The Bemidji Lumberjacks wrestling team returns to the mats this weekend after an eight day layoff to close its year with a dual tonight at Moorhead and a triangular tomorrow at Sauk Rapids.
The latter match was rescheduled after being lost during the herpes shutdown the past week.
Also gone that weekend was the Blaine team tournament which was cancelled.
Bemidji is rested and ready, said Assistant Coach Mark Gunderson. "The kids seemed more than anxious to return to practice Wednesday and are looking forward to the weekend."
Tonight's match was reduced to a dual when Thief River Falls, the third team scheduled, withdrew.
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The switch moves the varsity match back to a 7 p. m. start with the JV match to open the evening.
Tomorrow, Bemidji will wrestle the second and third matches facing Brainerd at 2:30 and Sauk Rapids at 4. Sauk Rapids and Brainerd will lead off the day at 1.
Bemidji is 7-3 in duals, besting Alexandria and Bertha-Hewitt in its last outing.
The losses came to Forest Lake and Simley at the Forest Lake triangular and BGMR at home 34-24.
Simley and Forest Lake are ranked 6-7 in 3A and BGMR fifth in single A.
Sauk Rapids, the defending 8-3A champion, replaces Fergus Falls on Saturday's triangular.
Last year the Jacks swept Moorhead 43-20 and TRF 40-33 in that triangular after wins over Brainerd 52-21 and Fergus 47-21 in the earlier meet.
The Jacks have struggled all season at the lower weights counting on the upper eight classes to overcome huge deficits.
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That could be a problem this weekend as well though perhaps, not as extensive.
Moorhead's program has been in the doldrums since the departure of Coach Ron Gadberry in the late 70's. The Spuds are 4-13 this year beating Brainerd, Fargo North, Spring Lake Park and DGF. The Brainerd win came on criteria at the Brainerd Quad after the two battled to a 34-34 standoff.
The Spuds will show several strong wrestlers, however, and Bemidji will need to make headway against the rest of the lineup.
Brainerd is 6-7-1 and trailed Bemidji at both the Brainerd Invitational and Big B ear at Cass Lake.
Brainerd fell to Little Falls 38-25, a team Bemidji beat 37-34.
Both beat Alexandria, Bemidji 40-27 and Brainerd 41-20. .
Sauk Rapids is not considered a threat for this year's sectional bringing a 6-11-1 mark into play.
The Storm has beaten Alex 41-30 but lost to Little Falls 40-23 and Grand Rapids 37-34, team Bemidji beat 41-21. Sauk Rapids also was well behind Bemidji at the Brainerd meet.
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Because of the loss of the Blaine meet and Thief River match following the previous withdrawal from the Detroit Lakes Invitational, the biggest loser during the lay off and was Joe Andersen who saw his hopes of catching Greg Skerik on the all-time victory list go down the drain. The changes cost him at least seven matches. He takes a 26-0 record into the weekend with 196 career wins. Skerik ended with 216.
Steve Masterson is also unbeaten at 13-0 as is Kaleb Young who was 17-0 at the time he broke his hand.
Young has been cleared to resume working out but not to wrestle but hopes to be back for the section meet.
Coach Rob Whelan will go tonight with:
103-Luke Bruns
112-Dale Davy
119-Rob Mason
125-Seth Dremmel
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130-Dale Norton
135-Trevor Lyseng
140-Lance Richter
145-Corey Huber
152-Andersen
160-Aaron Olson
171-Brandon Bahr
189-Masterson
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215-Jake Sorby
Hwt.-Kyle Mason.
The shorthanded B Team will forfeit at four weights.
It will start: 103-Colton Doty; 112-Andrew Vaughn; 125-Derek Lofgren; 130-Cody Gardner; 145-Travis Utley; 152-Tyler Johnson; 160-Eddie Potter or Wes Mason; 171-Evan Olson; 189-Alex Willard; Hwt.-Andrew Cable
