Grapplers sweep home duals
The New Prague Trojan wrestling team opened the season with a 5-0 record to top the six-team field at the New Prague Duals Saturday, Dec. 1.
The Trojans’ closest match was in the second round, where they came from behind to defeat Chatfield 32- 31.
Three Trojans finished the day unbeaten - Morgan Parriott at 145 pounds, Griffin Parriott at 132 and Cody Sirek at 195. The two Parriotts were 5-0 and Sirek was 3-0 before being injured in winning his third-round match and didn’t wrestle the final two rounds.
Each Trojan won at least one match, with five of them - Zach Lafavor, Andrew Marsuak, Nick Knutson, Richard Reinartz and Joe Heinz - going 4-1. New Prague is ranked No. 5 in Class AA. The Trojans return to action at a triangular Thursday, Dec. 6, at Janesville. The other teams are Waterville-Elysian-Morristown/ Janesville-Waldorf- Pemberton and United South Central. On Friday, Dec. 7, New Prague hosts Richfield in a dual meet, and on Tuesday, Dec. 11, the Trojans host Tri-City United and Waseca in a triangular.
Trojans 45 Bombers 26 New Prague started slowly in their first-round match against Cannon Falls, losing the first four matches. But the Trojans won five straight to take the lead on their way to a 45-26 win.
Griffin Parriott started the Trojan run with a 47-second pin at 132 pounds, then James Berg took a 15-0 technical fall at 138 and Morgan Parriott earned a pin in 40 seconds to put the Trojans up 17-14. Reinartz had a major decision and Heinz scored a pin to make it five in a row. Also getting wins for the Trojans were Maruska (182 pounds) and Lafavor (285) by pinfall and Sirek (195) by forfeit.
Trojans 32, Gophers 31 New Prague trailed Chatfield the entire match until Nathan Preston scored a pin in 20 seconds at 220 pounds, giving them a 32-27 lead. Chatfield needed a technical fall to force a tie, but came up short as the Trojans hung on to a 32-31 win. The Trojans won just one of the first four matches, a fall by Knutson at 113 pounds, and trailed 15-6.
Griffin Parriott won a battle between two state-ranked wrestlers, 1-0 at 132 pounds, but then the Gophers got that back with a decision at 138 making it 18-9. The teams traded the next four matches, with Morgan Parriott winning a major decision at 145 and Heinz getting a decision at 160. Chatfield had an 11-point lead at 27-16 with four matches left, but the Trojans won the next three. Maruska won a forfeit at 182, then Sirek won a major decision at 195 to set up Preston’s win at 220 that put the Trojans up for good.
Trojans 46, Wolverines 22 After dropping their first match by major decision, the Trojans got a technical fall at 112 pounds from Knutson and never trailed in turning back Sibley East 46-22. Gaige Giles followed Knutson with a pin at 120. Other Trojan wins were by Griffin Parriott (132) by decision, Morgan Parriott (145) by fall, Reinartz (152) by major decision, Heinz (160) by fall, Maruska (182) by fall, Sirek (192) by decision and Lafavor (285) by fall.
Trojans 44, Saints 31 New Prague won five straight matches to build a 32-7 lead, saw it all but disappear as St. Peter scored four straight pins to make it 32-31, then got two final pins to claim a 44-31 win over the Saints.
Winning by fall for the Trojans were Knutson (113), Griffin Parriott (132), Morgan Parriott (145), Preston (220) and Lafavor (285). The Trojans also had major decision from Alek Nelson (126) and Berg (138).
Trojans 70, Bluejays 4 New Prague had no problems against a thin Waseca squad, winning 12 of 13 matches (there was one double- forfeit).
New Prague picked up four forfeit wins, Knutson (112), Nelson (126), Heinz (160) and Pat Zeimet (170). They got pins from Griffin Parriott (132), Berg (138), Morgan Parriott (145), Reinartz (152), Maruska (182), Mitch Gullickson (195) and Lafavor (285). The other winner for New Prague was Sam Reyant (103), who scored a 10-0 major decision.
