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Lakers Are Happy To Be Back On The Mat, Competing Again

By Tom Schardin, 01/30/21, 1:00PM CST

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The Prior Lake wrestling team’s three senior captains led the way in the season’s first action on the mat.

Teagan Block, Colton Sund and Cole Edwards combined to win 11 of their 12 total matches as the Lakers went 2-0 at both the Eastview triangular Jan. 16 and the Hopkins triangular Jan. 14.

The Lakers also earned three South Suburban Conference wins at those two competitions in beating Lakeville North, Burnsville and Eastview.

Prior Lake coach Joe Block will take the strong start since the entire month of December was spent away from the wrestling room when Gov. Tim Walz shut down youth and high school sports for six weeks back on Nov. 18.

Prior Lake’s first in-person practice was Jan. 4.

“The kids worked out on their own through December and were itching to get back in the room,” Block said. “The team worked hard to get into shape in the short preseason. It’s a different year in that we only had nine days before our first competition.”

Prior Lake’s season will continue through March 6 when it ends the regular season in an SSC dual at home versus Lakeville South. The Section 2AAA team tournament will follow.

But will the COVID-19 pandemic prevent a state competition from taking place? The Minnesota State High School League will decide that Feb. 4 in its next board of directors meeting.

There were no state competitions for fall sports.

Prior Lake finished 10-6 in duals last year (7-2 in the SSC), falling to Lakeville North in Section 2AAA semifinals.

The Lakers won the Section 2AAA title five straight years from 2011 to 2015. Second-ranked Shakopee has won the last three, including the last two Class 3A state championships.

The Sabers are the only team in Section 2AAA ranked in The Guillotine’s latest rankings.

Prior Lake has two individuals ranked in Teagan Block (No. 8 at 126 pounds) and ninth-grader Alan Koehler (No. 2 at 106). Both Koehler and Block finished third in the Section 2AAA individual tournament last year at 106 and 120 pounds, respectively. The top-two individuals qualify.

Koehler finished last season with 27 wins, while Block had 26.

Senior Billy Trees and Brandon Butler are also back to help the Lakers in the upper weights this winter, while junior Ryan Horesji and sophomores Aiden McGowan and Aidan Gegenheimer will look to contribute in the middle weights.

“We need to keep healthy and make sure we follow protocols, so we can get as many competitions in as possible,” Block said.