Photo by Leif Erickson
Maybe the two best wrestling teams in the Three Rivers Conference met up in Eyota for a triangular that decided the league race. Chatfield (#8 in A, 7-0, 11-1) and Dover-Eyota (#11 in A, 4-0, 12-7) were the headliners in a tri that also included Wabasha-Kellogg. The Gophers versus Eagles battle was the main event and it came down to the last match. Chatfield got off to a good start, getting a 16-0 tech fall at 106 (#2 Javier Berg) and a pin at 113 (Ryan House). Gage Bartels (#6 at 113) then moved up a weight, but fell by fall after getting taken to the mat hard (shaken up) by Damon Bye. Bartels led the match 4-0 prior to the sequence. D-E pulled to down 11-6. Three straight decisions followed. D-E’s Bolten Thesing beat Ben Carrier 4-2 at 126. Chatfield’s Carson Rowland beat Grady Eaton 8-7 at 132. Rowland survived, ending the third period on his back, having suffered a five-point sequence. Rowland led 8-1 after two. Chatfield’s Jack Dornack then posted a 4-0 third period to outlast Jacob Dessner by 7-5 decision at 138. Six weights in, Chatfield led 17-9. But Eagle ranked guys Brodie Kellen (#5 145) and Gavin Gust (#4 at 152) then notched a 20-9 major decision and a fall in succession, giving the Eagles their first lead at 19-17. Gopher Luke Carrier did survive almost getting pinned by Kellen. Treyton Thesing followed with a pin at 160 (as Gopher regular Thad Evans didn’t wrestle). With five weights left, D-E led 25-17. But Gopher ranked guys Kail Schott (#5 at 170) and Grady Schott (#2 at 182) then authored a 4-3 decision and a first-period pin in succession, putting Matt Mauseth’s group back in the lead at 26-25. K-Schott got a takedown with 0:15 left in the third to break a 2-2 tie. Ethan Ruskell followed with pin at 195, as Chatfield bolted ahead 32-25. D-E’s Jackson Duellman pinned Campbell Berge at 220 (a match that was 5-3 Duellman). And thus, heading to 285, things were still undecided. Chatfield led 32-31. Caden Nolte took on Addison Honsey. Nolte authored all the two-point offense, getting first and third period takedowns plus a second period reversal. Honsey scored via escapes and a stall. Nolte’s third period takedown, blocking a Honsey shot and spinning around to get control, broke a 4-4 tie. Nolte prevailed 6-4. Chatfield prevailed 35-31, locking up the TRC crown. The Gophers also beat W-K, 72-12. Berg (106), Dornack (138), Luke Carrier (145), Jackson Schild (152), K-Schott (170), G-Schott (182), Berge (195), Ruskell (220), and Nolte (285) won by forfeit. House (113), Ben Carrier (126), and Rowland (132) won by fall. Chatfield wraps up its TRC season as 9-0. They are 13-1 overall.