Pinning Down Second Spot
The Prior Lake wrestling team pinned down a runner-up finish at the Hutchinson Invitational Jan. 17.
The No. 8-ranked Lakers didn't have its full lineup there, but their four-ranked wrestlers were in action with three of them winning titles - ninth-grader Kenny O'Neil and seniors Rylee Streifel and Alex Hart.
The Lakers finished with 170 team points, 12 back of champion Willmar, ranked No. 5.
Hutchinson was third (160), followed by Jackson County Central (145.5), Watertown-Mayer (129), Atwater-Comos-Grove City (121), Foley (99) and Border West (68.5).
O'Neil, ranked No. 6 at 145 pounds, won the 138-pound crown at the invite, going 3-0. He won title match with an 11-5 decision over Ryker Vanderwoude of Jackson Country Central.
Striefel (No. 2, 220) went 2-0 to win the 220-pound, earning a 7-3 decision over Jake Filk over Hutchinson in the final.
Hart (No. 1 at heavyweight) won both of his matches by fall, pinning Brady Reigstad of Willmar (ranked No. 5) in the final. It was Hart's 70th-career fall. He needs 19 more to pass Brady Johnshoy for all-time Laker mark of 88.
Ninth-grader Theo Smith had the Lakers' other title at the invite, winning the 120-pound division with a 3-0 mark. He earned a 7-2 decision over AJ Schmidt of Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City in the title match.
Ninth-grader Zach Smith (No. 8, 113), took second at 113 pounds with a 2-1 mark, falling 3-2 in the title match Ryan Molinaro of Atwater-Comos-Grove City.
Earning third-place finishes for the Lakers were ninth-grader Curtis LeMair at 106 (3-1, 1 fall)and junior Wyatt Benson at 145 (2-1, 2 falls).
Other place-winners: sophomore Ian O'Connor at 152 (fifth), junior Lucas Pumper at 182 (fifth), sophomore Keaton Kaiserstatt at 160 (sixth) and sophomore Sam Brunkow at 170 (sixth).
Others competing: senior Brady McGinnis at 126 (0-2), ninth-grader Adam Hanson at 132 (0-2) and senior Jesse Miller at 195 (0-2).
The Lakers went into the invite off back-to-back dual wins - 38-27 at Eagan Jan. 15 in South Suburban Conference action and 35-22 at New Prague the next day.
Prior Lake (11-7 overall, 4-2 in the SSC) is back on the mat Jan. 23 for a league dual at Rosemount at 7 p.m. The Lakers will compete in the Kasson-Mantorville Invitational Jan. 24 at 9:30 p.m.
The Lakers' final two SSC duals are Jan. 29 at home versus Lakeville North at No. 12 Lakeville South Feb. 6. Both start at 6 p.m. Prior Lake is also in the Anoka Duals Jan. 31 at 9:30 a.m.
The Section 2AAA team tournament starts Feb. 12 with quarterfinal action, while the semifinals and title match are Feb. 14 at Lakeville South. The Lakers have won the last four section crowns, beating Shakopee in the title each each time.
The No. 3 Sabers will be the No. 1 seed in the section this year with its 42-19 win over the Lakers back on Dec. 5.
Other teams in the field: Lakeville South, Lakeville North, Eden Prairie, Bloomington Kennedy, Chanhassen, Bloomington Jefferson, Edina.