(photo by Jim Lindquist)
Farmington coach Chad Olson said his team would get an early reality check last weekend with five matches, four of them against state-ranked competition, in a span of less than 48 hours.
The locals went 1-4 over the two days, defeating Montgomery-Lonsdale/LeCenter (MLLC) 39-30 and losing to No. 1AA Simley 53-6; No. 6AAA Albert Lea 58-10; No. 7AAA Anoka 49-24 and No. 11AAA Prior Lake 54-16.
"We were tested this weekend with some really tough competition," Olson said. "I told the guys in practice on Thursday we had to grind through four tough duals and if we could hold it together, we would have a chance against MLLC.
"They responded really well. The Montgomery dual was as good as we have wrestled in two years. The wrestlers learned a lot wrestling four ranked teams in a row and made the adjustments to start to get better."
Friday night the Tigers entertained Albert Lea and Anoka in a triangular at FHS. In the opener against Albert Lea, three Tigers posted victories. Taylor Venz won a major decision at 106 lbs., wile teammates Chris McCue (145) and Joe Hoeve (160) each registered three-point victories.
Against Anoka, Venz recorded a six-point forfeit victory and Jacob Goddard followed up with a decision at 113 lbs. Matt Rustad earned a pin at 120 lbs. and in the next bout John Walz added three points with a decision at 126. John Walz followed with a decision in the 126 lbs. match and later Jake Rudeen got the final Farmington win with a fall at 138 pounds.
Joe Hoeve won two matches against rated teams
(photo by Jim Lindquist)
Saturday at Prior Lake the Tigers took a beating from top-rated Simley in their opening match with Venz and Gabbard providing the wins.
Things got a little better in loss to the host Lakers with Venz winning by a technical fall, Hoeve by fall and Ridge Raddatz via forfeit.
In the victory over MLLC, Venz, Gabbard, Walz, McCue and Bret Hoffman (285) each won by pin. Rustad won by decision and Dakoda Louis-Dupay won by FF at 220 lbs.
"The win was our first in two years," Olson said "The wrestlers were grinning ear to ear knowing we had completed a tough weekend with a great finish."
Venz went a perfect 4-0 (plus a forfeit) for the weekend with a decision, a major decision, a technical fall, a fall.
"That's like hitting for the cycle in baseball," Olson said.
Next up for the Tigers are a pair of triangulars, Thursday at Eastview and Friday at Richfield.
