BRAINERD – The Bemidji High ÍáÍáÂþ» boys wrestling team put together quite the showing at the Paul Bunyan Invite over the weekend.
The Lumberjacks finished second at the event with a team score of 177, second only to Grand Rapids’ 186.5.
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Bemidji’s top two finishes came courtesy of Nick Strand and Alec Newby, both of which finished first in their respective weight class.
Strand went 8-0 at the invitational, capping off an impressive weekend with a 8-1 decision win over Mound-Westonka’s Cole Munsterteiger in the 145-pound first-place match.
Newby, who went 8-1, bested Destan Skelly of Grand Rapids in the first-place contest by a 10-7 decision to finish atop the 172-pound weight class.
The Jacks had a pair of additional wrestlers make it to first-place place matches as well. Gavin Osborn (7-1) defeated Moorhead’s Dane Ellingsberg with a 11-9 decision in the 139 semifinals before falling to Christian Jelle of Grand Rapids in the final match.
At 133, Gabe Morin (8-1) made it to the first-place match by beating White Bear Lake Area’s Christian Carlson with a tight 1-0 decision in the semifinals. He wound up losing by a close 5-2 decision to Becker’s Bennett Kujawa in the final match.
Six other Lumberjacks earned top-six finishes at the invitational.
After losing in the 107 semifinals, Oscar Hanks (8-2) came back and pinned Moorhead’s Carson Olschlager in 0:55 in the consolation semifinals, then beat Jayce Gruber of Sartell by a 11-9 decision to take home third place.
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Kohen Donat (7-3) placed fourth by defeating Jake Leners (Royalton-Upsala) by 12-7 decision in the consolation semifinals.
A trio of Bemidji wrestlers finished fifth in their weight classes. Benjermen Desrosier (5-4) captured fifth at 215, Nehemiah Schwinghammer (8-2) at 285 and Casey Sisneros (8-2) at 127.
Lincoln Schmitt (7-4) placed sixth at 152, make it the consolation semifinals after pinning Dalton Humeniuk of Moorhead in 2:01.