Central Minnesota Mat Rats Report - Preseason News
October 22, 2005
Catch more wrestling articles on The Mat Rats Blog (first update in early November): http://rogermischke.blogspot.com
Re-Alignment
The Minnesota State High School League does a re-alignment every two years and they also changed their numbers a little this season. This caused a number of changes among The Mat Rats Central Minnesota area. There are a number of Class AA schools that have dropped to Class A.
Major changes in what has been known as Section 7AA:
- Aitkin moving to Class A Section 6
- Sauk Centre to Class A Section 6
- Morris Area/Hancock to Class A Section 7
- Little Falls moving from Class AAA Section 8 to Section 7AA
- Ottertail Central back up to Section 7AA
Former Class A Section 7A teams:
- Browerville/Eagle Valley to Section 6A
- Osakis to Section 6A
Former Class A Section 6A teams:
- Paynesville to Section 5A
- Belgrade-Brooten/Elrosa to Section 5A
Former Section 3AA Teams:
- Yellow Medicine East to Section 4A
- Lac Qui Parle Valley to Section 4A
Princeton the past two seasons were in Class AAA Section 7 now move back to Section 6AA.
Zimmerman has been moved from Section 5A to Section 6AA.
Cooperatives
With some changes in the numbers on enrollment limits brought some changes in coop arrangements. The Mora Mustangs dissolved their coop with Pine City and will stay in section 6AA. Pine City has formed a coop with former Section 6A member Hinckley-Finlayson they are now in Section 6AA. The Royalton Royals have dropped their coop with Upsula-Swanville. Upsala-Swanville has dropped wrestling and Royalton will stay in Section 6A.
Coaching Changes
- At Brainerd, Mike Boran and Buffalo native James Kath replaces Bob Brakke as head coach; Bob is pursuing his doctorate degree.
- At Sauk Centre, St. Michael Albertville native Billy Dehmer replaces retiring Ken Vogt. The also have a pair of new assistant coaches - Darrin Quistorff (former Sauk Centre wrestler) will join Warren Stone as an assistant.
- At Buffalo, Sauk Centre native Paul Arens replaces John Barlund as head coach; John has taken the Head job at his home school, Frazee.
- At Litchfield, Sauk Centre native Mike Fiedler replaces Chip Rankin; Chip is serving in the US Armed forces in Iraq.
- At Sauk Rapids, Foley native Terry Gorecki replaces John Lelwica as head coach. John has retired from coaching.
- At Dassel Cokato, St. Johns graduate Bryan Clement replaces Kip Lynk as head coach. Kip is pursuing his Administrative degree.
- At Sebeka-Menagha, Sebeka native Kris Koll will take over the head coaching position from Dave Tomperi; Dave resigned last spring.
- At Kimball, Mike Schindler replaces Frank Schiefelbein as head coach; Frank has retired from coaching.
New Conferences
The Mississippi 8 is a new conference that has been formed in central Minnesota. It includes the following schools:
- Cambridge-Isanti Bluejackets from the North Suburban Conference
- Saint Michael-Albertville Knights from the Rum River Conference
- Big Lake Hornets from the Rum River Conference
- Becker Bulldogs from the Wright County Conference
- Buffalo Bison from the North Suburban Conference
- Monticello from the North Suburban Conference
- Princeton Tigers from the Rum River Conference
- Rogers Royals were a independent
The 212 Conference has been dissolved with some teams moving to a newly formed conference - The Camden Conference. This includes the following schools:
- Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg Fighting Saints
- MACCRAY Wolverines
- Renville County West Jaguars
- Canby Lancers
- Dawson-Boyd Blackjacks
- Minneota Vikings
- Tracy-Milroy Panthers
West Central Conference Re-Alignment
The new alignment includes teams from the former 212 Conference:
West Central South
- Atwater Cosmos Grove City Falcons (From 212)
- Bold/Buffalo Lake Hector Warriors (From 212)
- Yellow Medicine East Sting (From 212)
- Benson Braves
- Montevideo Thunder Hawks
- Lac Qui Parle Valley Eagles
- Morris Area/Hancock Tigers
West Central North
- Minnewaska Lakers (Former WCS)
- New London-Spicer Wildcats (Former WCS)
- Albany Huskies
- Long Prairie-Grey Eagle Thunder
- Melrose Dutchmen
- Paynesville Bulldogs
- Sauk Centre Mainstreeters
Rum River Conference
The Rum River Conference has only five schools with wrestling left:
- Milaca Wolves
- Foley Falcons
- Mora Mustangs
- Zimmerman Thunder
- Hinckley-Pine City-Willow River Jaquars
The Chisago Lakes Wildcats have moved to the North Suburban Conference, the North Branch Vikings have moved to the North Suburban Conference, the Princeton Tigers are now in the new Mississippi 8 Conference, and
The Big Lake Hornets are now in the new Mississippi 8 Conference.
New teams in the Central Minnesota Mat Rats Report will include:
- Cambridge-Isanti Blue Jackets
- Dassel Cokato Chargers
- Glencoe-Silver Lake Panthers
- Rogers Royals
Coaches, please keep me informed of your team's success throughout the season. With each edition, I would like to share their success in The Guillotine Section Reports and the Central MN Report. Please send relevant information for Class A individual and team ratings as well. I will also report your results to The Guillotine results page if you would like. Please either fax (1-320-363-4192) or email matrat@astound.net / cmmatrat@hotmail.com those tournament brackets and your dual meet results. Thanks, The Mat Rat Roger Mischke.