Wrestlers top Raiders to claim 2nd in Missota

This season the New Prague Trojan wrestling team has made a habit of taking big leads early, only to see them evaporate in the heavier weights.

Thursday, Feb. 3, at Northfield, they tried something different.

The Trojans spotted the Raiders a 14-6 lead, then won five of the final six weights to take a 48-27 win over the host Raiders. New Prague finished their Missota Conference schedule with a 3-1 record, good for second place behind conference champion Shakopee

New Prague (18-8) hosts Hutchinson and Lakeville North in a triangular meet Friday, Feb. 11, at the Trojan gym beginning at 5 p.m. They will begin the Section 2AA team tournament Thursday, Feb. 17, at a site to be determined. The first two rounds will be hosted by the top four seeds. The semifinals and finals will be held Saturday, Feb. 19, at the New Prague High School gym, beginning at 4 p.m.

Trojans 48, Raiders 27

Logan Kass started the Trojans off with a fall at 103 pounds, giving New Prague a 6-0 lead.

But the Raiders won the next three matches, by forfeit, technical fall and decision, to take a 14-6 lead. Morgan Pariott got a pin for New Prague at 130, but Northfield countered with a technical fall to take a 19-12 lead.

New Prague's Keyandre Davis pinned his opponent at 140 pounds to give the Trojans six points, then Patrick Zeimet won by forfeit to put New Prague up 24-19.

A Northfield technical fall at 152 tied the match at 24-24, but after that, it was the Trojan's turn to make a run.

New Prague got three pins in a row, from Alex Mueller (160), Logan Giles (181) and Nathan Preston (189). Preston's win sealed the victory for the Trojans.

After the Raiders got a decision at 215, Brandon Svoboda put the icing on the Trojan win. Trailing 4-1 at 285 pounds, he scored a reversal and turned the move into a pinning combination to take the win.

I told the boys going into the match that in order to win