Winter sports concluded at PEM last weekend, as the Bulldogs sent their qualifying wrestlers to compete in the State Tournament, at the Xcel Center in St. Paul. This season the Bulldogs qualified two wrestlers for State by virtue of their top 2 finish at the Section Tournament, senior Carter Marx (152) and junior Logan Wingert (285). The wrestlers began their State Tournament weekend in grand style on Thursday as the entire student body assembled in the PEM HS gymnasium for a celebration of winter sports and activities and a state tournament send-off. The event included music from the PEM band,a highlight video of the two state entrants, and representatives of all of the winter teams speaking about their seasons.
By Friday morning, all of the pageantry was a distant memory and it was time to put it on the line and compete. Making his 2nd trip to State, senior Carter Marx was first up for the Bulldogs on Friday morning, squaring off against Adam Nuemann of Annandale/Maple-Lake, a scrappy sophomore who was sporting a 32-9 record. Marx went into the match knowing that a first round loss would likely mean an early exit from the tournament since #2 ranked Dylan Fudge of Perham waited in the next round. And for a first round loser to continue, the person who beat them must win in the next round. After nearly a minute of back and forth, Marx struck first with an outside single for a takedown and a 2-0 lead going into the 2nd period. The 2nd period was mostly a stalemate as both wrestlers remained neutral for the entire period. In the 3rd period Neumann chose the down position and got an early escape to close the lead to 2-1. With 45 seconds left, Marx got called for stalling making the margin of error razor thin, but Marx was able to hang on for the 2-1 1st round victory.
Junior, Logan Wingert’s first round match was next for the Bulldogs. Making his first ever trip to the State Tournament, Wingert’s first round matchup was Mora’s Tanner Granruth, a smaller but athletic heavyweight. Wingert found himself in a very similar position in the bracket as Marx with #2 ranked Calvin Menke of Scott West was likely waiting in the quarterfinal round. Thus a first round loss for Wingert would likely be a State Tournament death sentence. The first few seconds of the match began with 2 solid leg attacks by Wingert, but the athletic Grangruth was able to scramble out of both attacks not surrendering a point. Thirty seconds into the match Granruth threw a headlock that Wingert was able to slip for a two point takedown. With :14 seconds left in the 1st period, Granruth got to his feet, but Wingert was able to put him back down and take a 2-0 lead into the 2nd period. Wingert started the 2nd period in the down position and was able to get a quick reversal to make the lead 4-0. Then Wingert hooked up his left-handed barb-wire, turned Granruth to his back, and picked up his NEW school record 34th pin of the season.
After a few hour break in the action, both wrestlers returned to the Xcel Center for Friday evening’s quarterfinal round, where both wrestlers would face the #2 ranked wrestler in their weight class. Once again Marx was first up for the Bulldogs at 152 facing Perham senior Dylan Fudge. Marx got the 1st takedown of the match hitting a quick slide-by for a takedown in the 1st 5 seconds of the match to take an early 2-0 lead. A quick escape by Fudge made the score 2-1. Marx again got all the way behind Fudge, but Fudge ran off the mat and was called for stalling as the period ended with a 2-1 score. Marx chose down to start the 2nd period and managed an escape in the 1st :10 seconds to take a 3-1 lead. With :45 seconds left in the 2nd period, Fudge jacked up an underhook and hit an explosive reverse head-lock that threw Marx to his back. With :10 seconds left in the 2nd, the pin was called sending Marx to the wrestle-backs.
Next up for Wingert was Scott West’s Calvin Menke, a heavy handed big man known for his powerful snapdown. Menke was ranked #2 in the weight class and sporting a 40-3 record heading into the tournament. Menke was also a champion of the illustrious MN Christmas Tournament where Wingert placed 5th, though the two never met. The first period didn’t have any scoring, but had plenty of action. At one point, Menke converted on a snapdown and got all the way behind Wingert, but was unable to get Wingert’s hands to the ground and the period ended 0-0. Wingert chose down to begin the 2nd period and quickly escaped to take a 1-0 lead. With :40 seconds left in the period Wingert was able to get to the legs and get the only takedown of the match to take a 3-0 lead into the final period. With 1:39 left in the match, Menke got to his feet and managed an escape to close Wingert’s lead to 3-1. But as the match wore on, Wingert’s superior conditioning edge began to surface and Menke was hit for stalling for the 2nd time and Wingert was awarded another point which extended the lead to 4-1. With :10 seconds left the match returned to the center. Menke needed something big to make up the 3 point deficit, but Wingert had much more gas in the tank, and would have none of it, as he remained in outstanding position as he marched the much larger Menke backwards as time expired. With the upset victory, Wingert advanced to the semifinals and secured himself a medal and a spot on the State Tournament podium.
While Wingert was finished competing for the evening, Marx needed a late night wrestle-back victory just to stay alive in the tournament and advance to Saturday’s early morning blood round. Marx was pitted against Adam Sylvester of Totino Grace. In the consolation rounds, the first period is only 1:00, and it went fast with neither wrestler getting close to a takedown, and the period would end 0-0. Marx would choose down to start the 2nd and get a quick escape for the first point of the match. Near the 1:00 mark of the first period, Marx would finally get to a leg and a back and forth scramble ensued for nearly :20 seconds with Marx eventually coming out on top for a 3-0 lead. In the final :30 seconds of the 2nd period, Sylvester rallied again, but Marx was able to survive the scrambles and take a 3-0 lead into the 3rd period. Sylvester chose neutral to begin the 3rd period but there was no change as Sylvester couldn’t get close to Marx’s legs and Marx was content to take a 3-0 victory and live to compete another day.
After a quick night of sleep, the boys were back at the X early on Saturday for the final weigh in of the year and a final chance to chase their State Tournament dreams. Wingert needed one more win to become PEM’s 15th state finalist in program history, and Marx needed one more win to finish his HS career on the State Tournament podium. Marx would be called to the mat first to face the thick and powerful Wyatt Block of Mankato West, younger brother to 2018 State Champion Joe Block. Block spent the 1st period trying to work from distance and use his explosiveness, while Marx tied him up to slow him down. The first period would end 0-0, but Block would choose down to begin the 2nd period and escape in less than 2 seconds to take a 1-0 lead. Block controlled most of the action in the 2nd period and Marx was called for stalling with :37 left in the period. But with only :02 seconds left in the period Marx converted on an edge of the mat slide-by to take a 2-1 lead into the final period. Marx chose down but Block chose to put him on his feet to make the score 3-1 Marx. Only :05 into the period Marx was finally able to get to Block’s leg and finish a single leg taking a 5-1 lead. Block wasn’t finished yet as he got back to his feet for an escape and charged hard. But Marx was able to transfer the momentum into another slide-by making it a 7-2 match. With :45 seconds left in the match Block would get one more escape to close the gap back to 7-3. Needing a 5 point throw to win, the heavily muscled Block would trap Marx’s arms in two overhooks, but Marx was able to drop his hips and circle out of the danger. Block charged hard one more time and Marx was hit with stalling for a 2nd time to close the lead to 7-4. But Marx got another go-behind takedown as time expired to win the match 9-4, and secure his 2nd state medal in as many years.
By mid-morning, the Bulldogs were back to the championship side of the bracket where Logan Wingert was pitted in the semis against a larger, but athletic heavyweight, Dustin Portales of Fergus Falls. The first period was a battle of position, as both heavyweights worked the head and worked for underhooks. Though points weren’t being scored, Wingert was controlling the positions and consistently taking ground and Portales was slowly but steadily backing up. With :14 seconds left in the 1st, Wingert got his hand on Portales’ leg, but was unable to convert the takedown, and the period ended deadlocked at 0-0. Wingert chose down to begin the 2nd period and was able to get right to his feet. But as Wingert stood up, Portales was able to secure a dangerously deep underhook position. Wingert hinted at throwing a headlock and Portales countered with a throw attempt of his own. The two big men tumbled to the mat and for a second Wingert had Portales planted on his back, but Portales was able to scramble all the way back to his feet. Though no back points were awarded, Wingert was given 2 points for the takedown and after the scramble, the period ended 3-1. Between the 2nd and 3rd period, a blood time was called that allowed tiring Portales to charge his battery a little for the 3rd period. Portales chose down and scrambled up to his feet quickly. Wingert dropped to a leg, and put Portales back down to the mat, but the athletic Portales hit a somersault roll and scrambled back to his feet for the escape making the score 3-2. Halfway through the 2nd period, time was called again to clean up blood. In the final minute, Wingert used an underhook to march Portales backwards. With :10 seconds left, Portales was once again able to get his own deep underhook jacked up and put Wingert in danger of giving up a throw. But Wingert alertly sunk his hips and circled away to preserve the 3-2 victory and advance to Saturday evening’s STATE FINALS!
While Wingert could rest up for the evening’s grand finale, Marx was back on the mat in the consolation semifinals. This time in a rematch of the Section Finals vs. Simley’s #3 ranked Gavin Nelson who lost his semifinal match in OT to the eventual state champion. The 1:00 first period again went fast as neither wrestler was able to secure a takedown and the period ended 0-0. In the 2nd, Nelson chose down and was able to get a quick escape to take a 1-0 lead. Just :20 seconds into the period Nelson hit a huge headlock and nearly had a pin, but Marx was able to fight off his back and eventually get an escape. Nevertheless the score was 6-1 heading into the 3rd period. Marx chose down to start the 3rd and gained a quick escape making the score 6-2. Marx was able to stop Nelson’s first shot, and needing big points, attempted a gator roll, but Nelson was able to stop it and get another takedown. Marx got yet another escape and continued to attack, but Nelson was able to defend all the attacks and won the match 8-3.
With the loss, Marx would find himself in the 5th place match for the final match of his HS career vs. 45-5 Connor Thorsten of central MN wrestling powerhouse Foley. The first period was very uneventful as Thorsten worked a 2 on 1 tie and Marx was unable to get to his offense. With the first period ending 0-0, Marx chose the down position to start the 2nd period. After a failed Marx stand-up attempt, Thorsten put in a leg ride and nearly turned Marx in a power-half, but after fighting the move for around :10 seconds, the referee blew the position dead and ordered a restart. After the match began again, Thorsten put on another leg-ride, this time from the right side, and Marx was able to hit a shoulder roll and get the reversal to take a 2-0 lead. Thorsten gained an escape and closed the gap back to 2-1 and again got back to the 2 on 1 tie up that Foley is known for. Going into the 3rd, Thorsten chose down and escaped in the first :20 seconds to tie up the match. With another 2 on 1 tie, Thorsten attempted an outside trip and Marx was able to plant Thorsten to his back for a 2 point takedown and 2 nearfall points. But Thorsten quickly recovered and reversed Marx to his own back. Feeling the situation, Marx was able to let go of his hold and get to his belly before any back points could be counted. With Marx holding a 6-4 lead, Thorsten put Marx back on his feet making it a 7-4 Marx lead. With :40 seconds left Thorsten continued to push and work for a throw, but Marx blocked and was warned for stalling. As the action continued, Marx was called for stalling again at the :20 second mark and again as time expired, but it would not be enough as Marx would hold on to win by a score of 7-6. With the win, Marx became the 10th ever multiple time state medalist in the 56 year history of Plainview and PEM wrestling. Marx finishes his senior season with 46 wins (2nd all-time) and his PEM career with 153 career victories (3rd all-time), and 69 pins (10th all-time) with school records for career takedowns (358), takedowns in a season (138), and season match points (375).
PEM’s final match of the season was also the final match in the state of MN in class AA. It showcased the two best class AA heavyweights, PEM junior Logan Wingert and Simley’s Daniel Kerkvliet. In addition to winning 3 previous state championships, Kerkvliet is widely regarded by all major wrestling publications as the top high school wrestler in the entire United States. This was the fourth meeting of the season between Wingert and Kerkvliet. As the match began, Kerkvliet immediately shot on Wingert’s legs and for the first time all season, somebody stopped Kerkvliet’s initial attack. Unfortunately, the future Ohio State heavyweight changed direction and proceeded with a shot to the other side which he converted. Kerkvliet then threw in a leg-ride and worked a high half-nelson for the first period pin, capping the 4th state championship of his career. Wingert finishes his junior season with 44 wins on the season and a school record of 34 pins putting him in the top 30 of any MN wrestler EVER. In addition, Wingert set a school record for most total team points with 251, breaking the old record of 225.
Coach’s Comments: “This past weekend was certainly an emotional rollercoaster of excitement. It was great to see that our two qualifiers were capable of competing with the very best in the state. Both wrestlers and I are the first to acknowledge that their accomplishments would not have been possible without their extensive network of support that includes: all of their teammates, family members, coaches, volunteers, and many other well-wishers that have helped along the way. All of the members of the PEM wrestling team worked extremely hard this season, and Logan and Carter did an outstanding job of representing all of them at state.”
Pictures of the event can be located HERE!
Comments