Posted: 12/8/04
Returning letter winners give Rangers experience
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Joe Drennan
Sports Editor
Captains Jordan Kolbow and Clay Harrison will be leading a group of 18 letter winners through a grueling Suburban East Conference schedule as the Forest Lake High School wrestling team tries to advance to the state meet.
ìWe have really good leadership in Kolbow and Harrison,î Rangers head coach Bob Dettmer said. ìThe team seems to be a pretty close group of guys and I have been impressed on how hard they're working in practice and on their own.î
A number of Rangers wrestlers have been coming to school early to work with weight coach Joe Jurison.
The Rangers team is balanced with a steady mix of seniors and underclassmen.
Senior Clay Harrison will be the front runner for the 125 lbs. weight class and Ken Janssen at 140 lbs. Andy Ramierez will be the starting 160 lbs. wrestler and Phil Osterbauer will wrestle at 189 lbs.
Returning starters are Luke Opsahl at 112 lbs., Eric Morris at 130 lbs., Pat Taylor at 145 lbs. Jordan Kolbow at 152 lbs., Ryan Turry at 171 lbs. and Derek Peterson at heavyweight.
Seventh grader Charlie Janssen has a shot at wrestling in the 103 lbs. weight class as does sophomore Shawn Saxe at the 119 lbs. weight class. Freshman Brent Kolbow could get some time in at the 135 lbs. weight class with sophomore Trevor Osterbauer vying for a spot in the 215 lbs. weight class.
ìOne weight class that will be fun to watch is the 160 lbs. class,î Dettmer said. ìRamierez is the returner but I think Luke Munkelwitz will give him a challenging wrestle-off each week.î
JV wrestlers Scott Jensen and Matt O'Brien will have a shot in the 130-135 lbs. weight class and Matt Joyer will be trying to crack the lineup in the 125-130 lbs. weight class. Chelyne Pringle will be trying to crack the lineup at 119 lbs.
ìSheís one of the top women wrestlers in her weight class,î Dettmer said. ìWeíll have some good wrestle-off's each week.î
Competition
Competition in the Suburban East Conference will be tough as the Rangers are expected to go head to head with Hastings for the SEC title.
After Hastings and Forest Lake, Dettmer sees Stillwater, White Bear Lake and Woodbury all trying to move into that top spot.
ìWe have a pretty balanced conference,î Dettmer said.
When the SEC schedule ends, the Rangers face an even harder challenge in section 7AAA where they match up with Cambridge-Isanti, Coon Rapids, Anoka, Blaine, Grand Rapids, North Branch, Chisago Lakes and Champlin Park.
ìSection 7AAA is a good wrestling section,î Dettmer said.
Dettmer says one of the keys to the programís success this year is the support of the community and wrestling parents.
ìIíve been here 32 years and seen a lot of great student athletes come through the program. I can always see the support the kids get from their parents and that is key,î Dettmer said.
In an effort to bring the general public into the gym to support the Rangers, a main event night has been scheduled for Jan. 7 against Anoka. The goal is to pack the gym with 1700 fans. As entertainment at halftime youth wrestlers from Forest Lake will wrestle youth wrestlers from Anoka.
Another big date for the Rangers is Dec. 18 when they host the Forest Lake Dual Tournament.
The Rangers next meet is today, Thursday, as they host Mounds View and Cambridge-Isanti at 5 p.m.
Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605