Westfield runs winning streak to six matches

After not winning a single match throughout January, the Westfield wrestling team has turned its season around by winning seven of its first nine matches in February, including the past six after beating New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva (NRHEG) 54-24 and St. Clair/Mankato Loyola 55-15 on Thursday, Feb. 25.
Against NRHEG, Co-Head Coach David Lassahn said the Razorbacks put together a dominant performance right from the start.
“This was our first time being at full strength on the year, and it really showed. We wrestled really well and got out to a fast start in this dual. We were able to pick up wins in the first eight weight classes and five of those victories being bonus points,” he said.
Thanks to those eight wins and bonus points, Westfield led 42-0 after Cale Becker won by fall at 152 pounds.
NRHEG got on the board with back-to-back wins by fall by Thor Routh and George Roesler, but the Razorbacks responded when Tyler Archer won by fall at 182 pounds.
“Tyler Archer picked up a big section win against a returning state entrant and was very dominant in the match,” Lassahn said.
Dylan Ehmke scored the Razorbacks’ second straight second-period win by fall, which increased Westfield’s lead to 54-12.
NRHEG’s Ben Hagen and Makota Misgen won the final two matches of the dual by fall to make the final score 54-24.
“Overall, I was proud of our efforts in this dual tonight,” he said.
In the next match of the triangular, the Razorbacks faced the St. Clair/Mankato Loyola Cyclones.
This time, it was the Cyclones who got off to the fast start as they won the 106-pound match by fall but Westfield’s Bo Zwiener got a last-second win by decision 4-3 to make the score 6-3.
“Bo Zwiener wrestled a hard fought match at 113, and was able to secure a big win against a tough section opponent who was a state entrant last season,” Lassahn said.
The Cyclones won the next match by forfeit to take a 12-3 lead.
At 126 pounds, Lane Lembke won by major decision 15-6, but St. Clair/Mankato Loyola won the following match by decision to increase their lead to 15-7.
After that, it was all Westfield as the Razorbacks won the final nine matches. Sam Skillestad won by decision 8-2, Tyler Archer won by decision 3-0, Dylan Ehmke won by fall and the remaining six matches were won by forfeit.
Westfield ended up winning the dual 55-15.
After beating the Cyclones by just 10 points a week earlier, Lassahn was proud to see the Razorbacks perform better against them this time.
“We were able to secure our second win against St. Clair/Mankato Loyola on the year, and this one was a bit more dominant than the first. We picked up some big wins in this dual and really wrestled well,” he said.
With this win and the previous five, he believes Westfield is in good shape for the upcoming section tournament.
“Things are really starting to click as we head toward the end of the season, and we’re looking forward to section competition in a few weeks here,” Lassahn said.
These two wins increase Westfield’s overall record to 7-12 and its section record to 5-6.
The Razorbacks’ final regular season meet is a home triangular at Blooming Prairie High School against Waterville-Elysian-Morristown/Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton and Stewartville at 5 p.m. on Thursday.