The Crookston Pirates ran into two tough opponents and lost to #5 ranked West Central Area 47-26 and lost to Detroit Lakes 59-18 on parents night in a triangular at the Crookston High School gymnasium.
CROOKSTON VS #5 WEST CENTRAL AREA
Crookston started the match with three open weights and knew the match against the #5 ranked West Central Area Knights would be tough even with a full line-up, but they gave it their all and had a competitive match.
Evin Trudeau started the Pirates off with a major decision win 13-4. Trudeau came out strong and slowly built the lead up to 13-4 to get the four points for the team. “That was crucial for us to get off to a good start,” said Pirate Coach Wes Hanson. “Evin came out and was solid. Evin was able to counter the initial attack and countered and was in control the rest of the way.”
Crookston was open at 113-pounds due to illness and trailed 6-4. WCA won at 120-pounds by a pin, the 126-pound match by forfeit, and the 132-pound match by a tech fall in the third period for a 23-4 lead.
At 138-pounds, Carter Coauette got the Pirates back on the winning track with a pin in 45-seconds to bring Crookston within a 23-10 deficit. “It was a good night for Carter,” said Coach Hanson. “He got us some big bonus points and he is wrestling well.”
Crookston was open at 145-pounds due to illness and gave up the six points via forfeit.
Crookston answered with back-to-back wins by decision in two exciting matches. Braxton Volker had a takedown for the only first-period scoring for a 2-0 lead. In the second period, he had another takedown, which was countered by a reversal, and Braxton took a 4-2 lead into the third period. Things opened up in the third period when Volker had a takedown and three back points for a 9-2 lead. Volker gave up a reversal but answered with an escape for a 10-4 lead. In the match’s final seconds, Volker was taken down, but he held on to win 10-6 to bring his team within a 29-13 deficit. The win was Braxton’s 100th of his career. “Hold on he did. It was a big milestone win,” said Coach Hanson. “It was a big win for him and the team.”
The next match was at 170-pounds, with Spencer Ness winning by a major decision. Ness took a 2-0 lead into the second period. In the second, he had a takedown, gave up an escape, and answered with another takedown for a 6-1 lead going into the third period. In the final two minutes, Spencer started with a takedown, gave up an escape, and countered with a reversal for a 10-2 lead, and that is how the match would end. The eight-point victory gave the Pirates a major decision victory and four more points on the scoreboard to get within a 29-17 deficit. “Spencer has been wrestling well for us lately and he is getting his timing right and I am excited to see how things shake out for him.”
WCA won the 170-pound match by pin in the second period and built a 35-17 lead. Crookston answered with a thrilling come-from-behind victory from Hunter Knutson. Hunter trailed 4-0 early but seemed to get stronger as the match went along. Knutson had an escape to get within a 4-1 deficit, and later, he battled back to get within a 6-5 deficit. After he gave up an escape, Hunter had a takedown to tie the match at 7. After he gave up an escape, Hunter responded with a takedown to tie the match at 9. Hunter gave up another escape, had another takedown, took an 11-9 lead late in the third period, and held on to win by the 11-9 score to bring the Pirates within a 35-20 deficit with three matches remaining. “It was a great performance for him trailing early and battled the rest of the way and scored a takedown or two,” said Coach Hanson. “That third period was great wrestling by him.”
Crookston lost by pin at 195-pounds and answered at 220 by moving up Ethan Boll, the #2 ranked wrestler in the state at 195-pounds, to wrestle the #2 ranked wrestler at 220-pounds Colton Lindquist. Once again, Boll dominated as he had an early takedown for a 2-0 lead before catching Lindquist off guard and pinned him 1:11 into the match to bring Crookston within a 41-26 deficit. “That was a matchup wanted to get and he looked good right away,” said Coach Hanson. “Ethan hit a power move and locked it up tight to get the win.” WCA finished the match with a win by pin to win the match by a 47-26 score. “If we had everybody we might have had a chance against a very good team,” said Coach Hanson. “We won some big ones and I thought everybody wrestled well.”
Crookston drops to 13-5 in duals on the year.
# | Crookston-26 | West Central-47 | Win | Results |
106 | Evin Trudeau | Owen Gruchow | Crox | 13-4 |
113 | OPEN | Carter Lohse | WCA | Forfeit |
120 | Lucas Perala | Adam Lohse | WCA | Pin :25 |
126 | OPEN | Mason Richter | WCA | Forfeit |
132 | Casey Weiland | Hunter Gruchow | WCA | TF 4:46 |
138 | Carter Coauette | Shad Swanson | Crox | Pin :45 |
145 | OPEN | Reubens Swanson | WCA | Forfeit |
152 | Braxton Volker | Ezekiel Sieckert | Crox | 10-6 |
160 | Spencer Ness | Jeremy Blascyk | Crox | 10-2 |
170 | Layten Fuentes | Anthony Sykora | WCA | Pin 3:30 |
182 | Hunter Knutson | Beau Robinson | Crox | 11-9 |
195 | Hunter Kresl | Will Rustan | WCA | Pin 5:28 |
220 | Ethan Boll | Colton Lindquist | Crox | Pin 1:11 |
285 | Jesse Sanchez | Justin Blascyk | WCA | Pin 1:11 |
CROOKSTON VS Detroit Lakes-
Crookston started off the match with a win once again with Evin Trudeau coming out strong with a takedown for a 2-0 lead. About a minute later, Trudeau got his opponent on his back and won by a pin in 90-seconds for a 6-0 lead. “Evin got the takedown early and wrestled well,” said Coach Hanson. “He was aggressive and got a nice win to start.”
Detroit Lakes won the next nine matches with three forfeits, three pins, two major decisions, and a decision for a 47-6 lead. “That wasn’t how we drew it up,” said Coach Hanson. “The got some pins and had to big of a lead.”
Crookston snapped the losing streak at 182 pounds with Hunter Knutson getting a win by pin in the second period. Hunter took a 2-0 lead with a takedown into the second period. Knutson got a nice takedown in the second period and had a nice move to get his opponent on his back and got the pin at 2:48 to bring the Pirates within a 47-12 deficit. “Hunter was able to get a takedown early,” said Coach Hanson. “He wrestled a great third period and that was fun to see.”
Detroit Lakes won the match at 195-pounds by pin before Crookston’s Ethan Boll made quick work of his opponent and won by a pin in 43 seconds to bring the Pirates within a 53-18 deficit. “We were a heavy favortie in the match,” said Coach Hanson. “Ethan has a lot pins this year.” In the final match of the evening, Detroit Lakes won the heavyweight match by pin in the second period to win the match 59-18. “We weren’t able to finish shots and all of a sudden they finish and they get in the top position and we get turned,” said Coach Hanson. “We knew they were going to be tough and learned some things tonight.”
Crookston drops to 13-6 in duals on the season.
# | Crookston-18 | Detroit Lakes-59 | Win | Results |
106 | Evin Trudeau | Talan Baker | Crox | Pin 1:30 |
113 | OPEN | Mason Mallory | DL | Forfeit |
120 | Lucas Perala | Leroy LaCrosse | DL | Pin 1:35 |
126 | OPEN | Isaiah Vargas | DL | Forfeit |
132 | Casey Weiland | Cole Weber | DL | 15-6 |
138 | Carter Coauette | Bradly Swiers | DL | 3-1 |
145 | OPEN | Tyson Ullyott | DL | Forfeit |
152 | Braxton Volker | Cade Okeson | DL | 11-2 |
160 | Spencer Ness | Cade Jackson | DL | Pin 1:54 |
170 | Layten Fuentes | Cale Abraham | DL | Pin 3:17 |
182 | Hunter Knutson | Charlie Tok | Crox | Pin 2:48 |
195 | Hunter Kresl | Conner Zamzo | DL | Pin 2:40 |
220 | Ethan Boll | Tynan Simpson | Crox | Pin :43 |
285 | Jesse Sanchez | Jeffrey Moen | DL | Pin 2:17 |