The B-B-E Jaguars wrestling team has advanced in the postseason!!
They are 1-0 in the Section 5A playoffs after winning 40-20 in tonight's Section 5A semifinal. State-ranked Minnewaska put up a good fight. They were ranked No. 7 in the final Guillotine state poll of the season that was released earlier today. B-B-E continues to hold the No. 2 state ranking.
Tonight's match had a thrilling start, with 106-pounder Brett DeRoo winning in a fourth overtime period. That is what is called an "ultimate tiebreaker" period. The official score was a 2-2 tie, and that match lasted approximately 11 minutes! Good grief!
B-B-E built a 33-0 lead through 145 pounds. They clinched the playoff win when senior Dylan Kampsen won an 11-0 major decision at 170 pounds. At that point, they led 37-7.
Earlier in the season, B-B-E defeated Minnewaska 30-25 when the Lakers were ranked No. 5 and the Jaguars were ranked No. 3.
Minnewaska Area finishes another fine season on the mats with a 21-7 overall record.
As soon as I have Saturday's schedule I will get it posted.
**UPDATE: the Jaguars (27-3) will wrestle in the section championship at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Their opponent will be the two-time defending state champions: Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Browerville. **That match will be carried on Smooth Magic 107 FM of Glenwood.
This is the sixth time in school history that the Jaguars will compete in a section wrestling championship match. The years are 1998, 1999, 2015, 2017, 2020 and now 2021.
We don't know who is coming out of Section 6A for the other part of Saturday's action; that section has their opening rounds tomorrow night.
I don't have an exact score, but I heard that the Wolves took apart Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg in the other sections semifinal tonight. That match was at Browerville high school.
Section 5A opening-round wrestling scores on March 10:Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 53, Benson 22
Minnewaska Area 60, Paynesville Area 7
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Browerville 49, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 14
Here's video from the opening matches tonight:
More to come. It is snowing like mad out there! The trip home on Highway 55 from Belgrade was tricky. For now, spring is a memory again.
Members of the B-B-E wrestling team who are ranked individually in the Top 10 of their respective weights are Ryan Jensen, Walker Bents, Tyler Jensen, Blaine Fischer and Maximus Hanson. Out of that group, the Jaguars won four of five matches tonight.
Minnewaska Area has two wrestlers ranked individually, and they are both tough as nails: No. 1-ranked and senior Tyson Meyer at 182 pounds and No. 1-ranked and also a senior Jakob Swalla at heavyweight.
