BEMIDJI – The Bemidji High حلحلآ» boys wrestling team took care of business on Wednesday night at the BHS Gymnasium.
Facing Sartell in the Section 8-3A quarterfinals, the second-seeded Lumberjacks made quick work of the seventh-seeded Sabres, dispatching their guests by a score of 65-4. The Jacks won 12 of 13 matches, six by fall and four by forfeit.
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“We wrestled them two weeks ago, so we kind of knew what we were getting into,†said BHS head coach Greg Skerik. “But you still have to wrestle it. That's one nice thing about wrestling is anyone can be beat. So it's nice when it goes the way you've planned and to get it over with.â€
Now, the page quickly turns to Friday, where Bemidji will face No. 3 Brainerd in the first of what could be two rounds of wrestling at Willmar High حلحلآ». Should the Lumberjacks defeat the Warriors, they would advance to likely face longtime nemesis Willmar, the top seed in the section field.
It would be the seventh straight year the two teams have matched up in the Section 8-3A championship. Willmar has won and advanced to state the last three seasons, and BHS is determined to ensure the outcome is different this time around.
“We've faced all the teams in our section,†Skerik said. “We know where we're at. These guys know if we wrestle to our potential, we have the team to do it. So don't go outside of yourself. Wrestle your best match, go out and do everything you can do. And when the chips fall, I think we'll be where we want to be.â€
The past two years, the matchup has come down to the heavyweight bout at the end of the dual. Bemidji lost the heavyweight match in each of the last two seasons and also fell in the heavyweight round in 2021, though Willmar had already clinched the overall team win.
With Parker Orvik, a senior captain and the No. 3 ranked heavyweight in Class AAA (also No. 1 in Section 8-3A), the Lumberjacks are banking on their ace in the hole to transform the tenor of this season and reach the state tournament for the first time in four long years.
“The past three years now, constantly losing in the heavyweight match, I can't take any more,†Orvik said. “I’m not going to lose. So that (is) motivation there.â€
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Last season, Orvik wrestled at 220 pounds and defeated Willmar’s Zander Miska by an 8-1 decision in the section final. This year, in Bemidji’s lone matchup with the Cardinals, Orvik pinned Finley Donelan at the 3:18 mark of the heavyweight match.
The Lumberjacks haven’t just been able to rely upon Orvik for consistent production this season. His leadership has played a key role in shepherding Bemidji's transition from Rance Bahr to Greg Skerik at the head coaching position.
“I wouldn't ask for another heavyweight,†Skerik said. “He's been the anchor. He's the leader of this team as well. We have a good group of seniors that have all worked really hard for a lot of years, and this is kind of the payoff and last part for them. They are very hungry. They're ready to go.â€
Orvik is a fan of his new head coach as well, highlighting how Skerik has gotten out on the mats with his wrestlers and personally demonstrated techniques.
“(He’s been) amazing,†Orvik said. “He's been really nice to us. It's been a lot of fun with him. He joins practice, he practices with us and (he’s) been a great guy, amazing coach.â€
Skerik is the all-time leading Bemidji wrestler with 217 wins, so he knows what it takes to achieve victory at the highest level. As he prepares this year’s Lumberjacks for the final stage of section competition, he’s leaned on that experience when searching for which lessons to convey during his first season in charge.
“It’s been so much fun,†Skerik said. “I couldn't ask for a better group of guys for my first year. From top to bottom, our one eighth-grader we have is a great kid, freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors – the whole team, we've got a great group. I want to see them show the hard work they put in and show the growth they've had this year. I see it every day, but to display it and show that we are that team, it's going to be a lot of fun this Friday.
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“It's a very gritty team. They work hard, and they're not afraid of the work. They're not afraid to push through things and help each other along the way.â€
Bemidji 65, Sartell 4
107: Oscar Hanks (BHS) over Jayce Gruber, MD 11-3
114: Casey Sisneros (BHS) by forfeit
121: Gabriel Morin (BHS) by forfeit
127: Gavin Osborn (BHS) over Jack Pesta, Fall 1:13
133: Brody Castonguay (BHS) over Jeremiah Miller, Fall 1:42
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139: Nick Strand (BHS) over Nathan Tangen, Fall 0:56
145: Ty White (BHS) over Barett Leblanc, MD 11-2
152: Alec Newby (BHS) over Aidan Halvorson, Fall 2:38
160: Ricky Wuori Jr. (BHS) over Michael Hamak, Fall 1:36
172: Talen Fairbanks (BHS) over Tyler Freese, Dec 7-6
189: Kallen Littler (BHS) over Theo Brown, Fall 1:53
215: Peyton Allen (SAR) over Joseph Frenzel, MD 8-0
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285: Parker Orvik (BHS) by forfeit
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