Wenninger, Koob advance in state tourney

By JEN SEAVEY

Journal Sports Editor

ST. PAUL -- Two New Ulm wrestlers will continue on in the wrestle-backs of the Class AAA State Wrestling Tournament today at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, while two ended the season after losing close matches.

Freshman Chris Koob moved to the consolation bracket after losing his first match at 125, and senior captain Matt Wenninger (29-11) won his first match, but moved to the consolation bracket after losing his quarterfinal match to the #3 wrestler in his weight class.

Wenninger went into competition without expectations and the stress that can go along with that. His goal now is to place in his last year of wrestling.

"There's nothing expected of me, so there is absolutely no pressure on me," Wenninger said. "So I'm able to just have fun."

Wenninger started out his first match against Neil Russel behind, 2-0 on a reversal, after getting out of a take-down situation -- something he did three times in the match. Wenninger then got Russel on his back and came ahead 3-2 with a near fall, before Russel had Wenninger in a sticky situation again.

Russel had Wenninger's leg, but Wenninger reached down, caught Russel's leg and threw him on his back. Eleven seconds later, Wenninger held Russel in a headlock for the pin at 1:46 and win number 105.

"I just kind of caught him on a bad shot and I got him on his back," Wenninger said.

Coach Arndt attributes Wenninger's success partly to his agility on his feet.

"He is good from his feet ... and he was like a trap waiting to close," Arndt said. "He kept the guy at bay for the first minute. He [Russel] couldn't do what he normally does, and he got frustrated.

"He [Wenninger] wound up pinning him with a headlock, something we don't practice," Arndt said. "It was just there, and he followed his instincts."

In Wenninger's quarterfinal match, he lost to the third-ranked wrestler in the 171 weight class, Rosemount's Zac Cornett, in a 7-3 decision. Cornett grabbed hold of Wenninger's feet time and again, but Wenninger was able to roll through or keep from being pinned. He got two points on a reversal, but could not get Cornett on his back or get closer than 5-3.

In wrestle-backs, Wenninger will take on Joe Sandkamp from Hastings (36-6).

The other three Eagle wrestlers did not fare as well as Wenninger in the first round, although, according to Arndt, they faced some tough competition.

Koob, a freshman wrestling 125, made it to the state tournament after taking second at sections where he was seeded seventh.

Koob (20-18) faced Rochester Mayo's Drew Hruska (29-6) in the first round at state.

Hruska came out ahead 4-0 on take-downs, moving quickly. He tripped Koob up and got him on his back to raise the score to 9-2 with a near fall. Koob fought back, rolling through one attempt to hold him on his back, and rolled through another in the third period, but not before giving up three points. Koob was major decisioned 14-2.

"For a freshman, he's a good wrestler," Arndt said, pointing out that the person he lost to was a junior and a more experienced wrestler.

Koob is still alive in wrestle-backs today, as Hruska went on to win his quarterfinals match. Koob will face Forest Lake's Jordan Kolbow (28-8)

Junior Travis Aufderheide (27-7) had a tough draw in his matchup at 215. In the first round, he lost 9-6 to Nick Rydberg from Simley/Inver Grove Heights, the second-ranked wrestler at that weight.

Rydberg had three takedowns and a reversal, and Aufderheide made three points on escapes, and made a reversal in the third period to give Rydberg a fight.

"He lost to the #2 wrestler -- he can't be too bashful about losing to him 9-6," Arndt said. "He drew into a tough, tough spot."

If Rydberg would have won his next match, Aufderheide could have continued on to wrestle-backs; however, Rydberg faced the first-ranked wrestler, Kyle Massey (45-0) from Centennial in the quarterfinals and lost by fall in 1:45.

At 152, Paul Ruch (31-6) lost his match to Pat Grewe from Totino-Grace, Fridley 4-2 in overtime.

Ruch gave up two points at the beginning when Grewe trapped his legs; Ruch was able to keep off his back and roll through, but Grewe got the two reversal points. Ruch escaped twice to tie it in the third period. In overtime, he had an early opportunity to get a reversal, but Grewe got out of it and got a reversal to win the match.

Ruch will not go on to wrestle-backs today because his opponent lost to Northfield's Mike Quamme (39-0) by major decision, 12-3.

The wrestle-backs for Class AAA are from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. today at the Xcel Energy Center, beginning with the 103 weight class.