Grapplers close season with split; earn No. 4 seed
The New Prague Trojan wrestling team ended its regular season with a split in a home triangular meet Friday, Feb. 11.
The Trojans lost 34-33 to Hutchinson and defeated Lakeville North 43-22.
The loss to Hutchinson cost the Trojans a spot in the Section 2AA seedings, which were released Sunday. New Prague received the No. 4 seed while Hutchinson was ranked third. Scott West, ranked No. 3 in the most recent State Class AA poll, received the top seed and Watertown-Mayer/Mayer Lutheran was second.
New Prague (19-9) will host No. 5 seed St. Peter at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17, in the Section 2AA quarterfinals. The winner advances to the semifinals at New Prague at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19. The championship match follows at 6 p.m.
Tigers 34, Trojans 33
It came down to the last match, and Hutchinson scored a decision to claim a one-point win over New Prague, 34-33.
The Trojans built a 15-0 lead, winning the first four matches. Trevor Westerlund started things off with a fall at 103 pounds, and Griffin Parriott followed with a decision at 112. James Berg built a big lead, then held on for a 9-7 win at 119 and Richard Reinartz got an early takedown and let it stand in a 2-0 win at 125 pounds.
After a Tiger pin, Morgan Parriott moved up a weight to 135 and earned a fall in 54 seconds to make it a 21-6 Trojan lead.
Hutchinson won the next three matches, two of them by fall, to take a 22-21 lead, but Alex Mueller put New Prague back on top with a first period fall to make it 27-22.
Hutch took a 31-27 lead with two more wins, but Jesse Tuma put on a takedown clinic at 215, scoring three quick takedowns and letting his man up three times for a 6-3 lead. On the fourth takedown, he put his man on his back and scored a fall to give the Trojans a 33-31 lead. The final match went in Hutchinson's' favor, giving them the one-point win.
Trojans 43, Panthers 22
The Trojan grabbed another big lead, but this time did not squander it as they defeated Lakeville North 43-22.
Westerlund, Griffin Parriott and Berg all scored wins. Westerlund had a technical fall, Parriott a pin and Berg a major decision.
Morgan Parriott got a major decision at 130 to put the Trojans up 19-6, but the Panthers closed the gap with three straight wins, making it 19-16.
Luke Ritter stopped the run with a fall at 151 pounds. North won the next two matches to make it a 25-22 score, but then lost the last three. Nathan Preston (189) won by forfeit, Tuma got a fall and Brandon Svoboda (285) scored a forfeit win.
