The end of their season saw the Becker Bulldogs junior varsity wrestling team coming away with numerous successes and a second place state champion.

 

 

The Bulldogs JV team competed on home turf Jan. 7, hosting the MNGWL (Minnesota Ninth Grade and Under Wrestling League) Region 7 Team Qualifier.

 

Fighting hard, the team lost to Big Lake 21-46, but then rallied to beat Milaca 37-27 to qualify for state.

 

Members of the Becker MNGWL State/Region team included Tanner Paumen, Drew May, Kaden Rish, Ethan Duncombe, Logan Jarvis, Ethan Anderson, Mason Doucette, Chase Towle, Adam Jurek, Ryan Nelson, Joseph Goth, Isaac Regel, Bryce Kuschel, Dylan Weber, Dylan Kolby, Nolan Muellner, Gavin Ratz, Tyson Ricker, and Colton Miller. 

 

 

A week later the team headed to Hastings High School to compete at the MNGWL State Team Tournament on Jan. 19.

 

The team wrestled well, winning their first round dual against Detroit Lakes 39-25, but in a tough second round they were defeated 64-9 after being matched against the eventual state champion wrestling team from Shakopee.

 

The Bulldogs just missed out in a close dual with Hastings in the single-class team competition 23-37. Hastings eventually finished in 10th place.

 

Members of the Bulldog Team who competed at the state tournament included Tanner Paumen, Drew May, Kaden Rish, Ethan Duncombe, Logan Jarvis, Ethan Anderson, Mason Doucette, Chase Towle, Adam Jurek, Ryan Nelson, Joseph Goth, Isaac Regel, Bryce Kuschel, Dylan Weber, and Dylan Kolby.

 

 

The Bulldogs JV wrestlers competed at the MNGWL Region 7 Individual Qualifier Tournament at Paynesville High School Jan. 26, where they came out strong and placed second.

 

“The team worked hard and had some great successes at the Region 7 Individual Tournament,” said coach Dustin Weege.

 

Adam Jurek was awarded region champion, Kaden Rish and Dylan Weber second place, Ethan Duncombe and Joseph Goth third, and Bryce Kuschel fourth. Although they wrestled well and fought hard, the rest of the team didn’t place in the top tier. They included Nolan Muellner, Tanner Paumen, Logan Jarvis, Chase Towle, Ryan Nelson, Dylan Kolby and Isaac Regel.

 

Jurek, Rish and Weber qualified to represent the Becker Bulldogs wrestling team at the MNGWL State Individual Tournament.

 

 

Feb. 2 the Bulldogs’ three representatives, Adam Jurek, Kaden Rish and Dylan Weber, headed to Champlin Park High School to compete at the MNGWL State Individual Tournament.

 

Wrestling at 100 lbs., Rish was defeated in his first round by a pin at 2:58 to the eventual fifth-place wrestler. He came back to defeat his opponent in a fall at 3:40 in his second round, but was once again defeated in round three, this time in a fall at 1:16, losing to the eventual sixth place winner. 

 

Dylan Weber, wrestling at 160 lbs., was defeated by the eventual eighth-place winner in his first round, 0-7, but came back to overcome his opponent in his second round, winning 4-2. He was defeated again in his third round, losing 2-4 to the eventual sixth-place winner.

 

Jurek, wrestling at 132 lbs., won his first round with a technical fall 17-2 and his second round with a fall at 4:10 after a long fight. Continuing his winning streak, he won his semi-finals match 6-4 in overtime to advance to finals.

 

In the match for the championship, Jurek was matched up against the wrestler from Shakopee that he had battled at the State Team Tournament two weeks prior. He wrestled hard but was eventually defeated, putting him in second place in the single-class tournament. 

 

 

The Becker Bulldogs JV wrestlers hosted the JV Conference Tuesday, where the six-team event was held in the Middle School gym on two mats.

 

Competing at the meet, which was the final Granite Ridge Conference event for the team, were Tanner Paumen, Drew May, Logan Jarvis, Ryan Nelson, Isaac Regel, John Stangler, Joseph Goth, Bryce Kuschel, and Dylan Weber, who all finished the event with some good matches.

 

The meet was also the team’s final event for the season, as they spent the remainder of the week continuing to help prepare their varsity teammates for the MSHSL (Minnesota State High School League) Individual Section Tournament that the Bulldogs are hosting Feb. 23 (today).