Knight Wrestlers Improve to 4-0 in Duals Gruchow, Sykora and Blascyk GCT Champions
The last week found the West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansville wrestlers in action on two occasions. On Thursday, December 1, they hosted a triangular and on Saturday, December 10 they held their 38th annual Grant County Invitational.
Thursday, December 1st the team hosted the New York Mills Eagles and the Benson Braves. The Knights looked like their #2 ranked billing as they easily took care of both the Eagles and the Braves. The first contest of the evening was with New York Mills. The Eagles took the opening bout but soon after that the landslide was on and after the final match the Knights had grounded the Eagles to the tune of 55-15. In the second dual, against Benson, the result was much the same. The Braves did put up some resistance in the lower weights, gathering 3 out of the first 4 victories but once the dual hit 132 lbs. the landslide began. In total Benson eked out 5 wins total but WCAABE was too strong, too often and the final result ended 50-24.
Coach Brandon Gruchow commented on the evening, “It's always fun to be in our home gym and we really enjoy and appreciate all the support from our fans. Tonight, the student section was full and that usually works in our favor so I would like to thank all of them for coming out and cheering us on. In most of our matches, we came out and set the tone. We were aggressive and pushed the pace. I would like to see us do a better job on our re-attacks in our upcoming events but once again, I am pleased with their efforts and look forward to seeing what we can accomplish this weekend at our home tournament.”
#2 WCAABE 55, New York Mills (NYM) 15
106: Aiden Meech (NYM) over Evan Dingwall per decision 8-7.
113: Owen Gruchow (WCAABE) over Carlyle Tumberg per fall 1:22.
120: Tucker McGee (WCAABE) won per forfeit.
126: Creed Mursu (NYM) won per forfeit.
132: Carter Lohse (WCAABE) won per forfeit.
138: Adam Lohse (WCAABE) over Austin Geiser per major decision 15-1.
145: Kolby Peters (WCAABE) over Jay Mindermann per decision 8-6.
152: #3 Hunter Gruchow (WCAABE) over Joe Mann per fall 1:44.
160: #5 Simon Snyder (NYM) over #10 Solomon Wales per decision 4-3.
170: Jon Rinerson (NYM) over Jeremy Blascyk per decision 10-9.
182: #1 Anthony Sykora (WCAABE) won per forfeit.
195: Gavin Flint (WCAABE) won per forfeit.
220: Justin Blascyk (WCAABE) over Bode Roberts per injury default.
285: Blake Flint (WCAABE) won per forfeit.
#2 WCAABE 50, Benson (BENS) 24
106: Gavin Olson (BENS) over Evan Dingwall per decision 7-2.
113: Owen Gruchow (WCAABE) over Tate Kobbermann per fall 0:33.
120: Max Nygaard (BENS) over Tucker McGee per decision 8-2.
126: My Tah Wah (BENS) won per forfeit.
132: Carter Lohse (WCAABE) over Darin Hippe per decision 8-4.
138: Adam Lohse (WCAABE) won per forfeit.
145: Kolby Peters (WCAABE) over Derek Johnson per fall 1:45.
152: #3 Hunter Gruchow (WCAABE) over Jaiden Zimmerman per tech fall 21-5.
160: #10 Solomon Wales (WCAABE) over Alex Whitcup per fall 1:38.
170: Preston Mcgee (BENS) over Jeremy Blascyk per fall 1:17.
182: #1 Anthony Sykora (WCAABE) over AJ Klassen per fall 1:04.
195: #1 Thomas Dineen (BENS) over Gavin Flint per fall 1:07.
220: Justin Blascyk (WCAABE) per forfeit.
285: #7 Will Rustan (WCAABE) over Johnny Kobberman per fall 5:59.
Saturday, December 3rd found the Knights hosting the 38th annual Grant County Tournament. Squads from all three classes show up and with that there becomes a bevy of quality grapplers in one gym. It proves to be a great venue for each of the wrestlers to surmise where they are at early in the season.
This year, 9 teams took part in the GCT. When looking below at the box scores there were 4 ranked Class A teams alone. Add in a couple AA and a very solid AAA team and it makes for a great day of wrestling. The Knights came in with high hopes for placing well in their own tournament. It is safe to say that winning it was the goal. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa was thinking the same thing. BBE is an incredibly balanced team. They wrestled a great tournament and in doing so, convincingly ran away with the day. The Knights had to settle for second place. The tournament may not have ended up quite the way a good portion of the WCAABE wrestlers anticipated, but it is what it is. There are definitely tools that need to be added to the toolbox for dates later down the road. Saturday provided a great spot to gain some of those tools.
The Knights did have success last Saturday. They wrestled 12 of the 14 weights and added 4 more unattached wrestlers to the docket. In total 14 of WCAABE’s grapplers found the podium. That is solid wrestling. The Knights were able to crown three of their own as champions. Owen Gruchow won the 113 lb. class, Anthony Sykora won the 182 lb group and Justin Blascyk laid claim as the best heavyweight in the room. There was a runner up, 4-3rd placers, a pair each of 4th, 5th and 6th place finishes.
In regards to his team's day, Coach Gruchow had this to say, “Any time 14 wrestlers end up on the podium in a tournament you know it was a great day on the mat. Owen, Anthony, and Justin did such a great job getting to the top and all three wrestled smart final matches. It's tough to rebound after a loss in a tournament especially when you are a higher seed. Yesterday, we had some guys take some losses in the semi-finals that were probably not what each of them expected but I was proud of their ability to put the loss behind them and finish out winning the rest of the day. There was some great competition for all our guys today and that what we need to get better.”
Owen Gruchow pins Zach Rikomoto of Border West. PHOTO by Tammie Olson Photography
Anthony Sykora vs Carson Gilbert of BBE. PHOTO by Tammie Olson Photography
Justin Blascyk takes on Harley Weber of BBE. PHOTO by Tammie Olson Photography
Team Scores for Grant County Tournament
1) #5 (A) Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (BBE) 207 Points
2) #2 (A) WCA/A/B-E 163
3) #12 (A) Canby 153
4) (AAA) St. Cloud Tech 132.5
5) (AA) Morris Area/Hancock/Chokio-Alberta 127
6) #11 (A) Border West 94
7) (A) Pelican Rapids 85.5
8) (AA) Fergus Falls 72
9) (A) Ottertail Central 28
106: Nathan Brethorst 0-2, Wrestled Unattached
Brock Martig (BW) won per fall 1:45.
Isaac Bergren (PR) won per decision 2-0.
106: Evan Dingwall 1-2, 4th Place
Noah Welte (BBE) won by fall 5:21.
Defeated Brock Martig (BW) per decision 4-1.
3rd Place Match - Kendall Booker (SCT) won per decision 5-2.
113: Owen Gruchow 2-0, Champion
Defeated Zach Rikimoto (BW) per fall 1:29.
1st Place Match – Defeated Jack Hamak (SCT) per decision 6-1.
120: Tucker McGee 1-2, 5th Place
#1 Cole Sykora (BW) won per fall 1:50.
Kassten Hartwell (FF) 4-1 won per fall 2:12.
5th Place Match – Defeated Jackson Peasley per injury default.
138: Adam Lohse 3-1, 3rd Place
Defeated Logan Anderson (MAHACA) per fall 5:33.
Brett Deroo (BBE) won per tech fall 18-2.
Defeated Peyton Forcier (BW) per fall 0:57.
3rd Place Match – Defeated Blake Giese (CAN) per decision 9-6.
145: #3 Hunter Gruchow 3-1, 3rd Place
Defeated Lance `Joey` Graff (FF) per fall 1:19.
#9 Wyatt Engen (BBE) won per fall 4:42.
Defeated Tanner Hugg (SCT) per major decision 14-1.
3rd Place Match – Defeated Sam Drietz (CAN) per decision 5-4.
152: Kolby Peters 0-2, DNP
Andrew Marty (MAHACA) won per decision 11-5.
Aidian Orth (SCT,) 8-3 won by fall 3:35.
160: #10 Solomon Wales 3-1, 3rd Place
Defeated Carter Johnson (PR) per fall 4:55.
#10 AAA Jaxon Kenning (SCT) won per fall 5:34.
Defeated Ryker Erickson (MAHACA) per fall 2:08.
3rd Place Match – Defeated Carter Johnson (PR) per decision 5-0.
170: Jeremy Blascyk 2-2, 5th Place
#1 Maximus Hanson (BBE) won per fall 0:58.
Defeated Brody Nachbor (BW) per decision 9-7.
Mark Kapenga (PR) 6-3 won per decision 11-6.
5th Place Match – Defeated Ezekiel Sieckert (WCAABE) per forfeit.
170: Ezekiel Sieckert 1-3, 6th Place Wrestled Unattached
Jacob Widness (FF) won per fall 3:54.
Defeated Sawyer Verhelst (CAN) per fall 2:29.
Sam Long (SCT) won per fall 0:50.
5th Place Match - Jeremy Blascyk (WCAABE) won per forfeit.
182: Gavin Flint 1-2, 3rd Place Wrestled Unattached
#7 Carson Gilbert (BBE) won per fall 5:28.
#1 Anthony Sykora (WCAABE) won per forfeit.
Defeated Connor Olson (MAHACA) per decision 6-5.
182: #1 Anthony Sykora 3-0, Champion
Defeated Connor Olson (MAHACA) per fall 0:51.
Defeated Gavin Flint (WCAABE) per forfeit.
Defeated #7 Carson Gilbert (BBE) per decision 6-3.
195: #7 Beau Robinson 1-1, 2nd Place
Defeated Talen Kampsen (BBE) per fall 4:28.
1st Place Match - Hunter Gibson (MAHACA) won per decision 7-1.
220: Blake Flint 0-3, 6th Place Wrestled Unattached
#5 Ethan Spanier (BBE) won per fall 0:23.
Brock Marty (MAHACA) won per fall 4:55.
5th Place Match - Andrew Hennessy (BW) won per fall 2:53.
220: #7 Will Rustan 1-2, 4th Place
#5 Ethan Spanier (BBE) won per fall 2:42.
Defeated Andrew Hennessy (BW) per fall 4:19.
3rd Place Match - Brock Marty (MAHACA) won per decision 6-2.
285: Justin Blascyk 3-0, Champion
Defeated Carter Gibson (MAHACA) per fall 2:41.
Defeated Noah Adelman (BW) per fall 5:25.
1st Place Match – Defeated Harley Weber (BBE) per decision 3-2.
This editions, ‘Fastest Fall’ and ‘Wrestler of the Week’ happen to both go to the same person...Owen Gruchow. Owen is an 8th grade wrestler, this is his second season on the varsity team and he has become an individual that the Knights depend on to get the score moving. Twice this week Owen took to the mat with his squad in a deficit and both times he put his opponents to the mat for a pin-fall. Jump starting convincing dual wins. His second pin over a Benson opponent came in :33 seconds, which is the fastest of the week. Saturday, Owen also captured his first Grant County Tournament Championship. Gruchow is undefeated on the season, boasting a perfect 6-0 record!
Tuesday, December 13th the Knights travel north to Staples. In a triangular they will face off with a pair of Section 7 opponents...the #15 ranked Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Browerville Wolves and a tough hometown host in the Staples-Motley Cardinals. Wrestling will start at 5 pm. Saturday, the team makes it way south the Monticello for a 16 team tournament. Included on the roster are, Andover, Austin, Benson, Brooklyn Center, Coon Rapids, Minneapolis Patrick Henry, Monticello, Mounds View, New Century Academy, Norwood Young America, Park Center, Rockford Area, South St. Paul, Spectrum, WCAABE, and Zimmerman. Wrestling starts at 10 am.
