Blossoms matmen 1-2 in quad to start season

After wining the second match in a quadrangular meet at St. Clair, the Blooming Prairie wrestling team is already halfway to its win total of a year ago. 
The Blossoms defeated the host Cyclones 40-25 in the second match of the invitational at St. Clair on Tuesday, Dec. 1, to win one and lose two for the night. 
The team lost to Mankato East 39-31 in the first match of the meet, and was soundly trounced by Maple River 60-19 in the final match.  Ethan Arett, Colton Krell, Jon Hansen and Seth Peterson all finished with 3-0 records in the dual bouts.
In the winning match, besides the four three-time winners, Dylan Nirk won by a fall over David Loefler in the second period at 170, and Payton Simon lost a tight 6-4 decision to Dylan Rasmussen at 132 on an escape in the last period. 
Arett and Hansen won by falls at 113 and 138, Krell took a close 12-10 verdict over Aaron Draebel at 160, with a reversal, near fall, escape and a takedown, all in the third period; and Peterson scored a major decision 20-5 at 152 over George Goebel.
In the first match against East, Arett took a major decision, Hansen recorded a fast first period pin and Peterson pinned his opponent in thethird period. Krell won an 11-7 decision and Riley Olson and Mitchell Oswald both recorded falls in the first period.
In the final match against Maple River, Arett won by a fall, Hansen took a 10-4 decision, Peterson won by forfeit and Krell won a wild 14-5 decision.  
“I was happy with this first effort,” commented coach Chad Gimbel. “We had a couple of tough losses, and I saw things that need improvement quickly, but it was a good first meet.”
NRHEG wins BP dual 
Four forfeits doomed the Blooming Prairie wrestlers, as New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva (NRHEG) handed BP its third loss of the season.  
The Panthers used two of the forfeits at the top weights to break open a close, 30-27 match and win by a 42-27 count at New Richland Thursday, Dec. 4.
After Mitchell Oswald pinned Alex Burkmeier in 55 seconds of the first period at 195 pounds, the locals trailed by just three points, but the hosts then won the match by the two forfeits.
Ethan Arett scored the first points for BP on a 12-8 verdict Brett Kubiatowicz at 113 pounds. Two forfeits gave NRHEG a lead, but Payton Simon recorded a fall over Tyler Jacobson in the third period at 132 pounds, and Jon Hansen gave BP its first lead at 138 pounds on a second period pin of Trai Wirks. Hansen led 7-1 after the first period on two takedowns and a near fall.
Cole Stilicho took the lead back for the Panthers at 145 pounds and Bryce Upland scored a major decision over Seth Peterson at 152 pounds for a 22-15 edge. Colton Krell drew the Blossoms back within one point with a first period pin over Lucas Herrmann, but Dylan Nirk lost an 11-4 verdict to Karter Stetten at 170 pounds, and Troy Hoppe outpointed Riley Olson 18-1 at 182 pounds. Mitchell Oswald counted the last points with a first period pin of Alex Buccmaer at 195 pounds, but the two last forfeits sealed the Panther win.
As coach Chad Gimbel commented after the match, “We just have to give away too many points from forfeits. We are very competitive in the bouts that we do wrestle, and a few individuals are already posting some impressive wins. We will just keep going with what we have.”