by Oran Sorenson, assistant coach
Blue Dragon wrestlers made history traveling to Viborg January 19th for our first wrestling trip ever to this South Dakota town. Viborg, otherwise known for their share of success in track, basketball, and nine-man football, two years ago launched their maiden season in the sport of wrestling with nearby Hurley.
This writer remembers our first year of wrestling in Garretson as a senior meeting up quite often with a Craig Christiansen, a very formidable foe who was then a Bulldog from Hurley. Their program fell by the wayside, as did many other schools their size facing declining enrollments and tight budgets in the short years to come.
Even though our wrestling team currently faces some number shortages, the experience of our program and the guidance of our two varsity coaches led the Blue Dragons to certain victory. In a relatively new rule change, a coin toss or lottery can be used to decide which weight class to begin with. Luck for Viborg Hurley was that HWT was the weight class to take the mat first this night. Arguably, our opponent’s best wrestler then would take the mat against our very own Gabe Johnson in what was their night to honor their only senior, Collin Graves. Johnson battled well against this formidable foe but came up short in a 5-0 decision.
Two Blue Dragons would earn pins in round one of action in this triangular. Both Trevon Cross and Tayson Swatek won by fall, Cross in period two and Swatek in the third. We lost one match by decision but would pick up many forfeits on our way to a 48-15 victory.
In round two our local boys would take on Marion Freeman in dual action in this three-team event. This time victory would escape us as we fell to this opponent for the second time this year by a score of 45-30. Things were going quite well according to the strategy of our two coaches anchored by sure victories in the middle weights with Jayse Miller, Braxten Rozeboom, and Trevon Cross all meeting expectations with early match pins. Some Blue Dragon inexperience in the classes to come put things tight in the closing matches. Our opponents sealed their victory with their two team leaders and state ranked wrestlers earning first and second period pins at 160 and 220 earning victories over Carsten Rozeboom and Jayden Richter. At the 170 lb. spot Adam Hulscher lost a tight 4-0 decision.
Each picking up forfeits in this round were Brock Bonte at 126 and Gabe Johnson at HWT. Next action for the Blue and White grapplers was Tuesday January 26th in Parkston (results unavailable at press time) and Saturday, January 30 at Wagner.
