Lines takes 2nd at Christmas tourney

The New Prague High School wrestlers competed in the biggest tournament of the regular season last weekend, the Minnesota Christmas Tournament in Rochester.

Thirty-two teams, including some of the top teams in the state, were at the meet. The Trojans tied for 20th with Minneapolis Edison with 73 points.

St. Michael-Albertville won the meet, scoring 183.5 points, well ahead of second place Anoka, which had 146.5. Bismarck, ND, and Wayzata were next.

Rounding out the top 10 were Apple Valley, St. Francis, Scott West, Simley and Eagan.

For the Trojans it was a rough go for most of the squad. Only four of 11 wrestlers placed in the meet.

Caleb Lines was the top Trojan, winning three of four matches at 171 pounds to place second. Lines had a first round bye, then won three straight matches, one with a pin, before losing the championship match to Tyson Wood of Eagan.

Travis Rutt finished fourth at 140 pounds. Rutt won his first two matches then lost a major decision to Jake Deitcher of Anoka. He then came back through the wrestle backs with three more wins to qualify for the third place match. Unfortunately, his opponent was Deitcher and he lost by decision.

Jake Schoenecker also finished fourth for the Trojans at 215 pounds. The senior did it the hard way, getting pinned in his first match and then winning six straight matches, three by pin, before losing the third place match to Sam Maresh of Champlin Park. In that match, Maresh led 6-0, but Schoenecker got things going and came back to within three, losing 10-7.

Eric Olson was the only other Trojan to place, taking seventh at 152 pounds. The senior won his first two matches, then lost in the quarterfinals. He came back to win in the next round before losing an overtime decision. In the seventh place match, he got a decision over Tony Lembeck of Bloomington Kennedy, 4-2.

Only one other Trojan won his first round match. Dustin Bardon scored a pin at 275 pounds over Jake McPherson of Wayzata in 2:29. He lost his next two matches and did not place. The only other Trojan to win a match was Shane Nelson at 130 pounds. He lost his first round match, then won two matches in the consolation bracket before losing again.

The other five Trojans all lost two matches and were quickly eliminated.

The Trojans were in Waseca Tuesday for a three-team meet with Waseca and Montgomery-Lonsdale/Le Center. On Thursday they travel to Dassel-Cokato for a quadrangular with the host Chargers, along with Becker and Rocori.

Minnesota Holiday Classic, Rochester

St. Michael-Albertville 183.5, Anoka 146.5, Albert Lea 133, Bismarck (ND) 128, Wayzata 128, Apple Valley 118.5, St. Francis 112, Scott West 109.5, Simley 107, Eagan 101.5. Pierz 98, Owatonna 97, Spirit Lake (IA) 90.5, Coon Rapids 90, Champlin Park 82.5, Hastings 80, Jackson County Central 78, Waconia/Mayer Lutheran 75.5, Stewartville 75, Minneapolis Edison 73, New Prague 73, Wabasha-Kellogg 57.5, Irondale 57, Cambridge-Isanti 56, Elk River 54, Rochester Mayo 50.5, Lake City 47, Bloomington Kennedy 46.5, Medford 46.5, Windom/ML/BO46, Blaine 34, Higley (AZ) 21.

103 pounds: Aaron Redding: pinned by Olson (Cambridge-Isanti) 1:34; pinned by McCauley (Apple Valley) 1:56. Did not place.

112 pounds: Erick Pendergast lost dec. to Peters (Medford) 7-0; lost dec. to Dvorak (Scott West) 8-4. Did not place.

119 pounds: No entry

125 pounds: Alex Minette lost dec. to Feltis (Stewartville) 9-2; lost maj. Dec. to Stevens (Windom) 10-0. Did not place.

130 pounds: Shane Nelson lost dec. to Roeder (Stewartville) 8-2; dec. Hawkins (Wabasha-Kellogg) 5-2; pinned Brisbois (Blaine) 1:26; lost dec. to Straw (Minneapolis Edison) 5-4. Did not place

135 pounds: Casey Pendergast pinned by Silvas (Windom), pinned by Watrud (Simley) 2:16; Did not place

140 pounds: Travis Rutt: m. dec. Svenby (Medford) 10-2; dec. Hansen (Albert lea) 10-3; lost m. dec. to Deitchler (Anoka) 14-4; dec. Boser (Pierz) 8-3; dec. Crone (Apple Valley) 4-0; dec. Johnson (Bismark, ND) 2-1; lost dec. to Deitchler (Anoka) 8-2. Fourth place

145 pounds: Eric Doran lost m. dec. to Johnson (Anoka) 14-5; pinned by Elzen (Medford) 2:01. Did not place

152 pounds: Eric Olson dec. Bezdicek (Jackson County Central) 9-2; dec. Brilz (Bismark, ND) 9-6; pinned by Treseler (Anoka) 5:25; pinned Kirk (St. Michael-Albertville) 3:49. Lost dec. to Gall (Pierz) 6-1 OT; dec. Lembeck (Bloomington Kennedy) 4-2. Seventh place.

160 pounds: Zack Flicek pinned by Kennebeck (Wabasha-Kellogg) 2:46; pinned by O’Brady (Coon Rapids) 3:31. Did not place

171 pounds: Caleb Lines bye; pinned Quayle (Champlin Park) 4:35; dec. McLaughlin (Apple Valley 11-5; dec. Eischens (Scott West) 3-2; lost dec to Wood (Eagan) 7-0. Second place

189 pounds: No entry

215 pounds: Jake Schoenecker pinned by Schumm (St. Michael-Albertville) 3:50; dec. Butenhoff (Hastings) 5-1; pinned Krautkremer (Scott West) :24; pinned Schweisthal (Owatona) :59; pinned Smith (Anoka) 1:55; m. dec. Robinson (St. Francis) 13-4; dec. Luberts (Pierz) 9-2; lost dec. to Maresh (Champlin Park) 10-7). Fourth place.

275 pounds: Dustin Bardon pinned Fisher (Wayzata) 4:31; pinned by Berhow (Albert lea) :58; pinned by Heidemann (Anoka) 1:29. Did not place.