Park Wrestling: Wolfpack beats Wayzata, almost upsets No. 8 Hastings

The Park wrestling team won three of its five matches last week to improve to 17-4 on the season.

Park, which is also 3-1 in the Suburban East Conference, beat Wayzata and nearly upset perennial powerhouse Hastings in a triangular match at Park High School on Thursday, Jan. 5, then went 2-1 at the Farmington Duals on Saturday, Jan. 7, in a trio of non-conference bouts.

To start the week Park topped Wayzata 38-32. Park eighth grader Collin LaBrosse got things started for the Wolfpack, winning with a pin at 113 pounds. Park senior David Ayers followed with a 15-0 win at 132 pounds and senior Scott Johnston won a 5-4 decision at 170 pounds.

The turning point of the match came as Nate Bauman, Cody Linssen and Darius Henry each won with pins at 189 pounds, 195 pounds and 220 pounds, respectively. Also, freshman Brandon Young won with a forfeit at 152 pounds.

After dispatching of the Trojans, Park battled eighth-ranked Hastings, but fell 35-22 to the Raiders.

In the loss, sophomore Austin Thurmes won with a pin at 106 pounds, LaBrosse won by pin at 113 pounds, senior Kenny Gerhardt won 6-5 at 145 pounds, freshman Corey Flaata earned a 7-3 win at 152 pounds and Linssen, a sophomore, won 16-6 at 220 pounds.

At Saturday’s Farmington Duals, Park beat host Farmington 40-26 and topped Chatfield 35-33, but fell to Milaca, which is ranked seventh in Class AA, 33-25.

Against Farmington, Ayers and Giadyu each earned 4-0 wins, Gerhardt won 12-0 at 145 pounds, Flaata won with a pin at 152 pounds, Johnson won with a pin at 170 pounds and senior Tyler Liljedahl won with a pin at 220 pounds. Also, eighth grader Zach Wills and Henry each won with forfeits.

In the win over Chatfield, LaBrosse won 12-6, Ayers earned an 11-6 win, Giadyu won 2-1, Gerhardt won 14-3, Flaata earned a pin win at 152 pounds, senior D’Monte Farley won 12-4 at 160 pounds, senior Nate Bauman won on a disqualification and Linssen won by way of a pin.

In the loss to Milaca, LaBrosse won 12-9, Gerhardt won 15-5, Flaata won 12-6, Farley won 13-6 and Bauman and Linssen each won with pins.

Next, Park travels to Forest Lake on Thursday, Jan. 12, to take on the fourth-ranked Rangers in a SEC dual.

Tags: sports, wrestling, park, wolfpack, prep, updates