The Becker Bulldog wrestling team - seeded #6 - knocked off the #3-seeded New London-Spicer team in the first round of last weekend’s Section 6AA team competition, 37-25 only to fall to #2-seeded Monticello (who were hosting the tournament) in the semifinals where the meet came down to the last match, Becker losing 36-26.
Monticello eventually faced top-seeded Foley in the finals and lost 49-13.
Becker had five wrestlers go undefeated on the day and that included Josh Lumley at 106-lbs., Andrew Berglund at 113-lbs., Caleb Vekved at 145-lbs., Bobby Lee at 182-lbs. and Mason Olson at 220-lbs.
Becker 37, NLS 25
106-lbs.: Lumley (BB) won by major decision over Sam Stageberg (NLS) 12-0; 113-lbs.: Berglund (BB) won by decision over Nathan Thein (NLS) 4-1; 120-lbs.: Jakob Stageberg (NLS) pinned Kevin Andes (BB) 1:47; 126-lbs.: Tom Stageberg (NLS) won by major decision over Colton Demant (BB) 10-2; 132-lbs.: Blake Paulson (BB) won by decision over Ben Tiffany (NLS) 4-3; 138-lbs.: Treyton Austvold (NLS) pinned Noah Arrigoni (BB) 1:19.
145-lbs.: Vekved (BB) won by decision over Chris Schmitz (NLS) 4-0; 152-lbs.: Logan Eckhoff (NLS) pinned Cody Ferris (BB) 5:15; 160-lbs.: Jarrett Hatlestad (NLS) won by decision over Zach Zimmer (BB) 12-5; 170-lbs.: Tyler Mattsen (BB) pinned Josh Soine (NLS) 0:45; 182-lbs.: Bobby Lee (BB) pinned Jared Travis (NLS) 1:08; 195-lbs.: Chris Weberg (BB) won by decision over Zach Swigerd (NLS) 10-3; 220-lbs.: Olson (BB) won by decision over Noah Welsh (NLS) 4-2; 285-lbs.: Casey Vesledahl (BB) pinned Brandon Knisley (NLS) 4:39.
No individual scoring for the Becker/Monticello match was available to the Citizen.
Team results: In the first preliminary match, #8 Litchfield (6-10) beat #9 Big Lake (6-6) 48-18;
In the quarterfinals, Litchfield lost to #1 Foley (22-13) 76-4; #4 Annandale/Maple Lake (12-7) beat #5 Dassel-Cokato (10-16) 33-28; #3 NLS (12-7) lost to #6 Becker (15-6) 37-25 and #2 Monticello (9-7) beat #7 Zimmerman (7-11) 53-16.
In the semi-finals, Foley beat Annandale/Maple Lake 51-9 and Monticello beat Becker 36-26.
In the final, Foley beat Monticello 49-13.
This weekend, the individual segment of the state tournament commences at Becker High School with competition starting Friday at 4:30 p.m. and continuing on Saturday at 11 a.m.
