Pins key DL's big win over Prowlers

Laker heavyweight James Huwe tries to roll Fosston's Luke Juve on his back Thursday night. Brian Basham/Record

By Brian Wierima

February 01, 2013 at 3:11 PM

Things are starting to line up well in the upcoming Section 8-2A team seeding for the Detroit Lakes wrestling squad, after they posted a big win over Thief River Falls in the Lakers' home triangular Thursday by the score of 50-21.

Bonus points came in droves for the Lakers, who now have set themselves up to claim the No. 2 seed in the section Tuesday, when they face Pequot Lakes/ Pine River-Backus in Wadena-Deer Creek.

The dual will also decide the Mid-State Conference crown.

The lopsided victory for the Lakers was a bit of surprise, but it was all due to the DL wrestlers gaining the wins in the toss-up matches, most of them resulting in falls.

"On paper, the dual was a toss up," said DL head coach Rob Ullyott. "The score was not indicative of how tight the matches really were."

After falling down 12-6 in the first three matches due to two pins and a TRF forfeit at 120 pounds, each of Logan Twigg and Bryant Swiers ignited the Lakers' momentum.

Twigg made a late takedown on Tae Malone late in the third period to secure a narrow 11-10 decision at 126 pounds and pull DL to 12-9.

Swiers, who was wrestling in place of an injured Nate Francis, recorded a crucial pin on Dre Malone late, after leading by only three points at that point, thus giving the Lakers their first and final lead of the dual, 17-12.

"Those two had the matches of the night for us," Ullyott said. "If you are looking for momentum to build on, winning those tight matches is the way to do it.

"That fall Bryant had was just huge."

That rolled right into DL's strength, which is their middle.

Zach Baker took care of business at 138 with a fall on No. 10 ranked Austin Hjelle, which was one of those crucial toss-up matches.

Baker beat Hjelle in the section finals last year to qualify for his first state berth.

"When those toss-up matches end with a pin, it makes the coach's job easy," Ullyott laughed.

The Lakers were favored at 145 and 152, with No. 8 ranked Parker Jackson and Jarett Nosal delivering with a pin and technical fall, respectively, to put DL in firm control at 34-12.

Each of Jeff Gailfus at 160 and Ben Ortiz at 170 lost to TRF's top wrestlers No. 3 Nathaniel Holecek and No. 4 Holden Nelson.

But even in loss, DL gained after Gailfus battled Holecek to a 9-5 decision, which prevented the Prowlers from gaining bonus points.

Brandon Dahring closed out the match with a pin on Tyran Jones, while Cameron Fritz posted a big 10-5 decision over Ty-shauhn Brown and freshman heavyweight James Huwe won 1-0 over Chris Kucera.

Huwe's win sets him up as the section's potential one seed, as well.

The Lakers also disposed of Fosston 58-15 in the first dual.

Ullyott sees Perham gaining the top seed, since the Yellowjackets have beaten the other top three teams, while Tuesday's showdown in W-DC should determine the second and third seeds, with TRF at No. 4.

Laker results

Fosston and Thief River Falls at Detroit Lakes, Thursday, Jan. 31.

Lakers 58 Fosston/Bagley 15

106 Tyler Bellefeuille (DL) Won by pin over lane olson

113 Payton Jackson (DL) Won 3-2 over tristen molden

120 Luke Payne (DL) Won by pin over roman bode

126 Logan Twigg (DL) Lost 0-4 to gabe hanson

132 Bryant Swiers (DL) Won by a pin against Jake Ubert

138 Zach Baker (DL) Won by a pin against Ben Marx

145 Parker Jackson (DL) Won by pin against sam manecke

152 Jarrett Nosal (DL) Won 11-3 over Alexi Bode

160 Brandon Dahring (DL) Won with a pin against Nick Vig