Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor

The Ranger wrestling program is acting more like a wrecking crew this winter as it has improved to 5-0 on the year.

During the weekend of Dec. 8, Forest Lake headed to Roseville on Friday and won in rather frightening fashion, 67-6.

Ben Morgan (103 pounds) and Trevor Osterbauer (215 pounds) both pinned their opponents in less than a minute. Kevin Nelson (119), Nate Arcand (125), Charlie Janssen (130), Andy Kolbow (135), Nick Zemke (145) and Lee Smith (152) also won by way of pins; Shawn Saxe (140), Brandon Yetter (160), Brent Kolbow (171), Lucas Munkelwitz (189) and Collin Peterson (HWT) won on decisions or a technical fall.

Saturday had the wrestlers taking part in the St. Francis Tournament and the Rangersí great week of practice revealed itself when Forest Lake won the championship with 233 points to Anokaís 206, which propelled the Rangers up to No. 3 in the metro area rankings.

Head coach Bob Dettmer saw nine of his wrestlers reach the finals, with four of them earning gold medals.

ìYou really donít know where youíre at until you go against some good competition like there was there, so good overall performance,î Dettmer said.

Senior captains Luke Opsahl (112 pounds), Saxe (135) and Munkelwitz (189) certainly led by example as they were three of the Rangerís champions. Peterson was fourth in the heavyweight division.

Morgan, Janssen, Yetter, Brent Kolbow and Osterbauer were second place finishers, and the rest of Forest Lakeís day looked like this:

Third place ñ Nelson

Fifth place ñ Kevin Determan, Andy Kolbow and Smith

Sixth place ñ Zemke

This Thursday, Dec. 14, Forest Lake hosts Park and then Saturday brings the Forest Lake Team Tournament.

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