Glenn Strandberg
Sports Editor

Another match, another victory. Such is life for the undefeated wrestling team this season. Last week the Rangers faced Park of Cottage Grove and then hosted the Forest Lake Invitational. Four wins later and the wrestling team sits on a sparkling 9-0 record.

In Saturdayís invitational, the Rangers opened with a complete dismantling of Humboldt, posting a final score of 76-6.

Highlighting the match were pins by Tony Chamberlin, Andy Kolbow, Nick Zemke, Lee Smith, Brandon Yetter and Trevor Osterbauer.

Next on the chopping block was Henry Sibley, who gave Forest Lake some difficulty in the 45-21 Ranger win, which the Forest Lake wrestlers seemed to take out on Monticello...but more on that later.

Against Sibley, the 7th grade spark-plug, Ben Morgan, won on a pin just 36 seconds in, and another Ranger victory was on the way.

Charlie Janssen, Shawn Saxe, Zemke, Smith, Brent Kolbow, Lucas Munkelwitz, Osterbauer and Collin Peterson earned wins, with four of those coming from pins.

In the final match, Monticello, who according to assistant coach Joe Kunshier is really a good team, was drubbed, 63-6.

Morgan got it all started with a 6-1 decision, and then nearly everyone followed his lead. Luke Opsahl, Kevin Determan, Janssen, Saxe, Andy Kolbow, Zemke, Smith, Brandon Yetter, Brent Kolbow, Munkelwitz, Osterbauer and Peterson all came away winners.

ìI guess what I can say right now is theyíve stepped it up a few notches,î head coach Bob Dettmer said about his team. ìWe got a few notches to go yet...itís a pleasure working with these guys, theyíre really hard workers.î

PARK MATCH

ìYou get on a roll, and the next wrestler out there wants to keep it going,î Dettmer said.

Those comments came after Forest Lake handled Park of Cottage Grove on Thursday night, 57-18.

Morgan, Opsahl, Determan, Janssen, Saxe, Zemke, Smith, and Yetter all won in a variety of ways, and the Ranger wrecking crew turned it on over the last three matches.

Munkelwitz (189 pounds) recovered after a minor error against Chris Schilling and then proceeded to throw Schilling and make the pin at the 1:59 mark.

ìI got myself in bad position real quick and you can pay for that,î Munkelwitz said. ìI was dominating the kid and I made one quick mistake, so, itíll happen.î

Did Munkelwitz ever feel he wouldnít win?

ìI had no doubt in my mind,î he said.

Osterbauer (215 pounds) lowered Munkelwitzís time with a pin at 1:48, but it was Peterson (HWT) who bettered those two when he pinned Greg Hammersten just 68 seconds into the match.

The season is about to get real serious as Forest Lake takes part in the Quadrangular in Cambridge on Thursday, Dec. 21.

According to Dettmer and Kunshier, Anoka, Cambridge-Isanti and St. Francis will be the first real test for the Rangers. Time to step it up those extra few notches.

Top of Page