olson’s efforts and answered back with a pair of first period falls which swung the favor of score back to the home team, 16-6.

Hunter Gruchow took the mat at 132 lbs and dispatched his #9 ranked opponent with a decision. Solomon Wales backed him up with a fall at 138 lbs bringing the score to a very close 16-15 in favor of Minneota.

A fall for the Vikings at 145 lbs. jumped the score by six but Ashton Danner kept things within reach as he gained a decision at 152. The Vikings answered with a decision of their own at 160 and life was beginning to look a bit bleak as the match was now 25-18.

A pivotal point in the dual happened at 170 lbs. when #3 ranked Anthony Sykora locked horns with #1 ranked Jonah Gruennes. Gruennes led the entire match with Sykora keeping it close but with less than 20 seconds left Sykora got the go ahead score and secured his win over a very tough opponent. Beau Robinson flexed his muscle next at 182 lbs. and pounded his way to a first period fall which gave the Knights their second go ahead of the evening at 27-25.

The lead however was short lived. Following an exciting multiple overtime bout at 195 lbs. the Vikings were up by a point having earned a decision. With only two matches left the Knights needed a final flurry and Colton Lindquist delivered with a 20 second fall. Leading the dual 33-28, with just a match to go it came down to heavyweight. It was a do not get pinned and your team goes home with a win moment. Justin Blascyk is the Knight big man. It takes a lot of man to put Justin down. His Minneota counterpart gave it a shot, getting under-hooks and trying for the throw but Blascyk wrestled a safe and defensive match. He may have lost the bout by a two point decision but he gave his team a hard earned victory. The Knights left Minneota winning the dual 33-31, they took on a great test and sharpened their metal but there was no doubt a little flesh left behind as they headed for home.

Coach Gruchow commented after the dual,”This time of year can get tough, not only do we have to battle injuries but often are working through illnesses and skin infections as well. Minneota was down a few good wrestlers and we were as well. Thankfully tonight we had just enough to get the edge over this great team. There were some great matches and I am thankful for the opportunity to bring the team down to wrestle them.”

#6 WCAABE 33, #12 Minneota (MINN) 31
106: Adam Devlaeminck (MINN) over Owen Gruchow per major decision 17-4.

113: Sam Olson (WCAABE) over Quinton Anderson per fall 2:19.

120: #5 Peyton Gillund (MINN) over Adam Lohse per fall 1:43.

126: Troy Van Keulen (MINN) over Mason Richter per fall 1:06.

132: #10 Hunter Gruchow (WCAABE) over #9 Kade Lozinski per decision 7-1.

138: Solomon Wales (WCAABE) over Destin Fier per fall 2:40.

145: Brock Fier (MINN) over Jacob Schaffran per fall 1:11.

152: Ashton Danner (WCAABE) over Eli Gruenes per decision 6-1.

160: Alex Depestel (MINN) over Jeremy Blascyk per decision 8-2.

170: #3 Anthony Sykora (WCAABE) over #1 Jonah Gruenes per decision 5-4.

182: Beau Robinson (WCAABE) over Branden Johnson per fall 1:36.

195: Conner Sik (MINN) over Will Rustan per overtime decision 6-3.

220: #2 Colton Lindquist (WCAABE) over Kyler Lozinski per fall 0:20.

285: Hudson Scholten (MINN) over Justin Blascyk per decision 5-3.

‘Wrestler of the Week’ could go a lot of ways. Every win seemed to be and was a pivotal point in the dual. There is argument for Sam Olson getting his team on the board as well as Hunter Gruchow taking down a higher ranked opponent, which by the way he made it look easy. Colton Lindquist flattened his Minneota adversary in 20 seconds which was the fastest fall of the week and provided the winning score but, if anyone ever followed pro wrestling entertainment they are sure to recognize the name Ric Flair. Flair was a multiple time world champion and he had a quote that he loved to scream into a mic,”To be the man, you have to beat the man!” When Anthony Sykora beat Jonah Gruennes he had just beaten the man, for Gruennes held the #1 position in the state at 170 lbs. The win was not for a world or even a state or section championship but as good as his teammates performed that night Sykora was ‘The Man’.

WCAABE will continue their road stretch this week. First, they head Tuesday to New York Mills to face off with the home team Eagles. That same night they step on the mat with the #8 ranked United North Central Warriors. Friday the team heads south again, this time to Kerkhovan for a triangular with Yellow Medicine East and the KMS Fighting Saints.