Mayfield wraps up career in fifth place at state meet

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

The Frazee Hornets came home with their fair share of hardware from the state wrestling tournament over the weekend. 

Junior Bailey Peichel took fourth place overall at 145 lbs. and senior Preston Mayfield wrapped up his high school wrestling career with a fifth place finish at 172 lbs. at state. 

Peichel, who came into the tournament ranked fifth in the state, secured a 6-0 decision in the opening round over Kenny Erickson of Aitkin. 

In the state quarterfinals, Peichel earned a hard-fought overtime over Aiden Wolf of Fosston-Bagley in a rematch of the Section 8A finals from just one week earlier. Peichel secured a 3-2 decision in that match up and the state tournament bout against the pair of wrestlers was just as close. After a scoreless first period, Wolfe started the second period in the down position and earned an escape 17 seconds into period. The rest of the period remained at a 1-0 score setting up an exciting third period of action.

Peichel chose the down position and earned an escape with 48 seconds remaining in the period to tie the match at 1-1 to set up an overtime period. The match remained at 1-1 until Peichel earned a take down with just 1 second on the clock to secure a 3-1 decision and a trip to the state semi-finals. 

Waiting in the wings was top ranked and second seeded Gavin Johnson of Kenyon-Wanamingo. Johnson was able to secure a 5-0 decision over Peichel, which was just 2-0 heading into the final period of action. Johnson would finish in second place overall as Peichel dropped to the consolation bracket. 

Peichel’s close matches at the state tournament continued in the consolation semi-finals as he secured a 1-0 decision over sixth ranked Tanner Viessman of Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa. Following a scoreless first period, Peichel chose the down position in the second period and earned an escape just 20 seconds into the period to take a 1-0 lead. Viessman chose the down position in the third period, but Peichel was able to ride him out for the entire 2 minutes of action to advance to the third place match on Saturday.

In the third place match, Peichel faced eighth ranked Sam Drietz of Canby. After a scoreless first period, Peichel chose the down position in the second period and secured an escape with 1:28 remaining in the period. Unfortunately, Drietz was able to get a take down with just 7 seconds remaining in the period and earned 2 near fall points as time was expiring to take a 4-1 lead heading into the third and final period. 

Drietz chose the down position and earned an escape just 5 seconds into the period to take a 5-1 lead, which would also be the final score, to end Peichel’s season with a fourth place finish and 29-7 record overall. He also secured his 100th career win at the state tournament.

In a match up against the fourth and fifth ranked wrestlers in the state, fifth ranked Preston Mayfield kicked off his final state tournament appearance with a pin over fourth ranked Mason Bruder of Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Browerville at the 4:23 mark of the match to advance to the state quarterfinals. 

Unfortunately, Mayfield fell to the fifth ranked wrestler at 160 lbs. Luke Bieniek of Holdingford by a fall at the 1:42 mark of the match to drop to the consolation bracket. 

In his third match of the day, Mayfield was able to secure an 8-2 decision over Treyce Ludwig of Eden Valley-Watkins in the consolation bracket. After a scoreless first period, Ludwig picked up a reversal from the down position in the second period, before Mayfield tied the match up at 2-2 with a reversal of his own just 12 seconds later and picked up 3 near fall points with 10 seconds remaining in the period to take a 5-2 lead heading into the final period.

In the third period, Mayfield was able to get an escape with 56 remaining in the match and secured a take down with 29 seconds to come away with the 8-2 win over the ninth ranked wrestler in the state.

Needing just one more win to reach the podium, Mayfield picked up a dominating 15-4 major decision over Ben Carrier of Chatfield in the consolation bracket quarterfinals on Saturday morning. 

After the win, Mayfield fell to third ranked Landon Lehnertz of Dover-Eyota by a fall at the 3:37 mark of the match to drop to the fifth place match.

Waiting in the wings was 10th ranked Aaron Jones of Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg. Mayfield took an early 2-1 lead in the first period when he secured a take down with 1:23 remaining in the period. Jones quickly earned an escape to make the score 2-1 in favor of Mayfield.

Jones chose the down position in the second period and earned a stalling point and an escape with just 5 seconds remaining in the period, but not before Mayfield was able to pick up 3 important near fall points with 38 seconds remaining in the period to take a 5-4 lead heading into the third and final period.

Mayfield started the third period in the down position and earned a reversal with 1:16 remaining to take a 7-3 lead. He was able to ride Jones out for the remainder of the period to secure a 7-3 win and fifth place finish at state. Mayfield wrapped up his senior season with a record of 41-9 overall.

Freshman Liam Hamm fell to Isaac Rodriguez of Jackson County Central in the opening round of the state tournament. Rodriguez was able to secure a pin at the 3:41 mark of the match to advance to the state quarter finals. 

Rodriguez lost his next match against the eventual state champion Zach Remer of Mille Lacs to end Hamm’s season with a record of 30-15 overall. Rodriguez eventually worked his way through the consolation bracket to take third place at 121 lbs. 

Tyler Moe also found himself with a tough opening round match up as he took on the eventual sixth place finisher  and fourth ranked Dillon Bartel of Kenyon-Wanamingo. Moe trailed just 3-2 after the first period and just 4-2 heading into the third period when Bartel earned an escape midway through the second period.

After choosing the bottom position to start the third period, Moe got a reversal 34 seconds into the period to tie the match at 4-4, before Bartel secured an escape, take down and 3-point near fall with one minute remaining in the period to come away with a 10-4 decision. 

Bartel lost his next match up against Tucker Zigan of Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Browerville to end Moe’s senior season with a record of 36-11 overall.

Cade Nagel dropped his opening round match up at 160 lbs. to top ranked and top seeded Jevon Williams of ACGC, who came into the tournament with a perfect 29-0 record. Williams was able to earn a tech fall 30 seconds into the third period to come away with a 16-0 win over Nagel. Williams was defeated in the next round by Jett Olson of KMS to end Nagel’s junior season with a record of 23-19. 

Jack Graham came just one match short of reaching the podium as the sophomore fell to the eventual runner up at 189 lbs. Nick Slater of Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial Area. Slater came into the tournament as the second seed and third ranked wrestler in the state and was able to pick up a tech fall against Graham by a 17-1 score in the third period. 

Graham fought back in the consolation bracket when he secured a 3-2 decision over Luke Bjerga of Staples-Motley. Graham trailed by a score of 1-0 heading into the third period after Bjerga earned an escape in the second period. Graham started the third period in the down position and tied the match up at the 1:16 mark of the period when he picked up an escape. He earned a take down with 44 seconds remaining in the match to take a 3-1 lead. Bjerga earned an escape with 30 seconds remaining to set up a thrilling final 30 seconds of the match featuring a number of shots for a take down, but Graham held off the charge and came away with a 3-2 decision. 

In the second round of the consolation bracket, Graham fell to Eli Roiko of United North Central by a 3-1 decision to end his season. After a scoreless first period, Roiko chose the down position and earned an escape in just 5 seconds and eventually earned a take down to take a 3-0 lead heading into the final period. Graham chose the down position and earned an escape with 30 seconds remaining in the match, but was unable to get a take down to fall by a score of 3-1. 

Graham wrapped up his sophomore season with a record of 28-18 overall. 

121- Champ. Round 1 – Isaac Rodriguez (Jackson County Central) 41-9 won by fall over Liam Hamm (Frazee) 30-15 (Fall 3:41)

145- Champ. Round 1 – 4th place- Bailey Peichel (Frazee) 29-7 won by decision over Kenny Erickson (Aitkin) 19-6 (Dec 6-0), Quarterfinal – Bailey Peichel (Frazee) 29-7 won in sudden victory – 1 over Aiden Wolfe (Fosston-Bagley) 36-5 (SV-1 3-1), Semifinal – Gavin Johnson (Kenyon-Wanamingo) 38-3 won by decision over Bailey Peichel (Frazee) 29-7 (Dec 5-0), Cons. Semi – Bailey Peichel (Frazee) 29-7 won by decision over Tanner Viessman (Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) 42-5 (Dec 1-0), 3rd Place Match – Sam Drietz (Canby) 36-10 won by decision over Bailey Peichel (Frazee) 29-7 (Dec 5-1)

152- Champ. Round 1 – Dillon Bartel (Kenyon-Wanamingo) 33-14 won by decision over Tyler Moe (Frazee) 36-11 (Dec 10-4)

160- Champ. Round 1 – Jevon Williams (Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City) 31-2 won by tech fall over Cade Nagel (Frazee) 23-19 (TF-1.5 4:29 (16-0))

172- 5th place- Champ. Round 1 – Preston Mayfield (Frazee) 41-9 won by fall over Mason Bruder (LPGE-Browerville Wolves) 37-6 (Fall 4:23), Quarterfinal – Luke Bieniek (Holdingford) 41-8 won by fall over Preston Mayfield (Frazee) 41-9 (Fall 1:42), Cons. Round 1 – Preston Mayfield (Frazee) 41-9 won by decision over Treyce Ludwig (Eden Valley-Watkins) 38-13 (Dec 8-2), Cons. Round 2 – Preston Mayfield (Frazee) 41-9 won by major decision over Ben Carrier (Chatfield) 31-14 (MD 15-4), Cons. Semi – Landon Lehnertz (Dover-Eyota) 35-4 won by fall over Preston Mayfield (Frazee) 41-9 (Fall 3:37), 5th Place Match – Preston Mayfield (Frazee) 41-9 won by decision over Aaron Jones (Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg) 38-16 (Dec 7-3)

189- Champ. Round 1 – Nick Slater (Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial Area) 47-6 won by tech fall over Jack Graham (Frazee) 28-18 (TF-1.5 5:02 (17-1)), Cons. Round 1 – Jack Graham (Frazee) 28-18 won by decision over Luke Bjerga (Staples Motley) 38-12 (Dec 3-2), Cons. Round 2 – Eli Roiko (United North Central Warriors) 30-8 won by decision over Jack Graham (Frazee) 28-18 (Dec 3-1)