Posted: 1/5/05
Taking care of business at the Main Event
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Joe Drennan
Sports Editor
The Forest Lake High School gym has a capacity of 1700. The Rangers wrestling team has been drawing between 500 and 800 fans to their matches. Friday night the Rangers hope to fill the gym in their first ever Fill the Gym Night.
The Rangers will host Anoka in a non conference match that will have plenty to offer for wrestling fans. The event will begin at 5:45 p.m. when the Rangers dance team performs. At 6 p.m. the junior varsity wrestling teams will battle each other. As halftime entertainment between the junior varsity and varsity matches there will be matches between youth wrestlers from both Forest Lake and Anoka entertaining the crowd. At 7:30 p.m. the Rangers will take on Anoka in the varsity match.
ìI think people are really going to get their moneyís worth when they come and watch this event,î Rangers head coach Bob Dettmer said. ìWhen you bring in a team that is going to be a good solid team that will be ready to rumble as they say, you canít help but have a good match Weíll have some new lighting in the gym that will have more bright lighting for the wrestling mat and that will be presented for the first time at the Main Event.î
Dettmer got the idea of the Main Event from a wrestling clinic he attended at the university of Minnesota where they feature a Main Event to promote collegiate wrestling.
ìWe want to do the same thing here in Forest Lake, but promote Minnesota high school wrestling,î Dettmer said. ìIf I am a wrestling fan, Friday the place to be would be Forest Lake at the Main Event.î
Forest Lake Ford co-owner Lee Kemp, not to mention a three time world champion, three time NCAA champion and member of the 1980 Olympic wrestling team is sponsoring the event.
ìWe want to create good will with the community,î Kempp said. ìMy partner (John Berken) and I both live in the community and we want to support it any way we can.î
Kemp and Forest Lake Ford are sponsoring a raffle that will have prizes from oil changes to a personal GPS navigator. Kemp and Forest Lake Ford will also be giving away free Rangers t-shirts to the first 500 fans.
ìHeís got the credentials and has been a great supporter of Forest Lake wrestling,î Dettmer said of Kemp. ìLee, along with many of the local businesses, have been great supporters of Forest Lake wrestling.î
Tickets for the Main Event are being presold for $5. Tickets can be obtained during lunch periods at the high school or from Forest Lake High School Activities Director Joel Olson in the activities office or by calling 651-982-8411 or 651-982-8525.
ìThis is a big event for the seniors on the team with captains Clay Harrison, Phil Osterbauer along with seniors Scott Jensen and Ken Jansen,î Dettmer said.
Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605