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1/30/03
from Frazee Forum
By John W. Dermody
The biggest high school wrestling event in the history of the region is slated Saturday, Feb. 8 at Perham's Prairie Wind Middle School when Frazee, the defending Class A champion, hosts powerful Apple Valley in a 7 p.m. clash.
A total of 2,000 fans from far and wide are expected for the battle. A few tickets remained on sale following the Hornets' Heart O'Lakes Conference Tournament victory last weekend. The dual meet will be held in Perham's large gymnasium because its capacity is approximately twice what "The Hornets' Nest" would be able to accommodate.
There will be only the varsity contests, no junior varsity matches.
The Apple Valley Eagles and the Frazee Hornets--both of them No. 1-ranked wrestling teams--have at least two milestones in common. They both earned state dual team tournament championships in 1999 and 2002.
The big difference is that Apple Valley has also earned nine additional Minnesota titles since 1983, while the Green-and-White notched their first championship in 1992.
Coach Clay Nagel and the Hornets are looking forward to tangling with the AV coach Jim Jackson's Eagles.
Nagel acknowledged that the Frazee-AV match-up has been contemplated for some time. He said the possible clash was proposed back in 1999. This year, the schedule had an open spot . . . and the rest will soon be history.
"It's an honor to have them come up here. We don't have to worry about winning or losing . . . it's good for the sport of wrestling," he said.
"We have great captains." Five young men lead the team by example on the mat and as leaders of the Hornet program, the coach emphasized.
"We'll give 100 percent," the Hornets' coach added.
Hornets to watch
Some of the leading athletes, with their records, are: Heavyweight Justin Olson 23-1; 160 Gabe Dretsch 22-1; 145 Adam Aho 23-2; 135 Andy Quittschreiber 22-2; 130 Kelly Janke 21-5; 125 Blake Bristlin 19-6; 140 Brenton Newling 19-6; 152 Danny Mayfield 17-7; Kerry Lockrem 17-10; 103 Peter Anderson 16-11; 215 Darin Drewes 15-12.
Nagel credits his assistant coaches with much of the Hornets' success as well. Moreover, several wrestlers have kept to a strong summer program, with many involved in Greco-Roman meets. Frazee serves as a regional center for wrestlers who are involved in the G-R training program.
"This has helped our program, too," the coach pointed out. Greco-Roman wrestling involves only the upper body, with throws being paramount.
Like his colleague, Nagel believes he has several athletes that will be able to go into the collegiate wrestling ranks, if they choose to give it a shot.
The Apple Valley coach, meanwhile, showed that he was skillful as an "interviewee." Jackson frequently attempted to turn the spotlight on the Hornets and downplayed the Eagles' success. He admitted, however, that his nationally-ranked team has one of the toughest slates in the country. Earlier in the campaign, Apple Valley was rated No. 4 among all US prep powers.
"This is a very youthful team," Jackson related in a recent interview. He emphasized that he has a very young team with tremendous potential -- one that compares with some of his previous title-winning squads.
"Generally, we only start four seniors," he said. Then he added, as he gave an assessment of the Eagles' quality: "I believe we have four Division I wrestlers."
Two Apple Valley wrestlers are ranked No. 1 in their divisions, while a quartet is rated at No. 2 in their respective weight categories. Three other AV matmen are also in the top 10, according to the latest rankings by The Guillotine, a wrestling publication/web site.
One of those premier performers, Trevor Laws, is the defending Class 3A heavyweight champ . . . but he won't wrestle in college. Laws has accepted a football scholarship at Notre Dame University. The Fighting Irish do not have a mat team.
With considerable understatement, Jackson termed the top-ranked senior "a very good athlete," one who never hit the mat until ready to enter high school.
With a record of 23-1, Frazee's Justin Olson is ranked at the top of the small school grapplers. He will have the unenviable task of confronting Laws, who had to drop from his fall weight on the gridiron --reportedly 300 pounds--to make the 275 limit.
High-flying Eagles
Along with Laws, who had a 27-0 mark as of last week, another No. 1-ranked athlete is junior Charlie Falck (119), with a 26-2 record.
The No. 2-ranked Eagles include: Richard Fessler, a 125-pound sophomore, with a 25-2 record; Ryan Pottebaum, 130, junior, 25-3; Kyle Sovde, 135, a junior at 25-3; and Michael Fessler, 140, a junior with a record of 27-1.
Jackson is in his eighth year as head coach. He succeeded legendary mat mentor Bill Demaray. Before the latter retired, Jackson was Demaray's co-head coach from 1991-94. The current coach will turn 45 on Feb. 3.
The coach said he believes Sovde, a 135-pound 11th grader, may be the most improved Eagle. He was 19-20 last season; currently, he has a sparkling mark of 25-3.
"He has really gained confidence," the coach stated.
Others on the roster, along with possible alternates, include: 103 Danny Crone, 9, 20-7; 112 Jeff Gleason, 6th ranked, 10, 23-3, or Scott Nonini, 11, 20-2; 119 Tyrone Meyer, 12, an alternate, also available at 125, 5th in state at 103 last year; 140/145 Bryce Wasmund, alternate, 10; 145 Jarrod Yamanaka, 12; 152 Jared Stahlacker, 11, or Tom Lacombe, 10; 160 10th-ranked Nic Barclay, 10; or Taylor Thompson, 11, or Sean Dwyer, 11; 171 Barclay, 10, or Thompson; 189 Josh Zach, 12; 215 10th-ranked Steve Larson, 10; Hvy alternate Jake Morgan, 10, who can also wrestle at 215.
While wrestling is a big sport at Apple Valley, one of four high schools in District 196, Jackson said it takes a back seat to hockey and basketball. The mat activity has to compete with six other men's winter teams, a couple of them being club sports.
Home meets usually have 500 fans in attendance. A big battle with No. 2 Simley earlier this month hosted 1700. The Eagles defeated the rival 30-29. Jackson said Simley should be rated above the Eagles; he expects the two teams to meet again in the state tourney finals.
Jackson noted that he and his team are looking forward to the scuffle on the prairie, saying, "It's good for wrestling."
A comedian coach
Then he asked: "How bad are you guys going to beat us?" Jackson followed with: "Do you think I'm sandbagging you?"
Those statements give a clue to his sense of humor. The Apple Valley team will obviously be favored.
The coach added, "We have good athletes and we try to make them better."
The Eagles tradition results in a large turnout of hopefuls each year. This season, for example, 31 eighth graders started wrestling.
Jackson acknowledged that it requires a long drive--eight hours for the round-trip--and said he would like to see the Hornets travel to Apple Valley next year. Currently, there is no plan to do that.
Tickets are $5 for this match and available from the High School office. As of Tuesday morning, 1,400 of the 2,000 tickets had been sold.