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Feb. 26, 2000
9 Eagles move ahead in Section 2-3ABy PAUL DUNLAP Journal Sports Editor WILLMAR -- A career milestone is all in a day's work for Gus Martens. Martens, a 189-pounder, became the fifth member of the current New Ulm wrestling team to gain 100 career wins Friday, pinning a pair of opponents en route to the semifinals of the Section 2AAA Individual Meet at Willmar. There were nine total Eagles who advanced as far as the semifinals, which will begin today at approximately noon. "It (100 wins) really doesn't mean a whole lot to me," Martens said eclipsing the milestone. "It's nice, but I've been with the team for many years. I'm ready to go to state; that's my goal." Martens reached the semifinals in fine fashion, pinning Eden Prairie's Jacob Alsop (1:14) in the opening round before sticking Buffalo's Jon Birkholtz in just eight seconds during quarterfinal action. "I was messing around with (Alsop), just trying to get in to it," Martens said. "This kid (Birkholtz), I just wanted to get rid of him so I get weighed (for today) and go home." New Ulm boasts a total of nine wrestlers that still have a shot at the section title, beginning with eighth-grader Dan Mielke at 103 pounds. Mielke opened with a pin (1:27) of Hutchinson's Austin Bisbee before exacting some revenge on Mankato West's Tim Buzick on a 22-11 major decision in the quarters. Buzick had decisioned Mielke in last weekend's team title meet. "With an eighth grader, you never know whether he's going to come back (from a loss) or not," Eagle assistant coach Dan Kurth said. "It was nice for him to get his head back into it. He had pinned (Buzick) two times earlier this year, and came back with a really big match." The Eagles' arsenal of senior weapons left little doubt as each advanced to the semis. Josh Luneburg, at 112 pounds, received a first-round bye before wearing down Wayzata's Nick Buchman with a pin in 3:51. Peter Zangl, at 119, came out hot with a pair of pins, sticking both Mankato East's Josh McNamara (1:37) and Eden Prairie's Zach Walker (3:46). "Pete pinned two kids, and he hadn't pinned more than four or five all year," Kurth commented. "He and Josh (Luneburg) are both real focused right now." Shane Gulden, at 130 pounds, received a forfeit win in the opening round before pinning Prior Lake's Luke Blom at 2:44 in quarterfinal action. Rob Gieseke, at 135, got a first-round bye before a big fall over Minnetonka's Jesse Anderson (1:46) in quarterfinal action. "Rob did a nice job," Kurth commented. "He came out ready to go." Two more seniors, 140-pound Eric Miller and 152-pound Bill Bastian, both plowed through their competition en route to the semis. Miller had a pair of pins -- over Buffalo's Jordan Henry (1:42) and Hutchinson's Ben Schwarzroch (3:08) -- and Bastian began with a pin (1:16) of Prior Lake's Noah Rezac before gaining a technical fall (4:55) over Minnetonka's Nick Titze. "Bill Bastian's on a roll," Kurth said. "His intensity is up there right now." And don't forget the sophomore, 171-pound Andy Bernard, who rounds out the Eagle semifinalists as he pinned both Buffalo's Bob Neuman (3:17) and Worthington's Josh McCuen (3:54). Sophomore Nate Gieseke came through the opening round with a 12-3 major decision over East's Mitch Fogal but stumbled to Prior Lake's Josh Albright 15-9 in the quarters. "We were a little skeptical whether Nate could get to the semis or not," Kurth said. "He was down (10-2 after two periods), and came back real nice, but didn't have enough to win it." Another sophomore, heavyweight Kory Andersen, received a first-round bye and held an 8-4 lead over Worthington's Ross Teerink in the quarters before Teerink took advantage of the up-position and pinned Andersen at 4:36. Two other New Ulm grapplers -- 145-pound Travis Hermel and 160-pound Tony Ruch -- fell in their opening-round matches. Hermel dropped a 17-12 decision to Hutchinson's Scott Wichman, and Ruch was pinned (1:23) by West's Brandon Adkins. "We came through pretty healthy, with nine (wrestlers) in the semifinals and two realistic shots for third (place). We'll see what their destiny is, and maybe they will have a chance at true-second."
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