Lee Branstrom reached a pair of milestones as the Park Rapids wrestling team went 3-1-1 to open the season.
The senior 215-pounder recorded his 100th career win as the Panthers defeated Blackduck/Cass Lake-Bena and United North Central Thursday night at Menahga and pinned his 71st opponent to break the school record as the Panthers tied for third place at Saturday's Park Rapids Invitational.
Park Rapids defeated BCLB 52-21 and UNC 69-12 Thursday night and went 1-1-1 on Saturday with a 44-29 loss to Hibbing, a 42-35 win over Deer River and a 36-36 tie with Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale.
Wadena-Deer Creek defeated Hibbing 44-30 in the title match and Deer River defeated BCLB 46-21 in the fifth-place match. Hibbing defeated Deer River 36-31, W-DC defeated BCLB 58-18 and BHV 43-30, and BHV defeated BCLB 54-12 in the other matches.
"Our team is off to a great start," said Park Rapids head coach Matt Clark. "Our loss was to Hibbing, which was in the section finals last year, and it was a very competitive match, and we tied BHV, who beat us last year."
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Panthers tie BHV for third place
Two pins in Saturday's final two matches lifted Branstrom past Nate Clark on the school's all-time list for career pins to provide one of several highlights for the Panthers.
In the Panthers' first match, Hibbing rallied from a 29-18 deficit for the win. Adam Branstrom, Ryan Moos and Matt Weaver recorded pins while Derek Werner, Colter Uscola and Jared Nash won by decisions to give the Panthers the lead. But Hibbing ended the match by winning the final five matches.
Forfeit wins by Tyler Barr and Caleb Atkins and a pin by Lee Branstrom rallied the Panthers past Deer River in the second match. Pins by Adam Branstrom, Moos, Uscola and Weaver gave the Panthers a 24-23 lead before Deer River took a 29-24 lead. Park Rapids then won the next three matches to rally for the win.
The Panthers needed another late rally to salvage a tie with BHV in the third-place match. Park Rapids trailed 21-6 before pins by Werner and Uscola and decisions by Nash and Weaver led to a 24-21 advantage. BHV regained a 36-24 lead before pins Lee Branstrom and Kyle Blanchard tied the match.
Hibbing 44, Park Rapids 29
103: Brad Unzeig, H, pinned Kevin Just. 112: Adam Branstrom, PR, pinned Matt Belek. 119: Brad Belich, H, pinned Zachary Steffen. 125: Ryan Moos, PR, pinned Travis Steinke. 130: Mike Belich, H, pinned Forest Drury. 135: Derek Werner, PR, major decision over Cody Benz 13-0. 140: Colter Uscola, PR, minor decision over Joe Tichy 7-2. 145: Jared Nash, PR, major decision over Forrest Brownlee 10-1. 152: Matt Weaver, PR, pinned Tyler Greski. 160: Blake Stenstrom, H, major decision over Andy Boos 15-2. 171: Will Johnson, H, pinned Tyler Barr. 189: Jake Pullar, H, pinned Caleb Atkins. 215: Aron Grazdanich, H, major decision over Lee Branstrom 13-3. Hwt.: Zach McComb, H, pinned Kyle Blanchard.
Park Rapids 42, Deer River 35
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103: Cody Mickle, DR, technical fall over Kevin Just 21-5. 112: Adam Branstrom, PR, pinned Joe Velishek. 119: Scott Mickle, DR, pinned Zach Steffen. 125: Cody Mentges, DR, pinned Forest Drury. 130: Ryan Moos, PR, pinned Nate Enerson. 135: Gary Perrington, DR, minor decision over Derek Werner 4-2. 140: Colter Uscola, PR, pinned Caleb Rasmusson. 145: Kyle Wilson, DR, minor decision over Jared Nash 4-0. 152: Matt Weaver, PR, pinned Cole Serfling. 160: Zach Olson, DR, pinned Andy Boos. 171: Tyler Barr, PR, won by forfeit. 189: Caleb Atkins, PR, won by forfeit. 215: Lee Branstrom, PR, pinned Neil Baumgartner. Hwt.: Alvin Hines, DR, pinned Kyle Blanchard.
Park Rapids 36, BHV 36
103: Kody Graba, BHV, major decision over Kevin Just 9-1. 112: Rafael Lopez, BHV, pinned Adam Branstrom. 119: Zach Steffen, PR, won by forfeit. 125: Ethan Kern, BHV, pinned Forest Drury. 130: Zach Lambert, BHV, technical fall over Ryan Moos 20-5. 135: Derek Werner, PR, pinned Bert McGrath. 140: Colter Uscola, PR, pinned Trent Bertran. 145: Jared Nash, PR, minor decision over Justin Kern 8-2. 152: Matt Weaver, PR, minor decision over Jake Bratten 10-7. 160: Sam Moenkedick, BHV, won by forfeit. 171: E. Schmidt, BHV, minor decision over Andy Boos 5-1. 189: Wade Moenkedick, BHV, pinned Caleb Atkins. 215: Lee Branstrom, PR, pinned Trent Peterson. Hwt.: Kyle Blanchard, PR, pinned Collin Turching.
Panthers pin BCLB, UNC
A forfeit win and a pin Thursday at Menahga enabled Branstrom to become the 11th wrestler in school history to reach 100 career wins.
The Panthers used forfeit wins by Kevin Just, Steffen, Moos, Tony Sperle, Barr and Lee Branstrom to defeat BCLB. Uscola added a pin while Werner, Nash and Boos won by decisions.
In the win over UNC, Branstrom used a second-period pin to reach win No. 100. Adam Branstrom, Moos, Werner, Uscola, Nash, Jon Drury and Blanchard all received forfeit wins while Sperle, Weaver and Boos won by fall. Just added a minor decision win. Ben Meech and Tyler Ahlf had pins for the Warriors.
UNC used pins by Max Aho, Ahlf and Zach Nevala to defeat BCLB 34-22 in Thursday's other match. Jacob Malone and Joe Siemson received forfeit wins and Ben Meech won by major decision for the Warriors.
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UNC 34, BCLB 22
103: Jacob Malone, UNC, won by forfeit. 112: Double forfeit. 119: Ben Meech, UNC, major decision over Jake Olafson 13-4. 125: Double forfeit. 130: Double forfeit. 135: Max Aho, UNC, pinned Zach Preston 5:27. 140: Tate Tyson, BCLB, won by forfeit. 145: Jon Michalek, BCLB, won by forfeit. 152: Brandon Klug, BCLB, major decision over Josh Meech 13-2. 160: Bob Petko, BCLB, won by forfeit. 171: Joe Siemson, UNC, won by forfeit. 189: Tyler Ahlf, UNC, pinned Mike Hanson 1:52. 215: Double forfeit. Hwt.: Zach Nevala, UNC, pinned Gabe Haaland 3:40.
Park Rapids 52, BCLB 21
103: Kevin Just, PR, won by forfeit. 112: Jake Olafson, BCLB, pinned Adam Branstrom 3:31. 119: Zachary Steffen, PR, won by forfeit. 125: Ryan Moos, PR, won by forfeit. 130: Tony Sperle, PR, won by forfeit. 135: Derek Werner, PR, major decision over Zach Preston 14-5. 140: Colter Uscola, PR, pinned Tate Tyson :22. 145: Jared Nash, PR, minor decision over Jon Michaelek 15-11. 152: Brandon Klug, BCLB, minor decision over Matt Weaver 4-2. 160: Andy Boos, PR, minor decision over Bob Petko 11-8. 171: Tyler Barr, PR, won by forfeit. 189: Mike Hanson, BCLB, pinned Caleb Atkins 1:50. 215: Lee Branstrom, PR, won by forfeit. Hwt.: Gabe Haaland, BCLB, pinned Kyle Blanchard :31.
Park Rapids 69, UNC 12
103: Kevin Just, PR, minor decision over Jacob Malone 4-3. 112: Adam Branstrom, PR, won by forfeit. 119: Ben Meech, UNC, pinned Zachary Steffen 3:58. 125: Ryan Moos, PR, won by forfeit. 130: Tony Sperle, PR, pinned Max Aho 3:27. 135: Derek Werner, PR, won by forfeit. 140: Colter Uscola, PR, won by forfeit. 145: Jared Nash, PR, won by forfeit. 152: Matt Weaver, PR, pinned Josh Meech 3:51. 160: Jon Drury, PR, won by forfeit. 171: Andy Boos, PR, pinned Jon Johnson :16. 189: Tyler Ahlf, PR, pinned Caleb Atkins :52. 215: Lee Branstrom, PR, pinned Zach Nevala 3:19. Hwt.: Kyle Blanchard, PR, won by forfeit.
