The Bulldog wrestling team did itself proud, finishing second among 14 teams in last weekend’s Rogers Invitational tournament. The Bulldogs had 11 place winners, highlighted by a first place finish by Mason Doucette and second places by Jake Nelson and Kylen Rish. Jacob Berning also proved himself well, winning the tournament’s “most pins in the fastest amount of time.”
“Our wrestlers showed a lot of improvement with this tournament,” said Coach Matt Aho. “We are wrestling well right now and I am excited to start our second half of the season.”
Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa won the tournament with 200.5 points; Becker was second at 130.5; following were Osseo, 125; Rogers, 122; Winona-Winona Cotter, 123; Princeton, 113; St. Thomas Academy, 107.5; Kimball, 100.5; Chanhassen, 74.5; Monticello, 64; Zimmerman, 53; Park Center, 40.5; Richfield, 40; Roosevelt, 30; Champlin Park, 26; Patrick Henry, 15; Proctor-Hermantown, 11; and Holdingford, 6.
Doucette won his 106 weight title by beating Walker Bents, BBE, 15-7 in the finals. Jake Nelson finished second in the 120 weight bracket, finishing second to Canon Swanson, BBE, with a 10-2 loss by decision in the title match.
Kylen Rish also took a second in the 132 weight class, losing to Connor Swetal, Richfield, in a 12-1 decision in the finals.
Lucas Paulson registered an 11-7 win over Tyler Jensen, BBE in a major decision for third place.
Doucette, a seventh grader, stands 7-2 on the season; Nelson, a sophomore, is 10-2. Paulson, a freshman, is 13-2; and Rish, a freshman, is 4-4.
Several Becker wrestlers had high places to help the Bulldogs accumulate points.
Kevin Andres defeated teammate Caden Dewall, also of Becker, for fifth place in the 138 weight bracket. Andres is 9-5 on the season; Dewall, a freshman, is 6-5.
Blake Paulson, of Becker, took fourth place at 138, losing to Zack Holtz, Kimball, via pinfall at 4:34. Paulson, a senior, is 6-5.
In the same weight class, Jacob Berning, junior from Becker, beat Charlie Knauss, Chanhassen, by pinfall at 3:13. Berning is 12-3 on the season.
Logan Jurek took a third place with a major 14-5 decision over Josh Fuller, Princeton. Jurek is 11-3 on the season.
Conner Eichoff, 6-4 on the year, finished fifth with a 2:18 pinfall win over Wer William Humphrey, Champlin Park in the 160 weight class.
Lincoln Carlson, Becker, also finished fifth, at 170, with a 2:18 pinfall win over Sir William Humphrey, Champlin Park. Carlson, a junior, is 3-4 for the year.
The team has a 7-0 record in dual meets and 2-0 in the Granite Ridge Conference.
They are looking forward to a non-conference matchup at home against Hwy. 10 opponent Big Lake Tuesday night. The Hornets have had several good performances and it should be a good matchup.
JV Team Is 14-3
The Bulldog junior varsity team also had a great tournament at Rogers with six wrestlers recording 1st through 5th place finishes.
Tyson Ricker, John Stangler and Kolbe Baun each captured championships in their divisions; Alex Lumley and Lakken Baun finished second; and Dylan Riedinger had a fifth place finish.
