| Section honors abound |
By: Mark Remme
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Posted: Wednesday, March 3, 2010 1:04 am
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ROCHESTER — It seemed awfully machine-like the way the Kenyon-Wanamingo wrestling team approached the Section 1A individual tournament Saturday in Rochester.
Simply put, the Knights battled at all levels. They won when they were expected to, and they pulled off some upsets most didn’t see coming. In the end, K-W walked away with five section champions, a true-second wrestleback winner and nine wrestlers who won their final match of the day.
“To be honest, I couldn’t be more proud of the way our kids performed in that final round,” said coach Matt Ryan.
Saturday was a mixed assortment of rewards for the Knights’ wrestling team, a year-long combination of desire and drive that resulted in a slew of state tournament berths.
All three Lexvold brothers will again make individual trips to state together. Sophomore Mitchel Lexvold won the 112-pound weight class by fall over St. Charles’ Cody Ball at 5:36. Senior Chad Lexvold defeated Wabasha-Kellogg’s David Euerle by a 10-0 major decision at 125, and senior Drew Lexvold beat Wabasha-Kellogg’s Jack Hawkins by fall in 3:16 at 130.
Ryan said the three brothers had “dominating” performances in the section final, and all repeated as section champions from a year ago.
Drew Lexvold has a chance to make history as K-W’s first two-time state champion. He won at 125 pounds last season.
“Drew’s had a great career, and he does everything the right way in terms of preparing himself, how he trains,” Ryan said. “He’s had a dominating season; he’s made some very good kids look not very good.”
Junior Derek Melhouse surprised the 152-pound weight class with an impressive run to the section crown. He pinned his way through the bracket, culminating with a win by fall at 5:37 over Dover-Eyota’s Jake Krogstad — who beat Melhouse by technical fall a month ago.
Ryan said Melhouse’s performance as a sixth-seed in the tournament will go down
in program lore. He said heading into Saturday the coaching staff talked to the team about former members of the program who weren’t necessarily picked to make state but came through anyway.
“Derek will be a part of that story now for a lot of years to come,” Ryan said, proudly.
Senior Jarid Groth’s section crown at 160 pounds was a credit to his hard work in the program, Ryan said.
Ryan said Groth put so much time into becoming a better athlete and a better wrestler that he couldn’t be more happy for him reaching state.
“He’s committed to our program and been a grinder over the years,” Ryan said.
And when it came to handling adversity, perhaps no Knights wrestler did so more admirably Saturday than Skyler Quamme at 140 pounds.
Quamme fell to Pine Island’s Mike Lerum in the championship match, then competed in a true second wrestleback with a state berth on the line.
Quamme came out with enough intensity to will him to victory over Chatfield’s Zach Curry with a first-period fall at 1:08.
“I was very happy that he could refocus and get the job done,” Ryan said. “The way he did it, to get the take down and the first-period fall. Mentally that is such a difficult thing to do.”
Meanwhile, Tyler Jackson finished third at 130 pounds, and Jake Baalson took third at 171.
Wayne Henslin took fifth at 103, and Alex Jackson took sixth at 189. In all, Ryan said the section tournament was a success for his program.
“They did really, really well,” he said.
— Sports Editor Mark Remme may be reached at 333-3129.
Section champions
Mitchel Lexvold (112)
Chad Lexvold (125)
Drew Lexvold (130)
Derek Melhouse (152)
Jarid Groth (160)
True second winner
Skyler Quamme (140)
K-W place winners
103: Wayne Henslin (fifth) 130: Tyler Jackson (third) 171: Jake Baalson (third) 189: Alex Jackson (sixth) |
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