Wrestling: Hanging with Minnesota's Best

Jamin LeDuc went a perfect 4-0 at Prior Lake (photo by Jim Lindquist)

It's not often that a coach can walk away from a tournament where his team came out on the short end of the score in all four matches and still feel good about the day.

But that's exactly the way Tiger coach Chad Olson felt following Saturday's Prior Lake Invitational that featured some of the best teams in Minnesota.

Farmington matched up with four of the state's finest and lost by fewer than eight points to each.

The Tigers opened with a 32-24 loss to No. 4 (AAA) ranked St. Michael-Albertville and then led going into the final match in a tough 30-28 loss to ninth-rated (AA) Albert Lea.

Later in the day No. 4-rated (AA) Simley downed Farmington 37-29 before the Tigers fell to No. 2 (AAA) Prior Lake 34-30 in the finale.

"It was a grinder today, but our wrestlers were awesome," coach Olson said. "We had a chance to win three of the four duals going into the final match.

"It is exciting to know we can compete with the best programs in the state. Our wrestlers have put a lot of work in during the springs and summers the last three years  to get to this point... It is great to see all their hard work paying off.  We are not far off from being able to beat the best teams in the state."

Joe Hoeve (182) and Jamin LeDuc (126) scored six-point falls and Victor Gliva (106), Brayden Chapman (138), Jake Rudeen (170) and CJ Wynings (220) provided decisions in the opening round loss to St. Michael-Albertville.

In the Albert Lea match Farmington got pins from Hoeve and Rudeen, a major decision by Taylor Venz (126) and three-point victories from LeDuc, Kyle Benjamin (152), Matt Rustad (132) and Joe Liden (160).

Jake Rudeen won 3 of 4 matches (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Against Simley, the Farmington points came from pins from Rustad, Hoeve and Rudeen, major decisions by LeDuc and Godfrey Mpetey (285) and a decision by Venz.

The Prior Lake match was another nail-biter not decided until the heavyweight match. Farmington winners included LeDuc and Chappman by fall; Gliva by technical fall; Rustad by major decision and Venz, Joe Liden and Mason Hawkins (145) by decision.

LeDuc finished the tournament a perfect 4-0. Venz, Hoeve, Rudeen and Rustad were 3-1 while Chapman, Liden and Gliva each finished 2-2.

Farmington 49 Tri-CityUnited
The Tigers tuned up for the Prior Lake tourney with a 48-16 dual meet win over Tri-City Central Friday night at FHS.

Skylar Raymond (113), Brian Caravantes (126), Hoeve and Wynings each recorded falls and the Tigers picked up a free six points on a forfeit.

Gliva scored five team points with a technical fall in the first bout of the night. Chapman and Trevor Frost (182) each won by major decision while Rustad and Liden claimed three-point decisions.

Next Friday and Saturday the Tigers will make an appearance at the Minnesota Christmas Tournament held at the University of Minnesota.