WRESTLING: Blackduck/Cass Lake-Bena hosts Big Bear tournament
CASS LAKE - The Cass Lake-Bena high school and middle school gyms will be filled with activity this weekend as the Blackduck-Cass Lake-Bena wrestling officials host the annual Big Bear tournament.
The event begins at 11 a.m. today and will conclude Saturday evening. Organizing the tournament are committee members Steve Bechtold, Ron Milbrandt, Jerry Cleveland, Joe Cherney, Dominic Krump, Bryan Glynn, Tim Hinrichs and Mike Foster.
Attracting 35 teams the Big Bear is Minnesota’s largest wrestling meet outside of the state tournament. The area will be well represented as the field includes Bemidji, Badger-Greenbush-Middle River, Crookston, Deer River, Detroit Lakes, Fosston-Bagley, Mahnomen, Park Rapids, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley-Nevis and BCLB.
Teams from as far away as Hutchinson and Robbinsdale also are entered.
Individually, more than 50 of Minnesota’s top-10 wrestlers representing 14 different weight classes are in the field. Among the ranked wrestlers are Bemidji heavyweight Alex Johnson and Lumberjacks 120-pounder Brian Maas.
Other ranked wrestlers also expected to compete are Mahnomen’s Kole LeFebvre (126 pounds), Garrett Hoffner (145) and Jonathon Hoffner (160), WHAN’s Collin Huckbody (182) and Chris Zimmer (195) plus Park Rapids’ Ben Baumgartner (132).
Bemidji’s lineup will open with and Tyler O’Bierne at 106. Brian Maas will wrestle at 113, Dylon Sauceda at 120, Logan Crosby at 126, Craig Maas at 132, Robert Treuer at 138, Gannon Strain at 145, Alex O’Neal at 152, Drew Peterson at 160, Kade Johnson at 170, Josh Dreyer at 182, Brody Wilander at 195, Ben Wilander at 220 and Alex Johnson at heavyweight.
