Last Friday Feb. 7, the Bulldog wrestlers finished out their individual season at the Albany Purple Pride tournament, coming in 5th with 112 points and nine place winners. With section tournaments beginning the following week, a few of their starting wrestlers were “rested” for the match.

Adam Jurek (145) (31-10) earned the team’s lone championship of the match, and Lukas Paulson (138) (28-5) earned their only 2nd. 

Reid Kraus (182) (32-10), Kaden Rish (106) (16-7), and Tyson Ricker (152) (7-10) all earned 3rd place. Dylan Weber (170) (3-5) earned 4th and Ethan Duncombe (113) (18-12) and Drew May (106) (6-9) both earned 5th place. 

The Bulldogs closed out their incredible regular season with a 20-1 dual meet overall record and undefeated in the Mississippi 8 Conference for the championship.

Thursday saw the wrestlers once again on their home mat with a big win against Monticello, 67-10. 

The meet started out with the first of the team’s two defeats, with Drew May (106) losing to Quinn McCalla after a hard fight in a major decision 12-0.

Following the loss, the Bulldogs took down their Monticello opponents in the next 10 matches. 

Ethan Duncombe (113), Lukas Paulson (138), John Stangler (160), and Kylen Rish (170), each overcame their opponents in falls. Own Angell (120), Ethan Anderson (126), Jake Nelson (132), Adam Jurek (145), Tyson Ricker (152), and Reid Kraus (182) were also declared winners in their individual matches.

In the Bulldogs’ second defeat of the evening, Bryce Kuschel (195) fought hard but was taken down in a fall by Monticello’s Jesse Midas. 

Dylan Kolby (220) and Brayden Weber (285) wrapped up the match by being declared winners through forfeits.

The Bulldog wrestlers competed at Zimmerman Friday, which will be covered in next week’s Citizen-Tribune.