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Honkers wrestle well in tough Hettinger Classic...

Honker wrestlers went into the prestigious Hettinger Classic Wrestling Tournament not knowing what to expect because grapplers from four states were represented.

1/09/18 (Tue)

Josh Baumann, at 220 pounds, is shown in the championship match with Chris Morris of Moorcroft, Wyo., Saturday in the Hettinger Classic Wrestling Tournament. Baumann placed second in the tournament after Morris defeated him in a pin at 3:59.​​​​​​​           Photo by Robin James

By Marvin Baker

Honker wrestlers went into the prestigious Hettinger Classic Wrestling Tournament not knowing what to expect because grapplers from four states were represented.

By Saturday night, the Honkers had scored 100 team points and four wrestlers placed, one of them getting into the championship.

“Some of us did really well,” head coach Danny Mogren said. “That’s really tough competition down there. They had several state competitors.”

The competition included Moorcroft, Wyo., which last February won its fifth consecutive Wyoming Class 2A championship.

On Saturday, Josh Baumann, at 220 pounds, found himself in the championship against a Moorcroft opponent, Chris Morris. Unfortunately, Morris took the title, pinning Baumann in 3:59, but Baumann wrestled well, according to Mogren.

“Josh has come a long way,” Mogren said. “He was ahead 8-2 and was just destroying that kid. He got him in a hold, he should have let go and didn’t and the guy pinned him.”

Baumann’s weekend was impressive, pinning all his opponents leading up to the championship, winning six consecutive matches before meeting Morris in the championship. In fact, Baumann pinned four of his opponents, all in under a minute.

Baumann’s winning scorecard follows:

• Nate Boehm, Bowman County, 2 minute pin.

• Grey Gilbert, Harding County, S.D., 23 second pin.

• Peyton Morris, Moorcroft, 1:02 pin.

• Lane Mosteller, Moorcroft, 35 second pin.

• Nathan Schatz, Linton, 36 second pin.

• Sam Urwiller, Hettinger, 54 second pin.

Maverick Ford also had a good weekend, according to Mogren, taking fifth and winning five straight.

Ford, wrestling at 106 pounds, pinned Sean Buckmiller of Moorcroft in the fifth-place match in 2:26.

He had won his first match, pinning Ian Morminey of Harding County in 3:48. He dropped his second to Cole Gerhardt of New Salem in a 16-8 major decision.

“After he lost that match, it’s like a light bulb came on,” Mogren said. “He won five straight and to win five straight that kind of competition is impressive.”

Colter France also took fifth place, wrestling in the 182-pound division. He took on opponents from Miles City, Mont., Moorcroft, Baker, Mont., Standing Rock, Bowman County and Dickinson.

France pinned Nicholas Maya of Dickinson in 4:33 to claim fifth, but he also picked up an additional pin, a major decision and a technical fall.

Andrew Christensen also placed, taking seventh place at 113 pounds.

Mogren was happy with Christensen’s weekend because he said in Wyoming, seventh and eighth graders and freshman aren’t allowed to wrestle varsity. Christensen is in the seventh grade.

He lost his early matches to wrestlers from Moorcroft, Eagle Butte, S.D., and Miles City so he had to work his way through the consolation round, winning his final two matches against grapplers from Killdeer and Hettinger.

Christensen pinned Ashton Frei of Killdeer in 1:47 and took a forfeit win over Josh Dix of Hettinger in the seventh place match.

Other varsity wrestlers competing in Hettinger included Nicholia Topolski, Skylar Ford, Michael Schlosser, Zane Miller and Payton Witt.

In junior varsity action, Xylis Holter, Diontrea Anderson, Wry Miller, Jaxson Holter, Brayden Nunberg, Sheldon Skar and Zach Thiel made the trip.

Perhaps most impressive was Anderson who scored three pins including a 20-second fall over Brandon Yonker of Killdeer.

“I can’t complain,” Mogren said. “Four placed and to score that many team points... I think we’re going to peak at the right time. We did a lot better than we did in Linton.” ... Read EVERY WORD on EVERY PAGE of The Kenmare News by subscribing--online or in print!