KM wrestling season comes to abrupt end

Kasson-Mantorville’s KoMets entered the Section tournament as the #2 ranked team in the state for Class AA, just behind national powerhouse, Simley. The KoMets had their team season come to an abrupt halt last Wednesday night when they fell to unranked Lake City in the Section 1AA semi-finals, 40-32.

The KoMets had no trouble with Lake City just two weeks prior, claiming an easy victory, 52-15. It was a chain of events that led to the fall of the KoMets.  

Several injuries took a large toll on the KM line-up for Sections. Devon Andrist (113) suffered a season ending back injury against Kenyon-Wanamingo. Andrist had won his match by decision against Lake City.  

Joey Kennedy (126) is also out with a season ending thumb injury and Jackson Kennedy (195) is currently out of the line-up due to a knee injury. Both Kennedy boys picked up pin falls against Lake City. With these three wrestlers out of the KM line-up, this became an 18 point swing in favor of the Tigers.  

Once the Section tournament begins, if a team forfeits a weight class, that forfeit follows them through the entire Section tournament. Head Coach, Jamie Heidt, opted to forfeit at 126 & 195 against Stewartville in the quarterfinals. The KoMets beat Stewartville, 50-15. 

Lake City's head coach, Doug Vaith, was well aware that KM was open at two weight classes. Two weights where Lake City had given up pin falls in their earlier meeting. 

Vaith knew he already had 12 points on KM. Several other matches that were easily KM's victory just two weeks ago, suddenly became key swing matches. Lake City gained bonus points and confidence throughout the lower and middle weights. 

While the KoMets upper weights are loaded with ranked wrestlers, the deficit was too extreme for them to close the gap. 

"As a team, we didn't do the things that we needed to do to advance to the Section Championship. We were not competitive at all 14 weights. We are moving forward and focusing on the individual sections. We have guys that are ready, and excited to wrestle this time of the season," said Heidt. 

Individual Sections began Wednesday in Cannon Falls. Section 1AA will wrestle through the semi-finals. On Saturday, the top two from each weight class in Section 1AA and Section 4AA will meet in a new super-section and wrestle a 4-man bracket. 

The super-section champion and runner-up will then advance on to the state tournament. There will be a true second match if needed. 

State will consist of an 8-man bracket and will be held on Friday, March 26, for Class AA. 

Team competition will be held in the morning and individuals will be held in the after noon. St. Michael-Albertville will be the host site. 

Guillotine Rankings:

145:  Logan Vaughan #1

160:  Cole Glazier #3

170:  Kail Wynia #5

180:  Bennett Berge #1

195:  Jackson Kennedy #3

220:  Anthony Moe-Tucker #4

Kasson-Mantorville 50, Stewartville 15

106 – Luke Swanson (KM) over Jace Deyoung (Stewartville) Maj 14-0
113 – Reid Rinn (Stewartville) over Sam Graunke (KM) Dec 8-6
120 – Jon Laures (Stewartville) over Kody Fleck (KM) Fall 1:21
126 – Lucas Larson (Stewartville) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
132 – Dominic Mann (KM) over Tanner Elzen (Stewartville) Fall 5:00
138 – Henry Paulson (KM) over Patrick Foster (Stewartville) Fall 1:31
145 – Logan Vaughan (KM) over Lincoln Dube (Stewartville) Fall 0:32
152 – Giovanni Ruffo (KM) over Cole Jannsen (Stewartville) Maj 10-2
160 – Cole Glazier (KM) over Lucas Ahart (Stewartville) Fall 0:42
170 – Kail Wynia (KM) over Anthony Nelson (Stewartville) Fall 1:18
182 – Bennett Berge (KM) over Keegan Zelinske (Stewartville) TF 15-0
195 – Double Forfeit
220 – Anthony Moe-Tucker (KM) over Christian Sackett (Stewartville) Dec 4-3
285 – Reed Parrish (KM) over Caden King (Stewartville) Maj 11-2

Lake City 40, Kasson-Mantorville 32

106 – Luke Swanson (KM) over Cristofer Ramirez (Lake City) TF 16-0
113 – Nate Evans (Lake City) over Sam Graunke (KM) Fall 1:25
120 – Steven Ramirez (Lake City) over Kody Fleck (KM) Dec 3-0
126 – Elijah Dodd (Lake City) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
132 – Luke Skifton (Lake City) over Dominic Mann (KM) Dec 7-1
138 – Aaron Meincke (Lake City) over Henry Paulson (KM) Fall 5:41
145 – Logan Vaughan (KM) over Jonathan Harvey (Lake City) Maj 10-2
152 – Joe Kozlowski (Lake City) over Giovanni Ruffo (KM) Maj 10-2
160 – Cole Glazier (KM) over Luke Becker (Lake City) TF 17-2
170 – Kail Wynia (KM) over Dominic Goihl-Krier (Lake City) Fall 3:48
182 – Bennett Berge (KM) over Sam Nutt (Lake City) Fall 5:49
195 – Ben Nutt (Lake City) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
220 – Anthony Moe-Tucker (KM) over Jeremy Nguyen (Lake City) Fall 2:50
285 – Max Balow (Lake City) over Reed Parrish (KM) Fall 1:38