Gaining some points Cardinal Blake Petrich gained a few points with a cradle hold over Aitkin wrestler Andrew Best. Petrich won a 13-5 major decision. (Staples World photo by Kelley Kossan) The Cardinal wrestlers are keeping their winning streak alive. This past week they took first place at the Walker Wolves Invitational, and also won their 16th dual meet this season, 44-21 over the Aitkin Gobblers.

Friday night in Walker, the boys took championship honors with 253 points, 83 points ahead of second place Fosston-Bagley and 100 points ahead of Walker- Hackensack-Akeley-Nevis, who placed third.

Five Cards were champs in their weight classes, Blake Miller, Brady Killian, David DeYonge, Jordan Bendson and Dylan Shequen. For Miller, Killian and DeYonge, all underclassmen, this was their first championship honors in a varsity tournament.

Taking second place were Brent Lisson, Chandler Trout, Blake Petrich and Ryan Detloff. Out of the 47 matches 36 were wins. “I was very, very pleased with the teams overall performance,” Coach Dan Bjerga said. “Half our wins were by fall and during the first round of wrestling alone, the Cardinal wrestlers managed to score 26 takedowns, with only one against them. That’s impressive; these guys are really fun to watch.”

Pin coming Dylan Shequen at 171 pounds has his Aitkin Gobbler opponent Alan Bast in trouble, holding his shoulders to the mat with a cradle hold. Shequen got a pin to help his team win a 44-21 victory. (Staples World photo by Kelley Kossan) The night before the Cards hosted Aitkin in a dual meet. Staples Motley won 10 of the 14 matches. Blake Miller, Sam Duberowski, Jordan Bendson and Dylan Shequen pinned their opponents, while Blake Petrich and Ryan Detloff won by major decision and Jordan Heldman, Brent Lisson, Chandler Trout and David DeYonge won by decision.

Midway through the meet, the score was much closer than the final tall. After 140 pounds, Aitkin led 21-15. Then starting with Brent Lisson, the last seven Cardinals won their matches.

“Our wrestlers were very aggressive as we earned twice as many takedowns as the Aitkin wrestlers.

“The guys also did a great job at controlling their opponent on the mat. Aitkin seemed to be wrestling very defensively which made it more difficult for our guys to score back points and falls,” Bjerga said.

“The boys are improving every time they step out on the mat, and I have no doubt that they will continue to improve throughout the last four weeks of the season.”

Overall SM is 16-1 in duals with one dual left. Tuesday the boys were in Pelican Rapids for a dual, and this Saturday is the last meet of the regular season, an invitational in Breckenridge. Section action starts on Feb. 20 in Grand Forks.
Wrestling Results
Staples Motley 44, Aitkin 21
103: Blake Miller (SM) pinned
Dan Nordeen 0:58
112: Joe Elvecrog (A) pinned
Tyler Pogreba 0:45
119: Jordan Heldman (SM)
dec. Travis Bare 9-2
125: Adam Jackson (A) dec.
Brady Killian 6-5
130: Sam Duberowski (SM)
pinned Brian Wold 5:27
135: Dalton Stevens (A)
pinned Dylan Kylander 1:34
140: Jordan Chouanard (A)
pinned Brandon Flickinger 3:41
145: Brent Lisson (SM) dec.
Isaac Novak 4-0

152: Jordan Bendson (SM)
pinned Kevin Handt 2:39
160: Chandler Trout (SM) dec.
Kane Magness 6-2
171: Dylan Shequen (SM)
pinned Alan Bast 2:40
189: Blake Petrich (SM) maj.
dec. Andrew Bast 13-5
215: Ryan Detloff (SM) maj.
dec. Brett Skattum 13-0
Hwt: David DeYonge (SM)
dec. Cooper Blau 1-0

Cardinal in control Cardinal Jordan Bendson had full control at this point over Kevin Handt from Aitkin. Bendson pinned Handt as part of a run of seven straight wins for the Cardinals. (Staples World photo by Kelley Kossan) Walker Wolves Invitational

1 Staples Motley, 253.0; 2.Fosston/ Bagley, 169.5; 3. Walker- Hackensack-Akeley/Nevis 157.5; 4. Crosby-Ironton 152.5; 5. Deer River 151.5; 6. Nashwauk-Keewatin/ Greenway 99.0; 7. East Grand Forks/Sacred Heart 52.5; 8. Blackduck/Cass Lake-Bena/ Indus 30.0

103: (1) Blake Miller; 112: (3.) Jordan Heldman; 119: (5) Tyler Pogreba; 125: (1) Brady Killian; 130: (3) Sam Duberowski; 135: (4) Ryan Kobliska; 140: (3) Brandon Flickinger; 145: (2) Brent Lisson; 152: (1) Jordan Bendson; 160: (2) Chandler Trout; 171: (1) Dylan Shequen; 189: (2) Blake Petrich; 215: (2) Ryan Detloff; Hwt: (1) David DeYonge