Grapplers take 1st loss, claim title at Tartan Duals

The New Prague Trojan wrestling team had a busy three days of action last week, winning five of six matches and the championship at the Tartan Invitational.

The Trojans (18-1, 2-0 Missota) are ranked No. 4 in Class AA. They will host Glencoe-Silver Lake and Mankato West on Friday, Jan. 25, and compete in a triangular with two stateranked teams - Simley and Shakopee - on Thursday, Jan. 31, at Shakopee.

Northfield triangular Trojans 60, Tigers 17 New Prague won 10 of 14 matches, all by fall or forfeit, in defeating Farmington 60- 17.

Winning by fall were Griffin Parriott (120 pounds), Darick Kvam (132), Steve Kvam (138), Logan Giles (170) and Cody Sirek (220). Winning by forfeit were Morgan Parriott (145), Richard Reinartz (152), Mitch Gullickson (182), Andrew Maruska (195) and Nathan Preston (285).

Trojans 51, Raiders 23 New Prague jumped to a 15-0 lead with falls from Sam Reyant (106) and Griffin Parriott (120) and a decision from Tanner Rutt (113). The Trojans also got falls from Morgan Parriott (145), Reinartz (152), Joe Heinz (160), Sirek (220) and Preston (285), and a forfeit win from Giles (170).

Lakers 34, Trojans 21 It was a showdown between two ranked teams Friday, Jan. 18, as Prior Lake (No. 3, Class AAA) defeated New Prague (No. 4, Class AA) 34-21 at the New Prague gym. It was the first loss of the season for New Prague.

The Lakers got off to a 9-0 win, getting decisions in the first three matches. One of the top matchups featured Griffin Parriott (No. 1 at 126 pounds in Class AA) dropping down a weight to face Tanner Johnsoy (No. 3 at 120 pounds in Class AAA). After a scoreless first period, Johnsoy scored a reversal in the second and added a couple of late back points in the third to win the matchup 4-0.

Berg got the Trojans’ first points with a 7-3 decision, but the Lakers won the next two matches to take a 16-3 lead.

Morgan Parriott (145) and Reinartz (152) put the Trojans back in it with a pair of falls to make it 16-15, but the Lakers won the next four matches to take a 34-15 lead and put the match out of reach.

Sirek and Preston got the final two wins for the Trojans with decisions to make the final 34-21.

“Against Prior Lake, we wrestled with intensity and there were some great individual matches along the way. Most of the matches went as expected,” Coach Greg Tikalsky said. “However there were two that we believed were going to go our way and didn't. Reverse the outcome of those two matches and it is a one-point dual.”

Tartan Invitational New Prague bounced back from its loss to Prior Lake to win three matches and the championship at the Tartan Duals Saturday, Jan. 19, in Oakdale.

Trojans 48, Titans 31 New Prague was never threatened in a 48-31 win over Nashwauk-Keewatin/ Greenway in the first round. New Prague won nine matches, all by fall. Winners were Reyant (106), Knutson (113), Alek Nelson (120), Brennan Hallet (138), Morgan Parriott (145), Maruska (170), Sirek (220) and Preston (285).

Trojans 54, Bengals 24 The Trojans built a 54-12 lead with eight falls and two decisions before forfeiting at the final two weights.

Winning by fall were Reyant (106), Griffin Parriott (120), Berg (126), Darick Kvam (132), Morgan Parriott (145), Heinz (160), Maruska (170) and Gullickson (195). Knutson (113) and Reinartz (152) scored decisions.

Trojans 37, Bulldogs 31 The Trojans won in dramatic fashion in beating Becker (No. 9, class AA) in the championship match.

The Bulldogs won four of the first six matches to take a 15-10 lead. The Trojans wins in the early going came from Griffin Parriott at 120 via decision and Berg at 126 via fall.

Morgan Parriott put the Trojans on top for the first time with a fall at 145, and Reinartz made it 19-15 with a decision.

Becker scored a decision and a fall to regain the lead at 24-19. That, according to Tikalsky, was when the real drama began.

Maruska (182) was down by a score of 10-0 in the second period. He was turned to his back, then rolled through and pinned his opponent, giving the team the lead at 25-24. Sirek wrestled at 195 and pinned his opponent, giving the team a 31-25 lead. Preston was hurt earlier in the day, but with a win on the line he wrestled “on pure adrenaline,” according to Coach Tikalsky and pinned his opponent in 42 seconds to seal the win.

“We told the team this is when you know you are at the next level, when you are able to wrestle a team rated ninth in state and defeat them without two starters. On any given night this season, we have had a different wrestler surface as the hero of the dual. The team has great chemistry has been resilient since Day One,” Tikalsky said.