Alexandria celebrates 50 years of wrestling on January 24th, 2009
January 6, 2009
The Alexandria Cardinals have sponsored a MSHSL High School wrestling
team since the 1959-1960 school year. This season marks 50 years of
competition for Alexandria athletes in the great sport of wrestling. In
honor of this Anniversary the Alexandria Wrestling Boosters are hosting
a special event to commemorate 50 years.
The 50th celebration will begin on Friday January 23rd at 4:30, when
the Cardinal wrestling room will be open to all alumni that wish to
visit the room where all the current wrestlers prepare for their
competition. Every wrestling team that has ever competed for the Alex
Cardinals has a team picture on the walls in the room. The Cardinal
Wrestling Hall of fame is also posted on the walls of the wrestling
room. The Hall of Fame is a select list of wrestlers that have placed
in State or have achieved 100 career wins.
The celebration continues on Saturday January 24th when the Alexandria
Cardinals host a triangular meet with Moorhead and Anoka. Wrestling
starts at 11:00 am with Moorhead and the Cardinals wrestling first.
Anoka and Moorhead will wrestle the 2nd dual of the day and starting
around 2:00 pm the host Cardinals will face Anoka in the last dual of
the day. Immediately at the conclusion of the final dual there will be
a program to honor individuals who have had a significant impact on the
History of Cardinal wrestling. For more information about the event
visit www.selectdigitalmemories.com
Alexandria has had eight Head coaches over the 50 years. The program
started in 1959 with the hiring of Dick Greengo as it’s first coach.
That first Cardinal team had a 2-7 record and competed in the Resorters
conference, District 22 and Region 6. Walter Zimara was one of the team
members on that team and he was also the very first State participant
for the Cardinals. Coach Greengo continued coaching the Cardinals for
the next twelve seasons with one of his most impressive seasons taking
place in 1970. In 1970 the Cardinals brought four wrestlers to the
State tournament with all four of them placing. With those four
wrestlers earning placing points the Cardinals were able to bring home
the team trophy for 3rd place. Placing for the Cardinals were Mike
Steidl-1st place, Dave Sheriff-1st place, Al Stark- 4th place and
Marshall Anderson- 5th place. During Coach Greengo’s tenure, the
Cardinals had 20 State entrants and eight of those entrants placed.
Alexandria's very first team from the 1959-1960 season. Front
row (L to R): W. Zimara, G. Schulke, G. Hafdal, K. Schulke, H.
Chounard, C. Bergner, P. Johnson. Back row: A. Esterberg, R. Divine, A.
Goodrich, D. Gulseth, L. Nelson.
One interesting bit of trivia centers around Mike Allison who placed
2nd in the State in 1966. Allison upset Chuck Jean in the Quarterfinals
for one of the biggest upsets in State tournament history. Jean went on
to become a 4 time D1 National Champion. Al Esterberg, Len Johnson and
Bruce Hedlund also placed in the State tournament during this time.
Dick returned to coaching as an assistant later in his career when his
sons Paul (1977) and Jack (1980) completed their High School careers.
Dick and his wife Lollie are retired and still live in the Alexandria
area.
Taking over the Cardinal program at the beginning of the 1971 season
was Bertha Hewitt native Ron Pfeffer. Coach Pfeffer taught Jr. High
physical education in the Alexandria school district and used that
position to recruit many great wrestlers to an already successful
program. Coach Pfeffer coached for the next six years, winning a
District 22 titles in 1973 and 1975. Nine wrestlers advanced to the
State tournament in Coach Pfeffer’s tenure. Three of those wrestlers
placed in the top six at State. Bruce Hodak was 6th in 1972, Brian
Arvold was 3rd in 1976 and Bob Arvold was 3rd in 1977. One of Coach
Pfeffer’s major accomplishments in Alexandria wrestling was getting
kids involved. Using his Jr High physical education position he quickly
brought up the interest level to include a full Varsity, Jv and C team
roster for all of the meets. Those numbers did not include wrestlers in
the 7th, 8th and 9th grade! The Cardinals were competing in the West
Central Conference, District 22 and Region 6 during this time. Coach
Pfeffer is currently living in Colorado where he operates an outfitting
business.
Replacing Coach Pfeffer in 1977 was Ken Snyder. Coach Snyder came
directly out of the University of Northern Iowa where he had a highly
successful college career. Using the foundation that Coach Pfeffer had
established, Coach Snyder had a highly successful but short stint as
the Cardinals Head Coach. The Cardinals were now in the Central Lakes
Conference which began in the 1977-78 season. They were also in Region
8AA at this time. The Cardinals fielded some very competitive teams
during Coach Snyder’s tenure. Reaching the Region Final Four each of
the three years he coached. The Region Final Four was determined by
placing in the top two in the Sub-region tournament. Moorhead stood in
the way of the Region Team title during those years. The Cardinals won
a Conference title in 1978 and had thirteen State entrants. six of
those entrants placed, and all of them were in the top three at State!
1978-Bruce Arvold (1st), Bob Arvold (2nd). 1979- Bruce Arvold (3rd).
1980- Bruce Arvold (1st), Jack Greengo (2nd), Kelly Lewis (3rd). Coach
Snyder still lives in the Alexandria area with his wife Shelly and
works as a Financial consultant.
Steve Lovrien took over for a three year stay as Alexandria wrestling
coach. Coach Lovrien teaches in the Alexandria Middle School to this
day. During coach Lovrien’s tenure a shift in participation took place
as the indoor ice arena built in the late 70’s took it’s toll on
participation in High School wrestling. The addition of swimming and
Nordic Skiing also drew potential athletes away from the number of kids
involved in wrestling. There was four State entrants during this time
with two of them placing. Doug Johnson (3rd) and Mike Murphy (2nd) both
placed in 1982.
Ron Lindley took over for Coach Lovrien in 1983 and held the Head
Coaching position longer than any other Cardinal wrestling coach. Coach
Lindley held the whistle for thirteen years in the wrestling room.
Coach Lindley brought back the numbers needed to compete again and
along with the competitiveness generated by higher participation
numbers came continued success. The Cardinals notched 114 dual wins
under the guidance of Coach Lindley. Forty State entrants with twelve
of those wrestlers placing in the top six at State. 1988- Mike Ryhn
(4th). 1989- Kyle Claasen (5th), Jeff Nolan (3rd), Scott Peterson
(5th). 1990- Brad Berger (6th). 1991- Scott Peterson (1st). 1993- Tom
Jones (5th), Travis Green (4th). 1996- Brian Jones (3rd), Josh Timm
(3rd). Coach Lindley still teaches Social in the Middle School in
Alexandria.
Hibbing native Jack Thompson filled in as the Head Coach over the next
two seasons after Coach Lindley stepped down. Jack was an Assistant
Coach under Coach Lindley and only stayed on for two seasons as his
teaching career moved in a new direction and drew him away from
Alexandria.
Bill Wagner, another Bertha Hewitt native took over the coaching
duties. Bill wrestled at Mankato State and was a Jr High Coach in
Alexandria prior to taking over the Head position. Bill coached for
five years in Alexandria and is currently the Head Coach in Parkers
Prairie. During this time Alexandria had sixteen wrestlers advance to
State and four of them placed – 2000 - Corey Larson (6th), 2001 -
Justin Walsh (6th), Evan Amundson (1st), 2002 - Justin Walsh (1st).
Alexandria native Tom Ellison took over the coaching duties for the
Cardinals in 2003. Coach Ellison had coached in Lakefield,
Brandon-Evansville and West Central Area before coming back to lead the
team he competed for in the late 1970’s. Tom continues to serve as the
current Head coach of the wrestling team. Over the past four seasons
the Cardinals have been represented by thirteen wrestlers in the State
tournament with 5 of them placing in the top six. 2006 - John Amundson
(5th). 2007- Charlie Kirscht (4th). 2008- John Amundson (4th), Mike
Kirscht (6th), Tom Bouressa (4th). 2008 was one of the Cardinals most
successful years as the team finished with a 20-5 record and also
captured the CLC Championsip title for the first time in 20 years. The
team also garnered 3 tournament championships and a runner up finish in
Section 8AAA. A week later at the Section individual tournament the
Cardianls had eight wrestlers advance to the State Tournament, the most
ever by a Cardinal team. 2009 is shaping up to be another exciting year
for the Cardinals.
Alexandria Wrestling teams have experienced the ups and downs that most
programs witness over the span of 50 years. We may not be known on the
outside as a wrestling town, but to those of us who have been or are
now involved in the Cardinal wrestling program, we take great pride in
our accomplishments and our place in the History of wrestling in
Minnesota. A history that includes 122 State entrants, 41 placers and 7
State Champions. 436 Dual wins in our history with a winning percentage
of 54% we can safely say we win more than we lose, but more importantly
we have competed regardless of depth or strength of squad in any given
year. Wrestling is a great sport to teach young athletes a lot about
life. Having hundreds of athletes compete for Alexandria wrestling over
the years has definitely had a major impact on the lives of a lot of
people including parents, coaches and the athletes in the Alexandria
community. Many of those young impressionable athletes now hold
prominent positions in the Alexandria a
rea, and around the State!
This look back into the people that have held the position as Head
coach and identifying the athletes that have had success during that
time does little to call attention to the many other assistant coaches,
athletes, cheerleaders and hundreds of other supporters in our
wrestling community that have contributed greatly to the success of
Alexandria wrestling over 50 years. It takes many people that dedicate
a lot of time and effort into a wrestling season. So to put 50 seasons
together….that list of people would be very large. Congratulations to
all!
