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7 WCAABE Wrestlers to Compete at Individual State Tournament

By Tammie Olson, 02/26/23, 10:45PM CST

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Riding the wave of excitement from winning the Team Section title, and coming off of a week of unwelcome winter storms that shut down schools and wrestling practices across the state for a couple of days, WCAABE Wrestlers had to exhibit independent focus and self-discipline in the days leading up to the Section 6A Individual Championship.

Nevertheless, the Knights wrestling team hit the road to Wadena, MN on Saturday, February 25, and took to the mat for a full day of intense competition that would ultimately determine who earned a trip to the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul to compete in the individual portion of the State Tournament. 

As expected, the Wadena-Deer Creek gym housed many explosive and enthralling matches throughout the day; every wrestler, competing for the same prize. Some goals were realized, while others remain just dreams, as only the top two wrestlers in each weight class earn the opportunity to compete individually this weekend, narrowing the expansive, State-wide field to just 16 wrestlers per weight for the season finale in St. Paul.

All told, WCAABE produced an impressive five Section Champions: Solomon Wales (138lbs.), Hunter Gruchow (145lbs.), Anthony Sykora (182lbs.), Will Rustan (220lbs.), and Justin Blascyk (Hwt). 106 and 195 pounders, Owen Gruchow and Beau Robinson each snagged the runner-up spots in their respective weight classes; both, decidedly clinched without having to wrestle true-second matches.

Justin Blascyk earned his 50th career varsity pin over Matthew Wegscheid of Wadena-Deer Creek in the semifinal round. Fastest Fall of the day was by Adam Lohse, who pinned Anthony Hernandez of Pelican Rapids in 31 ticks off the clock.


Solomon Wales nearly pins Deagan Captain of BHVPP in the finals. PHOTO by TAMMIE OLSON PHOTOGRAPHY


Will Rustan loads up for an eventual fall over Bode Roberts of NYM. PHOTO by TAMMIE OLSON PHOTOGRAPHY


Owen Gruchow shuts out Hudson Truax of BHVPP. PHOTO by TAMMIE OLSON PHOTOGRAPHY

At the conclusion of the day’s tournament, WCAABE Head Coach, Brandon Gruchow, summarized it best: “When you get seven wrestlers qualified for the state tournament it's a terrific day.  Then add on placing six more guys. I am lost for words!  So proud of all of the guys. They gave it their all and that's everything we could have asked of them as coaches.  We look forward to a fun filled three days next week at the Xcel!”

An already accomplished day of wrestling was capped off with two additional and deserved awards: Section 6A Head Coach of the Year, and Assistant Coach of the Year, voted so by Minnesota Coaches Association Members in the Section, were awarded to Brandon Gruchow and Daniel Wales, respectively. 

There will be a pep-fest/sendoff for the Knights wrestlers Wednesday March 1, 2023, at West Central Area Secondary School, starting at 8:45AM. 

State Tournament action begins Thursday March 2, at 9:00AM, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, where the Knights will face the #1 seed Jackson County Central in the Class A Team Quarterfinal. Individual competition will follow, on March 3-4, starting at 9:00AM both days. 


7 individual State qualifiers front row, left to right: Hunter Gruchow, Will Rustan, Solomon Wales, Anthony Sykora, Justin Blascyk. Back Row, left to right: Beau Robinson, Owen Gruchow. PHOTO by TAMMIE OLSON PHOTOGRAPHY

106

Owen Gruchow (34-7) placed 2nd 

Quarterfinal - Owen Gruchow (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 34-7 won by fall over Gage Mallak (Wadena-Deer Creek) 3-20 (Fall 1:33)

  • Semifinal - Owen Gruchow (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 34-7 won by decision over Hudson Truax (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 38-7 (Dec 7-0)
  • 1st Place Match - Reggie George (Osakis) 39-1 won by major decision over Owen Gruchow (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 34-7 (MD 11-3)
  • 2nd Place Match - Owen Gruchow (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 34-7 won by no contest over Hudson Truax (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 38-7 (NC)

113

Evan Dingwall (19-20) placed 5th

Quarterfinal - Danny Salazar (Pelican Rapids) 18-14 won by fall over Evan Dingwall (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 19-20 (Fall 0:29)

  • Cons. Round 1 - Evan Dingwall (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 19-20 received a bye () (Bye)
  • Cons. Semi - Simon Jacobson (Osakis) 26-20 won by fall over Evan Dingwall (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 19-20 (Fall 3:20)
  • 5th Place Match - Evan Dingwall (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 19-20 won by decision over Hudson Schultz (Wadena-Deer Creek) 7-15 (Dec 7-5)

120

Tucker McGee (8-25) placed 6th

Quarterfinal - Jed Carlson (Pelican Rapids) 31-12 won by fall over Tucker McGee (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 8-25 (Fall 0:49)

  • Cons. Round 1 - Tucker McGee (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 8-25 won by forfeit over Zackery Bruder (Osakis) 13-24 (For.)
  • Cons. Semi - James Seelhammer (Wadena-Deer Creek) 14-18 won by decision over Tucker McGee (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 8-25 (Dec 11-4)
  • 5th Place Match - Zach Rikimoto (Border West Buccaneers) 15-19 won by fall over Tucker McGee (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 8-25 (Fall 4:03)

126

Carter Lohse (13-8) placed 5th

Quarterfinal - Preston Captain (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 8-15 won by decision over Carter Lohse (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 13-8 (Dec 5-3)

  • Cons. Round 1 - Carter Lohse (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 13-8 received a bye (Bye)
  • Cons. Semi - Mason Brauch (Wadena-Deer Creek) 13-12 won by decision over Carter Lohse (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 13-8 (Dec 12-10)
  • 5th Place Match - Carter Lohse (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 13-8 won by fall over Preston Captain (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 8-15 (Fall 2:33)

132

Adam Lohse (32-14) placed 3rd

Quarterfinal - Adam Lohse (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 32-14 won by fall over Tayden Soma (Ottertail Central Bulldogs) 8-13 (Fall 1:16)

  • Semifinal - Bennet Arceneau (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 36-8 won by fall over Adam Lohse (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 32-14 (Fall 3:04)
  • Cons. Semi - Adam Lohse (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 32-14 won by fall over Anthony Hernandez (Pelican Rapids) 6-14 (Fall 0:31)
  • 3rd Place Match - Adam Lohse (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 32-14 won by decision over Jude Olson (Border West Buccaneers) 35-12 (Dec 5-2)
  • 2nd Place Match - Bennet Arceneau (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 36-8 won by no contest over Adam Lohse (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 32-14 (NC)

138

Solomon Wales (35-11) placed 1st

Quarterfinal - Solomon Wales (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 35-11 won by fall over Jaydyn Kenney (Wadena-Deer Creek) 6-20 (Fall 0:54)

  • Semifinal - Solomon Wales (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 35-11 won by fall over Carson Roehl (Ottertail Central Bulldogs) 12-16 (Fall 1:14)
  • 1st Place Match - Solomon Wales (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 35-11 won by decision over Deagen Captain (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 28-7 (Dec 6-4)

145

Hunter Gruchow (42-6) placed 1st

  • Quarterfinal - Hunter Gruchow (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 42-6 received a bye
  • Semifinal - Hunter Gruchow (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 42-6 won by fall over Brant Malone (New York Mills) 13-11 (Fall 0:33)
  • 1st Place Match - Hunter Gruchow (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 42-6 won by decision over David Revering (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 37-7 (Dec 7-2)

152

Kolby Peters (11-20) DNP

  • Quarterfinal - Jay Mindermann (New York Mills) 18-20 won by fall over Kolby Peters (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 11-20 (Fall 4:18)
  • Cons. Round 1 - Levi Evavold (Ottertail Central Bulldogs) 4-15 won by fall over Kolby Peters (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 11-20 (Fall 2:35)

160

Ezekiel Sieckert (11-13) placed 5th

Quarterfinal - Gaven Cimbura (Osakis) 34-11 won by decision over Ezekiel Sieckert (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 11-13 (Dec 7-2)

  • Cons. Round 1 - Ezekiel Sieckert (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 11-13 received a bye (Bye)
  • Cons. Semi - Carter Johnson (Pelican Rapids) 22-13 won by decision over Ezekiel Sieckert (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 11-13 (Dec 11-5)
  • 5th Place Match - Ezekiel Sieckert (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 11-13 won by fall over Ettore Pinnella (Wadena-Deer Creek) 10-12 (Fall 0:45)

170

Jeremy Blascyk (18-25) placed 4th

Quarterfinal - Jeremy Blascyk (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 18-25 won by fall over Xavier Lewis (Ottertail Central Bulldogs) 1-10 (Fall 3:04)

  • Semifinal - Mark Kapenga (Pelican Rapids) 29-13 won by decision over Jeremy Blascyk (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 18-25 (Dec 11-4)
  • Cons. Semi - Jeremy Blascyk (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 18-25 won by decision over Grant Seelhammer (Wadena-Deer Creek) 18-14 (Dec 7-3)
  • 3rd Place Match - Jon Rinerson (New York Mills) 24-12 won in sudden victory - 1 over Jeremy Blascyk (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 18-25 (SV-1 9-7)

182

Anthony Sykora (45-1) placed 1st 

Quarterfinal - Anthony Sykora (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 45-1 received a bye

  • Semifinal - Anthony Sykora (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 45-1 won by tech fall over Brandon Wheeler (Wadena-Deer Creek) 19-18 (TF-1.5 1:55 (18-3))
  • 1st Place Match - Anthony Sykora (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 45-1 won by fall over Justin Koehn (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 23-19 (Fall 2:40)

195

Beau Robinson (29-11) placed 2nd

Quarterfinal - Beau Robinson (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 29-11 received a bye

  • Semifinal - Beau Robinson (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 29-11 won by fall over Conner Koep (Osakis) 18-21 (Fall 1:03)
  • 1st Place Match - Koby Endres (Wadena-Deer Creek) 37-2 won by fall over Beau Robinson (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 29-11 (Fall 5:21)
  • 2nd Place Match - Beau Robinson (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 29-11 won by no contest over Conner Koep (Osakis) 18-21 (NC)

220

Will Rustan (28-14) placed 1st

Quarterfinal - Will Rustan (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 28-14 received a bye

  • Semifinal - Will Rustan (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 28-14 won by fall over Noah Adelman (Border West Buccaneers) 23-19 (Fall 5:53)
  • 1st Place Match - Will Rustan (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 28-14 won by fall over Bode Roberts (New York Mills) 28-6 (Fall 3:45)

285

Justin Blascyk (33-9) placed 1st

  • Quarterfinal - Justin Blascyk (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 33-9 received a bye
  • Semifinal - Justin Blascyk (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 33-9 won by fall over Matthew Wegscheid (Wadena-Deer Creek) 24-10 (Fall 5:03)
  • 1st Place Match - Justin Blascyk (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 33-9 won by decision over Braden Shamp (Bertha-Hewitt- Verndale -Parkers Prairie) 27-17 (Dec 7-2)

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