GIRLS WRESTLING

MSHSL set to expand girls wrestling state tournament; go to 8 competitive sections

Alex VandenHouten — Sat, 07 Jun 2025 21:30:56 GMT

When the MSHSL announced an extra half-day for the state wrestling tournament, many figured it was good news regarding the expansion of the girls portion.

That has now been confirmed.

Starting in 2026, the state wrestling tournament will expand by a half day to accommodate the continued growth of girls wrestling, sources have told the Post Bulletin.

As a result, the girls individual section tournament will now feature eight competitive sections with the top two wrestlers in each weight class advancing to the state tournament, resulting in 16-wrestler brackets per weight class.

For the past three years, there have been four competitive sections, with the top two finishers in each advancing to the state tournament.

But last year saw brackets with simply too many competitors. The Section 1&2 tournament saw multiple brackets with around 30 or even more competitors. This will hopefully solve this problem, while giving deserving athletes the chance to compete at state.

League staff will work this summer to develop schedule options that best support both the team and individual tournaments. Finalized state tournament schedules and section sites will be communicated before the start of the 2025-26 season.

We do know the MSHSL Board of Directors approved to add a Wednesday afternoon competition to expand the state wrestling tournament from three to 3 1/2 days.

A league source has also confirmed the Section 1 and Section 2 girls wrestling tournaments will be held at the Mayo Civic Center this year. The goal is to eventually hold both the boys and the girls on the same weekend, but we are a year or two away from that.

The expanded format marks the second time in league history that the wrestling tournament will span nearly four days. The MSHSL previously used a four-day format from 2007-2010.

Another noteworthy item is that the MSHSL is working on formulating a plan to transition girls wrestling into its own bylaw over the next three years.

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Bemidji girls wrestling hands out seasonal awards

Pioneer Staff Report — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 20:17:08 GMT

BEMIDJI – The 2024-25 season was a good one for the Bemidji High �� girls wrestling team.

The Lumberjacks went 20-2, setting a new single-season best for wins and a fourth-place finish at the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association Tournament.

Twenty Lumberjacks received a varsity letter this season, meeting the criteria of attending at least 80% of team sessions, completing preseason and postseason workouts, meeting the academic standards of BHS and successfully completing “physically and mentally challenging tasks,” according to head coach Rance Bahr.

The Jacks wrapped up their season by dishing out team and individual awards.

BHS was recognized with the Team Gold Academic Award with a 3.69 grade-point average. Bemidji also won the Libson Duals, the Blue Ox Invitational, the Thief River Falls Invitational, the Rick Lee Duals and the Hopkins Invitational.

BHS also recognized Taylor Merschman as a section champion and Maya Schmidt as a section runner-up. Schmidt was also a state runner-up, while Merschman took fourth place in her bracket.

Bahr also announced that youth coaches Jadyn Eichberg and Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm won the Sportsmanship Award for the Northland Youth Wrestling Association.

The following wrestlers received plaques for their efforts during the 2024-25 season:

Kiera Hagman: Most wins (40); Back Down to No One Award Taylor Merschman: Most team points (217); Most near fall points (110); most takedowns (70); Outstanding Sophomore Most falls: Chastity Skerik (28); Outstanding Little Dezi Puffe: Outstanding Junior Emma Richards: Outstanding Freshman Maya Schmidt: Most Outstanding Wrestler (three-time state placewinner and two-time state finalist) Tasha Severson: Most Improved Wrestler KeeKee Goodfellow: Rookie of the Year Synneva Flom: In-Season Dedication Award Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm: Offseason Dedication Award Jackie Matheny: Bemidji Girls Wrestling Appreciation Award

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Lumberjacks send 2 to state; Taylor Merschman captures section championship

Alex Faber — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 22:46:24 GMT

BRAINERD — Taylor Merschman and Maya Schmidt are heading back to state.

The Bemidji High �� girls wrestling team earned two state tournament bids at the Section 7 and 8 Individual Tournament on Saturday, as Merschman captured the 100-pound weight bracket crown and Schmidt came away with second competing at 170.

“It’s great to send them back,” head coach Rance Bahr said. “I’m very proud of the way they wrestled and I’m happy for them. They had a great tournament. They wrestled very, very well. They’re two of the girls that show up for us every weekend and every meet and always give their best effort, so it’s a reward for all the hard work that they’ve put in throughout the year.”

It’ll be back-to-back state tournament appearances for the duo, who both made it to the event a season ago.

“I love that I get to go with Taylor again,” Schmidt said. “Very excited for her.”

“It’s really nice, especially because (Schmidt is) one of the people I look up to, 100%,” Merschman said. “I went to state with her last year and she’s kind of like an older sister, almost, in a way.”

Merschman dominated her bracket.

After opening the tournament with a bye, Merschman pinned all of her remaining opponents in 2:38 or less. She bested Forest Lake’s Taylor Osborn-Lawson in 1:03 and Staples-Motley’s Kana Reese in 1:41 in the second and third rounds, respectively.

Merschman went on to beat Shelby Helmin (Milaca-Faith Christian) by fall (2:38) in the semifinals. She finished off the weekend by pinning Natalee Friedrichs (Sauk Centre/Melrose) in 2:17 in the first-place match.

“I was very confident in myself,” Merschman said. “There’s matches where I get in my head, and I was very confident that I knew how well I’ve trained and how well my coaches have taught me, so it was just confidence going into every match.”

Schmidt also put up a great performance, capturing wins by fall in the second round, the quarterfinals and the semifinals before falling to former teammate Makaya Gotchie of Deer River in the first-place matchup. However, she earned her bid to state by defeating Samantha Zoller (Thief River Falls) by fall in 2:37 in the second-place wrestleback.

It’ll be Schmidt’s third straight time competing at the state tournament. At this point, it’s fair to say she’s quite comfortable at the event.

“I love going to state, it is just the best feeling ever to be going back again,” Schmidt said. “I’m very comfortable (there), I know what to expect and I know how it feels to walk out of that tunnel and see all the people watching me. … I want to reach my 85th win, I think I have two more to go. So if I can get my 85th win and place in the top four, I’d be ecstatic.”

Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka just missed out on a bid to state at 118. After losing to Amanda Nelson of Grand Rapids in the quarterfinals, she stormed back in the consolation bracket, clawing her way into the second-place wrestleback match. She lost to Roseangel Verrett (Monticello) in the contest, ending up in third place.

Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm collected fourth at 112 and Keeari Goodfellow wound up in the same spot at 235. Imrie Mistic (136) and Chasity Skerik (142) both earned fifth in their respective weight classes.

“It was incredibly, incredibly competitive today, with Section 7 and 8 paired, and there was a lot of parity,” Bahr said. “We wrestled really, really well. … We wrestled a lot of full, six-minute, competitive matches and were behind in some matches and found opportunities and ways to finish those matches.

“So that’s what I told the girls at the end of the tournament. We all sat down, like things may not have turned out exactly how we wanted them to turn out as far as getting to the state tournament, but that’s not because of any lack of effort or any lack of commitment on their part. They wrestled so well and I was so impressed with them, just with their grit and their determination all weekend long.”

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Lumberjacks sweep competition at Willmar Invite

Pioneer Staff Report — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 06:16:45 GMT

WILLMAR — The Bemidji High �� girls wrestling team came back from Thursday night’s Willmar Invite with a couple more wins under its belt.

The Lumberjacks defeated Willmar 56-12 and Waconia 51-15, with a number of wrestlers ending the day undefeated.

Taylor Merschman went 2-0 competing in the 106-pound weight class, pinning Willmar’s Nicole Valladeres in 1:24 and Waconia’s Jaidee Goehring in 2:01. Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka picked up a 3-0 win by decision over Selah Martinez of Willmar at 118 and grabbed another victory at 124 by pinning Isabella Woitas of Waconia in 42 seconds.

At 130, Jadyn Eichberg beat Lisa Resendez (Willmar) by fall in 2:03 and Isabella Moyer (Waconia) by fall in 3:33. Chasity Skerik (142) also pinned both of her opponents, besting Zaidy Vega (Willmar) in 4:19 and Mia Tiller (Waconia) in 4:37.

Tasha Severson grabbed a win by fall over Itzabella Ciriaco-Mares (Willmar) in 2:49 at 170 and pinned Yasmin Duarte Perez (Waconia) in 3:54 at 155. Maya Schmidt (190) earned both her wins by fall too, pinning Jennifer Pineda (Willmar) in 36 seconds and Bentile Jackson (Waconia) in 2:01.

Imrie Mistic went 2-0 as well, picking up both her wins by forfeit. Keeari Goodfellow and McKenzie Ghinter each went 1–0 competing at 235. Both wins came by forfeit.

A handful of Jacks ended up with at least one win on the day.

Emma Richards (100) pinned Brynn Streff (Willmar) in 35 seconds and lost to Breslyn Kirkpatrick (Waconia) by fall in 4:02. Tahliya Little (112) also posted a 1-1 record, defeating Nadia Lopez-Berg by a 17-2 technical fall and losing by a 8-5 decision to Veronika Woitas (Waconia).

At 136, Annabella Wuori won by a 9-3 decision over Anastasia Long and fell to Norah Nesges (Willmar) by fall in 4:24.

Bemidji 56, Willmar 12

100: Emma Richards (BHS) over Brynn Streff, Fall 0:35

106: Taylor Merschman (BHS) over Nicole Valladeres, Fall 1:24

112: Tahliya Little (BHS) over Nadia Lopez-Berg, TF 17-2

118: Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka (BHS) over Selah Martinez, Dec 3-0

124: Paulina Carlson (WHS) over Amber Kremper, Fall 6:43

130: Jadyn Eichberg (BHS) over Lisa Resendez, Fall 2:03

136: Norah Nesges (WHS) over Annabelle Wuori, Fall 4:24

142: Chasity Skerik (BHS) over Zaidy Vega, Fall 4:19

148: Imrie Mistic (BHS) by forfeit

155: Double forfeit

170: Tasha Severson (BHS) over Itzabella Ciriaco-Mares, Fall 2:49

190: Maya Schmidt (BHS) over Jennifer Pineda, Fall 0:36

235: Keeari Goodfellow (BHS) by forfeit

Bemidji 51, Waconia 15

100: Breslyn Kirkpatrick (WHS) over Emma Richards, Fall 4:02

106: Taylor Merschman (BHS) over Jaidee Goehring, Fall 2:01

112: Veronika Woitas (WHS) over Tahliya Little, Dec 85

118: Sophia Turbett (WHS) over Synneva Flom, Fall 1:08

124: Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka (BHS) over Isabella Woitas, Fall 0:42

130: Jadyn Eichberg (BS) over Isabella Moyer, Fall 3:33

136: Annabelle Wuori (BHS) over Anastasia Long, Dec 9-3

142: Chasity Skerik (BHS) over Mia Tiller, Fall 4:37

148: Imrie Mistic (BHS) by forfeit

155: Tasha Severson (BHS) over Yasmin Duarte Perez, Fall 3:54

170: Double forfeit

190: Maya Schmidt (BHS) over Bentile Jackson, 2:01

235: McKenzie Ghinter (BHS) by forfeit

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Lumberjacks finish 4th at 1st-ever MWCA MN Girls Dual State Championship

Pioneer Staff Report — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 03:20:02 GMT

ST. MICHAEL — Sixteen of the best high school girls wrestling teams in Minnesota made their way to St. Michael-Albertville High �� on Saturday morning to compete in a brand new event.

The Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association put on the first-ever Girls Wrestling Dual Team State Championships, inviting teams from across the state to compete.

Naturally, Bemidji got an invite.

The Lumberjacks placed fourth at the inaugural event, defeating Hopkins 60-10 in the first round and besting Pine Island 48-25 in the quarterfinals.

Forest Lake, the eventual champions of the event, handed Bemidji a 45-21 loss in the quarterfinals. In the third-place match, the Jacks fell to Hastings by a score of 43-25.

Tahliya Little went 3-0 competing in the 106-pound weight class. After collecting a forfeit against Hopkins, she pinned Pine Island’s Laurel Rezac in 54 seconds and Hastings’ Kira Poellinger in 55.

Maya Schmidt (170) also collected three victories, grabbing a forfeit against Pine Island and win by falls over Emma Onbasi of Hopkins (1:47) and Alexis Fahey of Forest Lake (1:18).

BHS had multiple wrestlers collect at least two wins on the day. Emma Richards (100) earned both of her wins with quick falls, pinning Daniela Java Lara (Hokpins) in 27 seconds and Taylor Osborn-Lawson (Forest Lake) in 21.

Taylor Merschman (100) also came away with a pair of pins, beating Samantha Allen (Hastings) in 1:33 and Addi Poncelet (Pine Island) in 3:30.

Competing at 155, Tasha Severson defeated both her opponents by fall. She pinned Xanthippi Malagardi (Pine Island) in 2:32 and Savana Stans (Forest Lake) in 1:11.

Dezi Puffe opened the day with a win by fall in 3:30 over Raya Koski (Hopkins) and closed it by pinning Leighton Robinson (Hastings) in 2:59 in the third-place match.

Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka tallied both of her victories by close decisions. In the opening round, she won by a 5-4 decision over Bella Estrada (Hopkins), and in the semifinals she defeated Anna Ruka (Forest Lake) by a 5-3 decision.

Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm (112) picked up a forfeit in the opening round before pinning Pine Island’s Sophia Cluever in 1:02 in the quarterfinal. Keeari Goodfellow (235) also grabbed one of her two wins with a forfeit, picking up the other by pinning Maddy Radspinner of Hastings in 1:38.

Like the two previously mentioned wrestlers, Chasity Skerik (148) nabbed a win by forfeit and a win by fall, besting Alice Nyberg of Hopkins in round one in 37 seconds.

Bemidji 60, Hopkins 10

100: Emma Richards (BHS) over Daniela Java Lara, Fall 0:27

106: Tahliya Little (BHS) by forfeit.

112: Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm (BHS) by forfeit.

118: Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka (BHS) over Bella Estrada, Dec 5-4

124: Amber Kremper (BHS) over Julia Sandok, Dec 15-8

130: Dezi Puffe (BHS) over Raya Koski, Fall 3:30

136: Annabelle Wuori (BHS) over Charlotte Plocharski, Fall 3:07

142: Imrie Mistic (BHS) over Elleana Higbee, Fall 0:26

148: Chasity Skerik (BHS) over Alice Nyberg, Fall 0:37

155: Anna Jaeger (HHS) over Tasha Severson, MD 14-3

170: Jezebel Jamison (HHS) by forfeit.

190: Maya Schmidt (BHS) over Emma Onbasi, Fall 1:47

235: McKenzie Ghinter (BHS) over Jannie Sanchez Espinosa, Fall 0:37

Bemidji 48, Pine Island 25

100: Taylor Merschman (BHS) over Addi Poncelet, Fall 3:30

106: Tahliya Little (BHS) over Laurel Rezac, Fall 0:54

112: Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm (BHS) over Sophia Cluever, Fall 1:02

118: Caroline Sems (PI) over Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka, MD 9-1

124: Lauren Elsmore (PI) over Dezi Puffe, Fall 0:28

130: Madilyn Grabau (PI) over Jadyn Eichberg, SV-1 11-4

136: Mallory Mohlke (PI) over Imrie Mistic, Fall 3:19

142: Patricia Tooker (BHS) over Toluca Tellaeche-Ramirez, Fall 1:34

148: Chasity Skerik (BHS) by forfeit

155: Tasha Severson (BHS) over Xanthippi Malagardi, Fall 2:32

170: Maya Schmidt (BHS) by forfeit

190: Abigail Diderrich (PI) by forfeit

235: Keeari Goodfellow (BHS) by forfeit

Forest Lake 45, Bemidji 21

100: Emma Richards (BHS) over Taylor Osborn-Lawson, Fall 0:21

106: Annica Blasko (FL) over Taylor Merschman, Dec 14-11

112: Remington Jurkovich (FL) over Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm, Fall 1:28

118: Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka (BHS) over Anna Ruka, Dec 5-3

124: Aliyah Robbins (FL) over Dezi Puffe, Dec 8-5

130: Breana Steven (FL) over Annabelle Wuori, Fall 3:50

136: Jamie Peterson (FL) over Jadyn Eichberg, MD 10-0

142: Nas Jarae White (FL) over Imrie Mistic, Fall 1:25

148: Bella Carlson (FL) over Chasity Skerik, TF 16-1

155: Tasha Severson (BHS) over Savana Stans, Fall 1:11

170: Maya Schmidt (BHS) over Alexis Fahey, Fall 1:18

190: Aliya Garcia (FL) by forfeit.

235: Ariana Thorud (FL) over Keeari Goodfellow, Fall 3:47

Hastings 43, Bemidji 24

100: Taylor Merschman (BHS) over Samantha Allen, Fall 1:33

106: Tahliya Little (BHS) over Kira Poellinger, Fall 0:55

112: Allison Weinzettel (HHS) over Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm, Dec 12-7

118: Ellie Levine (HHS) over Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka, Dec 7-0

124: Dezi Puffe (BHS) over Leighton Robinson, Fall 2:59

130: Olivia Levine (HHS) over Jadyn Eichberg, Dec 9-2

136: Audrianna Dahlberg (HHS) over Annabelle Wuori, Fall 2:21

142: Cashawn Brooks (HHS) over Imrie Mistic, Fall 3:12

148: Josie Giangiacomo (HHS) over Chasity Skerik, MD 14-1

155: Lily Watts (HHS) over Tasha Severson, Fall 3:34

170: Amelia Miller (HHS) over Maya Schmidt, Fall 0:48

190: Avery Levine (HHS) by forfeit.

235: Keeari Goodfellow (BHS) over Maddy Radspinner, Fall 1:38

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Lumberjacks finish 1st at National Guard Prowler Invite

Pioneer Staff Report — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 04:43:11 GMT

THIEF RIVER FALLS – One week removed from multiple first place individual finishes and a first-place finish in team duals at the Rick Lee Invitational, the Lumberjacks have already put together another impressive performance at an invite.

The Bemidji High �� girls wrestling team collected 197 team points to finish first at the Minnesota Army National Guard Prowler Invite in Thief River Falls Friday night, boasting a collection of individual top-end finishes across the weight classes.

A quartet of Jacks finished atop their respective weight classes at the invite. Taylor Merschman earned first competing in the 100-pound weight class, defeating Hibbing’s Meladina Jeffries by technical fall in the third round of the tournament.

At 106, Jillian Gunderson captured first by pinning Mari Jordahl (Minnewaska) in 1:25 in the second round and Wienday Suralta (Hibbing) in 0:48 in the third.

Maya Schmidt bested Samantha Zoller of Thief River Falls in the first-place match by a 7-2 decision to come away with the 170-pound crown.

Keeari Goodfellow finished atop the 235-pound weight class, pinning Willow Horack (Nashwauk-Keewatin/Greenway) in 2:19 in the first-place match. McKenzie Ghinter placed third in the same weight class, defeating Rachel Weiss of Park Rapids by fall in 3:17 in the third-place match.

Beyond the first-place finishers, Bemidj also had a trio of wrestlers notch second.

Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm earned second competing at 112, notching a technical fall over Ava Powers (Hibbing) in the quarterfinals and pinning Sophie Johnson (United North Central) in 3:35 before losing in the first-place match by a 8-7 decision.

Mateya Mistic placed fifth in the same weight class, defeating Powers by fall in 2:51 in the fifth-place matchup.

Dezi Puffe ended up in second place at 130. After a bye in the quarterfinals, she pinned Ottertail Central’s Grace Thorpe in 1:56 and went on to lose by fall in the first-place match.

Chasity Skerik ended up in second place at 142, pinning Gabrielle Zoller (Thief River Falls) in 3:53 and Kate Pierce (Hibbing) in 1:54 through the first two rounds before losing by technical fall in round three.

Amber Kremper (118), Ella Leffleman (124), Annabelle Wuori (130), Imrie Mistic (136) and Patricia Tooker (148) earned fourth-place finishes in their respective weight classes.

Jadyn Eichberg wound up in fifth place at 136, defeating Alyssa Witt (Ottertail Central) in the fifth-place match by fall in 0:59.

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Young wrestlers shine as 3 Lumberjacks claim gold at Rick Lee Invitational

Alex Faber — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 03:55:15 GMT

BEMIDJI – Like father, like daughter.

The Bemidji High �� boys wrestling team’s head coach, Greg Skerik, hit 50 wins while competing for the Jacks before he was even in high school.

Saturday afternoon, his daughter did the same.

Eight-grader Chasity Skerik eclipsed 50 wins in just her second year on Bemidji’s varsity team, picking up her milestone victory in the individual portion of the Rick Lee Invitational.

“It was really fun to share that with my dad,” Skerik said. “He was so happy. .. He’s the person that got me into wrestling.”

However, that 50-win milestone wasn’t even Skerik’s most impressive feat of the weekend.

The eighth-grader took home gold for the Lumberjacks in the 142-pound weight class, pinning Sauk Centre/Melrose’s Monika Frericks in 3:45 in the first-place match.

“She’s an eighth grader and she just won a high school varsity tournament, so I think that speaks volumes of itself,” head coach Rance Bahr said. “She’s a great individual, she’s a great person, she works hard, she’s got a good attitude, so it’s good to see things go well for her and others because she’s very deserving of that.”

Skerik secured each of her wins by fall, starting out the day by knocking Hibbing's Allison Perkins out of the first round in 39 seconds. She went on to pin Favour Kulu of Sartell in 1:54, then bested Annandale-Maple Lake’s Addison Kramer in 1:27 to reach the championship match.

“It feels really good,” Skerik said. “It was really to put it together at a home event, just being at home, having family and friends that came to watch. … That was my one goal this weekend, just go out there and wrestle hard.”

Considering her youth, Skerik seems to have a bright future with BHS ahead of her. For now, though, she’s keeping her goals simple.

“My one big goal for this season is just to be on the section team,” Skerik said. “Just wrestle hard at sections, and wrestle hard the rest of the year.”

Skerik was one of three BHS wrestlers to finish the day at the top of their weight class. All three first-place finishes came courtesy of wrestlers in their sophomore year or younger.

“A lot of the younger girls are stepping up and doing very well,” Bahr said. “We have a lot of the eighth, ninth-grade, 10th-grade girls who did really well. Over on the JV side, I think we had six girls in the finals right in a row on the jv side that wrestled a great tournament and are ready and prepared to step into varsity roles when that time comes.”

A fellow middle schooler, Keeari Goodfellow, took home first place at 235. After a bye in the opening round, Goodfellow pinned fellow Lumberjack McKenzie Ghinter in 21 seconds to make it to the championship match, where she pinned Willow Horack of Nash-Kee-Greenway in 1:57.

Sophomore Taylor Merschman survived the 100-pound weight class to capture Bemidji’s third first-place finish of the day. Her first victory was by fall, beating Staples-Motley’s Kana Reese in 3:04.

In the quarterfinals, Merschman knocked off Teagan Earley of Zimmerman with a 19-11 major decision. She pinned Natalee Friedrichs (Sauk Centre/Melrose) in 4:31 and, in the championship bout, topped Kayla Pastika (Owatonna) by fall in 2:36.

“I went down a weight class, so this (was) like a big opportunity for me to show where I am,” Merschman said. “It’s really relieving, especially from my last tournament where I didn’t place as high as I would like to. It’s really rewarding.”

Beyond the trio of young wrestlers who came away with top finishes, the Jacks had five wrestlers who earned top-five finishes in their respective weight classes.

“(It’s) just a continuation of what we had going on Friday, and honestly, what we’ve had going on probably since winter break when we went to Lisbon,” Bahr said. “They just kind of started hitting their stride right around Christmas break and they’re really clicking right now, doing a really nice job working on things that come up in tournaments that we need to fix and they’re doing a good job of focusing on that and making those corrections.”

“As a team I think it’s a lot of support,” Merschman said. “We’re always on the mat. We’re always standing when it’s the end of a period, we’re always all together. Support is a big thing, especially in a sport where it’s a lot of mental stuff.”

Maya Schmidt earned her way to the 190-pound weight class championship by pinning Roseau’s Morgan Skoien in 1:47. She lost a tightly-contested overtime bout to Nevaeh Buffett (Lisbon) 3-2 and ended the afternoon in second place.

Kieria Hagman-Nyagaka made it to the 118 semifinals with a 3:50 win by fall over Maija Aho (United North Central) and a 14-10 decision over Leila Reid (South Saint Paul). After losing to Abby Gindele (A-ML) by 16-0 technical fall, Hagman-Nyagaka collected a third-place finish by besting Myah Held (Pierz) by fall in 1:25.

Ghinter, who lost to Goodfellow at 235, went on to pin Cheyenne Wergin in the consolation bracket (Badger-Greenbush-Middle River) in 1:39 before falling to Ella Sad (Lisbon) by fall in 0:38. Ghinter ended up in fourth place.

Wrestling at 112, Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm wound up in fifth, defeating Trinity Smaker by 17-0 technical fall in her final match of the meet. En route to the fifth-place matchup, Fredriksen-Holm defeated Peyton Walberg (A-ML) by 15-0 technical fall and pinned Sophie Johnson (UNC) in 3:38 in the consolation bracket.

Dezi Puffe (130) placed sixth, besting Moorhead’s Layla Counts in the consolation bracket before falling to Sauk Center/Melrose’s Georgia Anderson in the fifth-place bout.

Much like Friday’s duals, Saturday’s individual matches offered the Jacks some ever-important experience, especially when the postseason arrives.

“This is a huge tournament, there’s people everywhere, there’s 10 mats,” Bahr said. “It’s more of an experience like what we might see at the section tournament, what we might see at the state tournament. So it’s important to get those reps in and get that practice in so that we’re prepared for that moment when it comes.”

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Accolades aplenty as Lumberjacks win Rick Lee duals; Dezi Puffe hits 60 wins

Alex Faber — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 05:37:23 GMT

BEMIDJI – Dezi Puffe hit 50 wins back in December in Lisbon, N.D. The only problem? She didn’t know she reached the milestone.

When the Bemidji High �� girls wrestling team took to the mats Friday evening at the Sanford Center on the opening day of the Rick Lee Invitational, the junior came prepared to celebrate a different milestone.

“I didn’t know because I just wasn’t paying attention to my stats,” Puffe said. “My mom was like, ‘Well, you’re at 58, so get two and I’ll make you a sign,’ so we just celebrated my 60th today.”

Sure enough, after a forfeit against Wadena-Deer Creek, Puffe reached 50 by pinning Sauk Centre-Melrose’s Taya Gysberg in 43 seconds at 130 pounds, hoisting her handcrafted, axe-shaped sign spelling out her accomplishment.

She picked up one more win against South Saint Paul to wrap up the night, besting Harmmony Quevedo-Marquez with a 1:53 fall.

“That’s always great when the girls hit some milestones like that and they’re pretty excited about that,” head coach Rance Bahr said. “It's just kind of a way to demonstrate and show how much hard work they put in and how much effort they put in to get to those milestones. So that’s a great thing for her and for all of our program.”

It’s been a long road for Puffe. Sitting behind a host of talented wrestlers, she spent her freshman year on junior varsity up until the very end of the season, when she was thrust into sections due to an injury.

“It was really heartbreaking because I lost all of my matches,” Puffe said. “But it was a great experience, I’m very thankful for the opportunity every day.”

A season later, injuries struck again and Puffe found herself back in the lineup with another opportunity. Though she initially questioned her ability to fill the shoes of an elite wrestler like Tori Bahr, Puffe performed admirably in the role while also gathering some essential on-the-mat experiences.

“I thought I did exceptional, but I always felt like I could not fill (Tori’s) shoes because she was just so good,” Puffe said. “She was just really good, and she was like my role model. I never thought I’d be able to be as good as her, but I thank her every day for being my practice partner.”

Now, as a junior, Puffe has become a team captain and an important piece of a Bemidji squad currently ranked third in the state.

“I just feel really accomplished,” Puffe said. “I never thought that I would be as good as I am, just because I faced a lot of adversity. … I know what it’s like to be on JV for the longest time and I know what it’s like to have to put in the work and not be naturally good at stuff. I know what it’s like to just go in, work, work, work, work and give 100%, 24/7.”

That road to her current spot on the lineup has lent her some real credibility as one of the Lumberjacks’ leaders in the locker room. Guiding her team in pregame warmups, offering motivation, etc. – if there’s a chance to support her teammates, she’s there.

“She’s a vocal leader, she’s always there to support everybody,” Bahr said. “That’s one of her biggest strengths, she’s a supporter of everyone and she wants to see everyone do well. We’ve got a lot of leaders on the girls team, a lot of people who step up and do those very same things and a lot of it is seeing upperclassmen like Dezi Puffe, or Kiera (Hagman-Nyagaka), or Maya Schmidt do those things.”

A first-place finish and more milestones

Puffe’s milestone was just one of many accolades notched by the Lumberjacks Friday night at the Rick Lee. As a team, Bemidij finished first among the eight teams participating in the dual tournament.

BHS defeated Waden-Deer Creek 60-14, Sauk Centre/Melrose 51-24 and South Saint Paul 61-12.

“We wrestled well all day long,” Bahr said. “The biggest thing for me was seeing girls in situations (where) there was a lot of adversity and a lot of difficulty and they just kept pushing their way through it. So win or lose, didn’t really matter, the fact that the girls just kept going and going and didn’t back down to anyone or any situation.”

The Jacks also had a pair of eighth-graders tally their first varsity wins at the event. McKenzie Ghinter (235) pinned the Packers’ Jocelyne Romero Chavez in 2:26, while Patricia Tooker (148) bested the Wolverines’ Cameron Reyes by fall in 1:41.

Yet another milestone for Bemidji came courtesy of Maya Schmidt, who secured her 50th career pin at Rick Lee competing in the 190-pound weight class.

Schmidt was just one of seven Lumberjacks that came away from Friday without a loss. Taylor Merschman (106 pounds), Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm (112), Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka (118, 124), Puffe, Chasity Skerik (148, 155) and Natasha Severson (170) all wrapped up day one of the Rick Lee with a goose egg in the loss column, though a few picked up some free forfeit wins.

“(We were) just pushing through and giving it our all,” Puffe said. “Just trying to go a full six minutes, and even if we got caught in the last 10 seconds, it’s an accomplishment from our first few duels, because giving up pins is a lot of points, and it really just sets us back.”

Emma Richards (100), Amber Kremper (106), Tooker and Ghinter also impressed, each winding up with a 2-1 record through the three duals.

With the team portion of the Rick Lee wrapped up, the Lumberjacks will head back to the Sanford Center on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. for the individual portion of the invite.

Bemidji 60, Wadena-Deer Creek 14

100: Emma Richards (BHS) by forfeit

106: Taylor Merschman (BHS) by forfeit

112: Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm (BHS) over Maria Januszewski, Fall 0:24

118: Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka (BHS) by forfeit

124: Kayle Endres (WDC) over Amber Kremper, Fall 1:24

130: Dezi Puffe (BHS) by forfeit.

136: Addison Hillukka (WDC) over Jadyn Eichberg, 17-1

142: McKenna Brauch (WDC) over Imrie Mistic, Dec. 8-1

148: Patricia Tooker (BHS) over Cameron Reyes, Fall 1:41

155: Chasity Skerik (BHS) over Chloe Hammes, Fall 2:40

170: Natasha Severson (BHS) by forfeit.

190: Maya Schmidt (BHS) over Ella Wegscheid, Fall 2:46

235: McKenzie Ghinter (BHS) by forfeit.

Bemidji 51, Sauk Centre-Melrose 24

100: Emma Richards (BHS) over Egma Lopez Ajtun, Fall 1:05

106: Taylor Merschman (BHS) over Natalee Friedrichs, Fall 1:47

112: Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm (BHS) over Lesley Chavez Ramirez, Fall 0:32

118: Amber Kremper (BHS) over Brooklyn Budeau, Fall 5:00

124: Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka (BHS) over Afton Vogt, Dec. 4-1

130: Georgia Anderson (SCM) over Annabelle Wuori, Fall 5:48

136: Dezi Puffe (BHS) over Taya Gysberg, Fall 0:43

142: Monika Frericks (SCM) over Jadyn Eichberg, Fall 3:51

148: Chasity Skerik (BHS) over Marley Wolbeck, Fall 0:53

155: Kalli Schirmers (SCM) over Patricia Tooker, Fall 0:44

170: Natasha Severson (BHS) by forfeit

190: Maya Schmidt (BHS) over Krista Klasen, Fall 2:50

235: Makenzi Stutzman (SCM) over McKenzie Ghinter, Fall 2:36

Bemidji 61, South Saint Paul 12

100: Zeo Roddis (SSP) over Emma Richards, Fall 1:48

106: Taylor Merschman (BHS) over Briana Martinez, Fall 1:30

112: Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm (BHS) over Vivian Diaz, Fall 1:23

118: Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka (BHS) over Leila Reid, Dec. 12-5

124: Amber Kremper (BHS) over Samantha Frasl, MD 15-6

130: Dezi Puffe (BHS) over Harmmony Quevedo-Marquez, Fall 1:53

136: Jadyn Eichberg (BHS) over Amy Madigan, Fall 2:10

142: Hailey Jackson (SSP) over Imrie Mistic, Fall 2:00

148: Chasity Skerik (BHS) over Xitllali Bugarin Brito, Fall 2:42

155: Patricia Tooker by forfeit

170: Natasha Severson (BHS) by forfeit

190: Maya Schmidt (BHS) by forfeit

235: McKenzie Ghinter (BHS) over Jocelyne Romero Chavez, Fall 2:26

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Bemidji boys, girls wrestlers hit the mats at Rumble on the Red tournament

Pioneer Staff Report — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 06:38:56 GMT

FARGO, N.D. – Rumble on the Red is one of the most prestigious high school wrestling tournaments in the country.

The FargoDome hosted 70 boys wrestling teams and 65 girls teams on Thursday and Friday. The Bemidji girls finished in eighth place with 125.5 points, better than any other Minnesotan program. The boys took 12th place with 83 points.

A handful of Lumberjacks recorded top-seven finishes in their individual brackets.

Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka took fourth place at 118 pounds with a record of 5-2. Hagman-Nyagaka won her first four matches before being bounced to the consolation bracket. She took on Pembina County North’s Dannika Bennett in the third-place match and lost by fall.

Taylor Merschman also took fourth place at 106 pounds. Merschman lost in her championship bracket quarterfinals before making a run to the third-place match in the consolation bracket. Merschman was bested by Minot’s Monica Boakye by sudden victory.

Emma Richards was the third and final place-winner for the BHS girls She took sixth at 100 pounds. Richards won her first three matches before falling to the fifth-place match in the consolation bracket. Richards lost by fall against Bria Brossart of Rugby.

Other Jacks finished .500 or better despite not taking home hardware. Dezi Puffe went 4-2 at 130 pounds, while Tahliya Little (112 pounds), Makaya Gotchie (170) and Maya Schmidt (170) each went 3-2. Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm (112), Annabell Wuroi (130), Jadyn Eichberg (136), Chastity Skerik (142) and Keeari Goodfellow (250) all went 2-2.

Three Bemidji boys placed at Rumble on the Red.

Nick Strand matched the top finish of any Lumberjack, taking fourth place at 145 pounds. Strand won his first three matches before entering the consolation bracket. He beat Delano’s Tate Olson by fall before losing to Willmar’s Cavin Carlson in a 6-2 decision.

Alec Newby took fifth place at 160. After a 2-0 start, Newby lost by a 4-0 decision against Mounds View’s Colton Loween. Newby battled his way to a fifth-place match win over Williston’s Tyson Rice in a 12-6 decision.

Nehemia Schwinghammer claimed seventh place at heavyweight. After losing his first match, Schwinghammer won three straight in the consolation bracket. He ended up beating United North Central’s Kevin Dailey by a 14-5 major decision in the seventh-place match.

Gabe Morin (127) was the only other Lumberjack to finish above .500. He went 3-2 but did not place. Oscar Hanks (107) and Casey Sisneros (127) each went 2-2.

Boys Team Results (Top 10)

1-Creighton Prep 193; 2-Mounds View 191.5; 3-Aberdeen Central 135.5; 4-Grand Rapids 125; 5-Bismarck Legacy 124.5; 6-Holdingford 123.5; 7-Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 106.5; 8-Albert Lea 103.5; 9-Bismarck 102.5; 10-Willmar 101.5; 12-Bemidji 83.

Girls Team Results (Top 10)

1-Bismarck Legacy 197; 2-Bismarck 190.5; 3-Minot 172.5; 4-Grand Forks 144; 5-Mandan 144; 6-Dickinson 138.5; 7-West Fargo United 127; 8-Bemidji 125.5; 9-Aberdeen Central 116; 10-Pembina County North 115.5.

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Jacks sweep Lisbon duals, knock off nationally-ranked Bismarck squad

Pioneer Staff Report — Sat, 28 Dec 2024 20:54:56 GMT

LISBON, N.D. – Five of the six Bemidji High �� girls wrestling contests in Lisbon, N.D., were decisive wins for the Lumberjacks, but one match posed their toughest challenge this season so far.

BHS squared off against Bismark in the Lisbon duals on Saturday. It was a bout that capped a six-match weekend for the Jacks.

Bismarck entered as North Dakota’s top-ranked team and held a No. 36 ranking nationally.

But the Jacks don’t care about your ranking.

Bemidji, who is receiving votes in the same poll, knocked off Bismarck 40-36 to cap a 6-0 weekend.

The Lumberjacks began the match ahead 23-0 with wins from Emma Richards (100 pounds), Taylor Merschman (106), Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm (112) and Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka (118). Bismarck won three of the next four matches to cut the deficit to 29-18 before Chastity Skerik beat Adriana Turner by technical fall (15-0) at 148 pounds.

Bismarck won its next six matches. Danica Shorey won at 155 by forfeit before Julia Araujo and Cambree Anderson pinned Maka Gotchie (170) and Maya Schmidt (190), respectively.

Trailing 36-34, the Jacks won the final match of the day at heavyweight. Keeari Goodfellow moved to 21-0 by pinning Sheena Locke in 29 seconds.

The Jacks’ other five matches weren’t close. They beat Moorhead 66-9, Williston 59-17, Mandan 54-18, Lisbon 63-6 and West Fargo United 64-12.

Goodfellow, Skerik and Hagman-Nyagaka were the lone Bemidji wrestlers with unblemished records in Lisbon. Goodfellow went 6-0, while Skerik and Hagman-Nyagaka went 5-1.

Richards, Schmidt, Fredriksen-Holm, Amber Kremper (124), Dezi Puffe (136) and Jadyn Eichberg (142) each went 5-1.

Bemidji 66, Moorhead 9

100: Emma Richards (BHS) over Samantha Hanson, Fall 1:04

106: Tia Kanneh (MHD) over Taylor Merschman, SV 6-3

112: Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm (BHS) over Marley Marts, Fall 1:08

118: Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka (BHS) over Dulce Arpero, Fall 0:44

124: Amber Kremper (BHS) over Ariana Vargas, Fall 1:47

130: Annabelle Wuori (BHS) over Layla Counts, Fall 1:34

136: Dezi Puffe (BHS) over Hazel Anderson, Fall 4:50

142: Jadyn Eichberg (BHS) over Ava Hughes, Fall 3:40

148: Chastity Skerik (BHS) over Brooke Fritel, Fall 2:56

155: Lydia Wichmann (MHD) by forfeit

170: Makaya Gotchie (BHS) over Kaylee Peterson, Fall 1:06

190: Maya Schmidt (BHS) over Kloie De La Garza, Fall 0:34

235: Keeari Goodfellow (BHS) by forfeit

Bemidji 59, Williston 17

100: Emma Richards (BHS) over Maci Brouillette, Fall 0:50

106: Taylor Merschman (BHS) by forfeit

112: Taylor Brouillette (WIL) over Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm, TF 17-2

118: Amber Kremper (BHS) by forfeit

124: Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka (BHS) over Madison Millage, TF 17-2

130: Audrey Tofte (WIL) over Annabelle Wuori, Fall 5:00

136: Dezi Puffe (BHS) over Zitaly Garcia, Fall 0:50

142: Jadyn Eichberg (BHS) over Mya Deford, Fall 3:13

148: Chastity Skerik (BHS) over Ashlynn Swanson, Fall 0:45

155: Madison Packer (WIL) by forfeit

170: Makaya Gotchie (BHS) by forfeit

190: Maya Schmidt (BHS) by forfeit

235: Keeari Goodfellow (BHS) by forfeit

Bemidji 54, Mandan 18

100: Brooklyn Lafrenz (MAN) over Emma Richards, Fall 3:50

106: Taylor Merschman (BHS) over Aunna Weigel, Fall 0:14

112: Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm (BHS) over lela Bellon, Fall 0:49

118: Amber Kremper (BHS) by forfeit

124: Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka (BHS) over Bailee Campbell, Fall 1:54

130: Dezi Puffe (BHS) over Lajaya One Feather, Fall 1:47

136: Elizabeth Hook (MAN) over Annabelle Wuori, Fall 1:33

142: Jadyn Eichberg (BHS) over Tyka Heinert, Fall 1:04

148: Double forfeit

155: Chastity Skerik (BHS) over Marie Frohlich, Fall 1:33

170: Alexis Storsved (MAN) over Makaya Gotchie, Fall 1:30

190: Maya Schmidt (BHS) over Lainy Jochim, Fall 0:48

235: Keeari Goodfellow (BHS) over Jacey Peterson, Fall 2:35

Bemidji 63, Lisbon 6

100: Emma Richards (BHS) over Melina Rebsom, Fall 1:58

106: Taylor Merschman (BHS) over Aurora Shelton, Fall 1:38

112: Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm (BHS) over Madelyn Crellin, Fall 2:38

118: Tahliya Little (BHS) over Arlie Ramerman, Fall 1:20

124: Amber Kremper (BHS) over Presley Johnson, Fall 0:47

130: Annabelle Wuori (BHS) by forfeit

136: Dezi Puffe (BHS) over Violet Hehn, Fall 1:35

142: Jadyn Eichberg (BHS) over Veda Carlblom, Fall 3:24

148: Chastity Skerik (BHS) by forfeit

155: Double forfeit

179: Ava Carlblom (LIS) over Makaya Gotchie, Fall 5:50

190: Maya Schmidt (BHS) over Cora Oster, Dec 7-1

235: Keeari Goodfellow (BHS) over Ella Sad, Fall 1:14

Bemidji 64, West Fargo United 12

100: Emma Richards (BHS) by forfeit

106: Taylor Merschman (BHS) over Izabel Baku-Elder, TF 18-1

112: Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm (BHS) over Natalie Carlson, Fall 2:30

118: Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka (BHS) over Lily Skaurud, TF 18-2

124: Amber Kremper (BHS) over Kelaine Rearson, Fall 2:10

130: Annabelle Wuori (BHS) over Lina Claros, Fall 2:21

136: Dezi Puffe (BHS) over Molly Carr, Fall 0:39

142: Jadyn Eichberg (BHS) over Neveah Addai, Fall 0:43

148: Brynlee Hartsoch (WFU) by forfeit

155: Amiya Russell (WFU) by forfeit

170: Makaya Gotchie (BHS) over Savannah Whaley, Fall 1:04

190: Maya Schmidt (BHS) over Charlee Leedahl, Fall 1:14

235: Keeari Goodfellow (BHS) over Keiara Williams, Fall 3:40

Bemidji 40, Bismarck 36

100: Emma Richards (BHS) by forfeit

106: Taylor Merschman (BHS) over Lauralie Fuchs, TF 19-3

112: Brenalen Fredriksen-Holm (BHS) over Rylynn Reems, Fall 3:24

118: Kiera Hagman-Nyagaka (BHS) over Aryonna St. Claire, Fall 1:33

124: Violet Weniger (BIS) over Amber Kremper, Fall 1:41

130: Dezi Puffe (BHS) over Phoebe Wade, Fall 3:54

136: Maggie Thiegles (BIS) over Annabelle Wuori, Fall 0:23

142: Paige Baumgartner (BIS) over Jadyn Eichberg, Fall 2:42

148: Chastity Skerik (BHS) over Adriana Turner, TF 15-0

155: Danica Shorey (BIS) by forfeit

170: Julia Araujo (BIS) over Makaya Gotchie, Fall 0:38

190: Cambree Anderson (BIS) over Maya Schmidt, Fall 2:57

235: Keeari Goodfellow (BHS) over Sheena Locke, Fall 0:29

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