Eagles look to soar at state: State Class AAA wrestling tournament full of chances for New Ulm

By JEN SEAVEY

Journal Sports Editor

ST. PAUL -- Two of the oldest and two of the younger members of the New Ulm Eagles wrestling team will hope to make some waves at the State Class AAA individual wrestling tournament today at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Travis Aufderheide, Dan Mielke, Chris Koob and Adam Hoffmann will begin preliminaries at 12:30 p.m. today at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Class AA wrestling begins at 8 a.m., Class A team is at 10:15, and Class A individuals start at 6 p.m.

The two seniors, Aufderheide and Mielke, are motivated by the fact that this is their last chance to make something happen at state.

Aufderheide is going to get another shot at state after losing in the preliminaries last year.

"It wasn't good. I had a sour taste about the state tournament," Aufderheide said.

After a disappointment last year, Aufderheide knows that he has to make it happen his senior year if it is going to happen. He faces Henry Williams from Woodbury in the first round.

"This is my last year wrestling, so I have to get it done this year -- there are no second chances," he said.

"I think he's got something he wants to prove to himself," Aufderheide said.

For Mielke, it is also his first chance at state. Last year, he took fifth place at sections.

"I'm wrestling better than I used to," Mielke said. "My mind's set because it's my last year. I've been pushing myself harder in practice. I just want to wrestle tough."

Mielke faces the No. 1 wrestler in his weight class, sophomore Derek Skala from Owatonna.

"I think Mielke can do really good at state," Aufderheide said. "I look for him to work his butt off and can see him wrestling on Saturday."

Koob, a sophomore, will make his second appearance at state. Last year, Koob lost his first match at state at 125 to Drew Hruska from Rochester Mayo, then lost in wrestlebacks to Jordan Kolbow from Forest Lake.

This year, he wants to make a stronger showing.

"I didn't really like it, because I didn't wrestle my best at state last year," Koob said. "The second guy, I knew I could have beat."

Coach Dar Arndt believes that part of what held Koob back last year was his youth, but this year can be a different story.

"Koob was a freshman, and may have had tournament jitters last year," he said. "[He's] going to have to wrestle like he did last Saturday."

Hoffmann, the youngest Eagle to make it to state, is set to face the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the 103 weight class, sophomore Alex Meger from Owatonna.

"I'm not scared -- I'm just going to go out and try my best; I know that if I do lose, he'll win," Hoffmann said, alluding to the fact that if he loses, he may have a chance in wrestlebacks. "It doesn't make me nervous. It's just another match, and we'll go from there."

"He's going after this guy tomorrow, because he has nothing to lose," Arndt said.

"It's neat having an eighth- and tenth-grader at state," Arndt said. "They can come back to lead the team next year, because once you get a taste of it, it's contagious, and I hope it spreads to other kids."