Eleven wrestlers place at WDC meet

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Blake Sonnenberg and Jack Graham captured first place at the annual Dennis Kaatz Memorial wrestling tournament on Saturday at Wadena-Deer Creek. In all, 11 wrestlers placed in the tournament to help the Hornets finish in second place, behind just Thief River Falls, in the 10-team tournament. 

Sonnenberg took first place after securing a 13-0 major decision over Ian Hruby of Thief River Falls in the opening round, before securing a tech fall over Andrew Volk and  4-0 decision over Beau Somdahl of Detroit Lakes in the semi-finals to advance to the championship of the 172 lbs. bracket. Sonnenberg would go on to capture first place in style as the sophomore secured a pin over Landen Larson of Thief River Falls at 1:28 to win the championship. 

Graham took first at 189 lbs. after defeating Jayden Kenny of Wadena-Deer Creek by a tech fall in the opening round, before securing a pin over Braxten Drechel of Otter Tail Central at the 1:14 mark to advance to the championship match. Graham would go on to win a 9-6 decision over Reed Koll of UNC to capture first place. 

Ashton Reller kicked off his freshman campaign with a runner up finish at 127 lbs. After picking up a pin and a tech fall in the opening two rounds of the day, before falling to Gage Weber of Detroit Lakes by a 12-5 decision to finish in second place. 

Christian Peichel also finished in second place after making short work in his opening two rounds of the day by winning by a tech fall and a pin in just 31 seconds in the semi-finals, before falling to Keegan VonEnde of BGBMR in the championship by a close 9-7 score. at 133 lbs. 

Cash Osterman picked up back-to-back major decisions in the opening two rounds of his 145 lbs. tournament to advance to the championship match. Unfortunately. He lost to Parker Zutter of PLPRB by a tech fall to finish in second place. 

Tanner Moe picked up a second place finish at 215 lbs. as he secured a pin over Jake Olsen of PLPRB and a 7-0 decision over Ettore Pinnella of Wadena-Deer Creek to advance to the championship bout. He would fall to Ryan Francis of Detroit Lakes by a narrow 1-0 decision to finish in second place. 

Brody Larson took third place at 114 lbs. after defeating Emmett Skoog of United North Central by a major decision in the opening round, before falling to eventual champion Kaiden Nelson of Thief River Falls by a fall in the first period in the semi-finals. Larson would go on to win by an 8-6 decision in the consolation bracket, before winning by a major decision over Skoog in a rematch of their opening round match by a major decision score of 11-1 in the third place match. 

Caleb Ratz placed third at 121 lbs. after winning his opening round bout against Evan Aitchinson of Pillager by a fall at 1:23. He would fall to Lincoln Davis of Thief River Falls by a pin in the semi-finals, before working his way through the consolation bracket and defeating Eli Marcum of PLPRB by a 4-1 decision in the third place match. 

Blake Amundson took third place at 285 lbs. after the senior secured a pair of pins in the opening two rounds to advance to the semi-finals, where he fell to eventual champion Ryan Peterson of UNC. In the consolation bracket, Amundson picked up two more pins, including a fall over Joshua Larson in the third place match to finish in third. 

Other place finishers include: Bennitt Galbrecht who took fourth place at 107 lbs. and Liam Hamm took fifth place at 152 lbs.

1st – Thief River Falls – 223.5

2nd – Frazee – 211

3rd – United North Central Warriors – 189

4th – Detroit Lakes – 141

5th – Badger-GB-MR – 118.5

6th – Pequot Lks-Pine River-B – 114.5

7th – Wadena-Deer Creek – 101

8th – Otter Tail Central – 69.5

9th – Pillager – 25.5

10th – Blackduck-Cass Lake Bena Bears – 0