WORTHINGTON — The Worthington Trojans hosted Fairmont/Martin County West and Fulda/Murray County Central in a triangular wrestling meet on Friday night.
Worthington senior Oscar Galvez earned victories in both matches for the Trojans. Galvez defeated Rylan Cutler from Fairmont/MCW by 6-1 decision. Cutler is currently ranked eighth at 120 in class 2A. Both Galvez and Cutler wrestled at 126.
“I knew he was a talented kid but it was not going to stop me from being focused the entire match,” said Galvez. “I knew I had to keep on working, we practiced how to wrestle against him before the meet and I think the preparation really kept my mentality stable.”
Against the Fulda/MCC Warriors Galvez defeated Torrin Clarke by technical fall, 17-1. Galvez came tantalizingly close to winning via fall in rounds two and three.
Tim Middagh/The Globe
Kasey Gerhard had the tough task of going into the heavyweight match with his team down six points against the Warriors. There was even the added pressure of going against Rylan Klein, a wrestler who defeated Gerhard at the Jackson County Central tournament. But tonight Gerhard proved he was up for the task of finisher as he pinned Klein to deadlock the team scores 34-34. Unfortunately for the Trojans the fifth tiebreaker of less forfeits broke in favor of Fulda/MCC.
Fairmont/MCW 42, Worthington 25
Worthington wrestlers made Fairmont/MCW work relentlessly for every point in the opening varsity match of the triangular.
The Cardinals team is ranked eighth in Class 2A.
Pierce Rohman pinned Trojan Saul Galvez in the opening 106 match. Trojan Alex Galvez responded strongly at 113 by taking his match against Torrey Paplow to overtime and won in the added frame by a 12-10 decision.
Maddex Faber defeated Trojan Dalton Larson at 120 by major decision 9-1. Ethan Meyer was in total control of his match at the 132 weight class against Berent Kosbab earning the Trojans its own 9-1 major decision.
Tim Middagh/The Globe
A forfeit at 138 gave the Cardinals six points, and an Aden Welcome pin at 145 against WHS senior Moo Bleh an additional six points. At 152, Cardinal Cooper Steuber won a 12-3 major decision against Miat Htoo.
Levi Henning battled fiercely through all three rounds for his 7-6 decision against Taylor Austin at 160. Chase Byrne was defeated at 170 by a Carver Rohman 20-10 major decision.
The Trojans and Cardinals traded pins in the final four weight classes, as Cardinal’s Gage Cyphers and Max Olson earned pins, and Trojan seniors Evan Neuberger and Gerhard earned pins at 195 and 285.
Worthington 34, Fulda/MCC 34
The match between Worthington and Fulda/MCC was decided by the fifth tiebreaker in the Minnesota State High School League handbook. The tiebreaker was awarded to Fulda/MCC due to having zero forfeits to Worthington’s two.
“I think we had a role reversal between the two matches, even on my part,” said Worthington head coach Kirk Feit. “I think I kind of lost my headspace and I think some of our guys did too, we let it get to us that we are supposed to win that match and they didn’t give in to us, and we were left unsure what to do when they put up a fight.”
Kaston Clarke took control of the 106 match against Trojan Saul Galvez through a stellar reversal to end the first period. Clarke would win by a 8-5 decision. Alex Galvez earned the Trojans 4 points and a 13-2 major decision at 113, and teammate Larson would earn 3 at 120 through a 4-2 decision.
The Worthington crowd erupted for Meyer when he pinned his opponent Lucas Kuball at 132. Miat Htoo was relentless in his ability to take down Denver Ash for a 19-9 major decision, Hennings was unable to wrestle away a point in the waning seconds of the 152 matchup against Aiden Lorenzen. Lorenzen would earn a vital 11-3 major decision for the Warriors, while Chase Byrne saw the clock run out in his matchup at 160 that ended by 7-0 decision.
Warriors Carson Klein and Colby Kestersloot pinned their Trojan opponents Eh Day Htoo and iIn Lwe Aung at 182 and 220 respectively.
Fairmont/MCW 61, Fulda/MCC 12
106: Pierce Rohman wins for Fairmont/Martin County West by technical fall.
113: Torrey Paplow wins for Fairmont/MCW by fall.
120: Maddex Faber wins for Fairmont/MCW by fall.
126: Torrin Clarke wins for Fulda/MCC by fall.
132: Beren wins for Fairmont/MCW by major decision.
138: Riley Cole wins for Fairmont/MCW by fall.
145: Aden Welcome wins for Fairmont/MCW by major decision.
152: Cooper Steuber wins for Fairmont/MCW by decision.
160: Taylor Austin wins for Fairmont/MCW by forfeit.
170: Carver Rohman wins for Fairmont/MCW by forfeit.
182: Gage Cyphers wins for Fairmont/MCW by major decision.
195: DJ Miller wins for Fairmont/MCW by forfeit.
220: Max Olson wins for Fairmont/MCW by forfeit.
285: Rylan Klein wins for Fulda/MCC by fall.
