Three WHS wrestlers win at N-YA

The Waseca High School wrestling team eased its way back into the season after the well-deserved winter break. They were one of 10 squads at the Norwood Young America Invitational Saturday, Jan. 7.

It was a great day for three Bluejay wrestlers: Christian Rodriguez, Payton Garza, and Matthew Veroeven. They took first place in their respective weight classes. Lucas Selthun was fourth while Jacob Root took fifth.

Results by weight class:

120: Jacob Knutson lost by technical fall to WEM-JWP’s Carson Petry in 2:11. Ryan Neubarth of Central Public Schools (NYA) pinned Knutson in 2:45 with Maple River-USC’s Brayden Mithun pinning Knutson in 1:36.

132: Peyton Sommers fell to Central’s Ryan Neubarth in 3:15 before falling to Maple River-USC’s Brayden Mithun.

138: Slade Barnett won a 4-1 decision against Paynesville’s Brandon Hess. He lost by fall to Maple River-USC’s Braxton Simon and lost by 5-2 decision to Robbinsdale Armstrong’s Eli Heteen before losing by fall to Central’s Reese Lentsch.

145: Root won 6-4 over Central’s Roman Holland before losing to WEM-JWP’s Lucas Morsching 16-5. Root took a loss 13-6 to Maple River-USC’s Garrett Bollmann. He ended his day against Holland, winning by fall in 3:22.

152: Lucas Conser of Central defeated Eduardo Trejo in a 4-2 decision. Trejo bounced back  with a pin of WEM-JWP’s Patrick Adams in 3:57. Armstrong’s Diego Terriquez pinned Trejo in 58 seconds. Trejo lost by 8-3 decision in the 5th-place match against Maple River-USC’s Chad Shull.

170: Rodriguez won by technical fall against Pipestone’s Xavier Manjoko. He pinned Madelia-Truman’s Logan Slater in 1:42. He won first place by 12-3 major decision against Paynesville’s Aaron Mages.

Selthun also wrestled in this weight class. He lost a 14-2 decision, won a 6-5 decision and was pinned for 3rd place.

182: Carter Ellis lost 7-2, pinned Trevor Imbach of Armstrong in 2:44, and lost 14-3 and 10-4 decision.

195: Garza pinned Pipestone’s Aiden Voss in 1:46. His championship match against St. Clair-Loyla’s Jacob Schimek was cut short as Schimek got injured and forfeited.

220: Matthew Veroeven had a perfect day, pinning Pipestone’s Claudio Wegener in 46 seconds. After pinning Dizel Butler of Maple River-USC in 46 seconds, he defeated Centra’s Lucas Urness by fall in 1:13.

The Waseca wrestling team hosted St. James Thursday, Jan. 12 before traveling to Pipestone the Big South Conference tournament.