Gophers Take Sixth at “The Clash”
For a second straight year, Chatfield wrestling took on the prestigious 32-team “The Clash” set of duals. Strong squads from Minnesota (12), Illinois (5), Iowa (3), Wisconsin (6), Ohio (1), Idaho (1), Missouri (2), Washington (1), and California (1) competed. Minnesota (10) and Wisconsin (6) alone combined for 16 ranked teams (info on the other states was more difficult to find). Matt Mauseth’s #1 in Class A Gophers could not replicate last year’s epic second place run. But Chatfield went 4-2 and got a lot of experience wrestling in tight team matches versus other highly ranked programs. Opening with an eight-team straight placement tourney on Friday, the Gophers posted back-to-back wins versus Decorah, Iowa, and Washington, Illinois. Versus the #18 in AA Vikings, with wrestling starting at 133-pounds, the Gopher lead was 23-20 with four weights to go before Jameson Priebe (107), Logan Pearson (114), and Javier Berg (121) strung together three pins to make it academic (up 41-20 with one weight to go). The final was 41-25. Will Boelter (215) and Ben Carrier (172) also had pins. Ayden Miner (160) won a 17-1 tech fall. Hunter Polikowsky (139) and Alden Pearson (145) won 12-6 and 10-9 decisions. Versus Illinois’ #2 in AA Washington, with wrestling starting at the normal 107-pounds, things were tight early, and the Gophers trailed 20-19 after 152 pounds. But Carson Rowland (160), Miner (172), and Carrier (189) authored back-to-back-to-back pins for the insurmountable 37-20 lead. The final was 37-32. Berg (127) and Kaisen Johnson (133) also had pins. Polikowsky (139) won a 14-3 major, Logan Pearson (114) a 4-0 decision. It put Chatfield in the bracket’s first place match with Iowa’s #5 in AAA Bettendorf. With wresting starting at 145-pounds, the Gophers got through the upper weights and then 107 leading 25-17. But the Bulldogs won 114, 121, 133, and 139 including topping highly ranked Gophers #2 Berg (121) by 14-5 major and #5 Johnson (133) by 18-3 tech fall. Berg fell to Oklahoma commit, #1 at 120 Jake Knight. Johnson fell to Iowa State commit, #2 at 132 T.J. Koester. All four losses in the span came to state-ranked guys in Class AAA in Iowa. Losing a point to misconduct, Bettendorf won the slim 33-31 victory to win the bracket. Gophers Boelter (215), Cole Ramaker (285), and Layne Root (127) had pins. Miner (160) and Priebe (107) had 17-1 and 17-2 tech falls, Rowland (152) a 7-6 decision. It put the Gophers in the four-team round robin Division II (fifth place) pool of second place teams. They lost to Illinois’ #1 in AAA Chicago-Marist while beating Kansas City’s St. Pius X and #4 in AAA Stillwater. Versus Marist, Chatfield never led, falling back 8-0. They got as close as down 13-12, but lost eight of 13 matches and the final was 35-24. Carrier (172), Boelter (215), and Polikowsky (139) had pins. L-Pearson (114) and Berg (121) won 5-1 and 7-2 decisions. Chatfield rallied by beating the defending Class 1 Missouri state champions Pius X 40-24, never trailing in the dual. Carrier (160), Boelter (215), Priebe (107), and Polikowsky (139) had pins. Berg (127) and A-Pearson won 23-7 and 17-2 tech falls. Miner (160) and Root (121) won 10-8 and 4-1 decisions. Versus Stillwater, wrestling started at 172-pounds. The dual was tied 18-18 after 121, and Chatfield narrowly led 26-25 with two weights to go, but Rowland (152) and Miner (160) took care of business with back-to-back pins. The final was a Gopher win 37-25. Carrier (189) added a third pin. Berg (127) won a 16-1 tech fall. Boelter (215) and Priebe (107) won 14-5 and 11-0 majors. L-Pearson (114) and Johnson (133) won 9-2 and 7-3 decisions. Chatfield thus took a still strong sixth place overall (of 32). They are 6-2 in duals on the season. For the tourney, Berg, Carrier, Miner, and Boelter each went 5-1. Rowland went 3-1. Carrier had a team-best five pins. Priebe and Polikowsky went 4-2. St. Michael-Albertville (#1 in Class AAA) repeated as champions, topping #3 in AAA Shakopee, Bettendorf, and #2 in Class A Staples-Motley in the Division I bracket.
Wrestling (1/3 & 1/4)
The Clash XXII (In a preliminary eight-team bracket, Caledonia/Houston went 0-3 and took eighth place. In a four-team round robin 8th place bracket, the Warriors went 0-3. Cal/Hou forfeited either three or four weights in all six duals. Five of their six duals were against known ranked teams) > Quarterfinal > #1 in AAA (IL) Chicago-Marist 59, Caledonia/Houston 9 (Will Allen (160) had a pin and Aiden Burns (114) an 8-1 decision win for the Warriors): Consolation Semifinals > #8 in AAA Hastings 50, Cal/Hou 22 (W. Allen (172), Cooper Allen (189), and Walker Kohlmeyer (121) won by fall, Aden Kulas (215) by 11-3 major decision); 7th Place Match > Cal/Hou 15, #6 in D-II (WI) Holmen 57 (A. Burns (114) had a pin, C. Allen (189) won a 17-1 tech fall, and Ad. Kulas (215) won a 13-3 major decision); 8th place Bracket Round 1 > #6 in D-III (WI) Cumberland 46, Cal/Hou 23 (Anthony VonArx (285) and W. Kohlmeyer (121) won by fall, C. Allen (189 by 18-2 tech fall, Ad. Kulas (215) and A. Burns (114) by 7-3 and 10-3 decisions); 8th Place Bracket Round 2 > Batavia (IL) 44, Cal/Hou 24 (C. Allen (189) and Ad. Kulas (215) won by fall, Logan Kinstler (285) by forfeit, W. Allen (160) and A. Burns (121) by 4-2 and 5-2 decisions); 8th Place Bracket Round 3 > #9 in D-II (WI) Galesville-Ettrick-Trempealeau/Melrose-Mindoro 44, Cal/Hou 29 (With wrestling starting at 172-pounds, Cal/Hou led 23-15 after 121, but one just once more. A. VonArx (285), Nolan Conway (107), W. Kohlmeyer (121) and W. Allen (160) had pins, C. Allen (189) a 17-2 tech fall win. Warriors > 0-0, 0-7)
St. James “Belle of the Border” Girls Tourney (FCLMC (26.5) took 14th of 25 total teams. Osage (223.5) topped Southeast Polk (186.5) for first. Just four Wolves competed on varsity with Charlotte Ferrie (130) going 4-1 (won fall, lost fall, won two falls, won 15-0 tech fall) taking fifth place. She improved to 11-2 on the year.)
Tartan “Clash of the Titans” Tourney (GMLOS (117) took third of five teams. Irondale (157) took first. Calum Sween (152) won three falls to take first. Rowan Sween (285) and Parker Armagost (127) each won two falls to take first. Armagost is 11-2. Drake Payne (189 > won three falls, lost fall) went 3-1 and Zac Gehling (160 > won fall, lost fall) 1-1 to each take second. Cael Smith (138 > won 15-0 tech fall, lost 20-5 tech fall, won 20-3 tech fall, won fall) went 3-1 to take third. He improved to 16-4)