A quick start and Lee Branstrom's minor decision in the heavyweight match led the Park Rapids wrestling team to its second win over Blackduck/Cass Lake-Bena in four days.
That win gave the Panthers fifth place in their annual six-team Park Rapids Invitational tournament Saturday at the Century School gym.
Park Rapids went 0-2 in pool play with a 47-27 loss to Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale and a 47-34 loss to Hibbing. BCLB also lost its first two matches in pool play, dropping a 50-27 decision to Deer River and a 51-16 decision to Wadena-Deer Creek.
Hibbing used a 48-20 win over Bertha-Hewitt/Vern-dale to reach the championship match. W-DC also advanced to the title match with a 51-24 victory over Deer River.
In the finals, Hibbing captured the title with a 41-25 victory over W-DC. Deer River defeated BHV 44-36 in the third-place match.
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Going 1-2 in the tournament lifted Park Rapids' record in dual meets to 3-2 on the season. The Panthers hosted Deer River Tuesday night in a dual meet and will enter the Big Bear Invitational at Cass Lake Friday and Saturday.
Panthers fall in opener
Park Rapids jumped out to a 21-11 lead before B-H-V rallied for the win in Saturday's first round.
B-H-V held an 11-0 lead before Derek Werner and Tony Sperle received forfeit wins as the Panthers claimed a 12-11 edge. Colter Uscola's first-period pin and Joey Meinert's 12-5 minor decision gave Park Rapids a 21-11 advantage after the 135-pound match.
B-H-V then won the next seven matches to rally for the win.
Branstrom's first-period pin in the heavyweight match ended the scoring for the Panthers.
B-H-V 47, Park Rapids 27
103: Zak Lambert, BHV, pinned Adam Branstrom :50.
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112: Ethan Kern, BHV, major decision over Issac Zoller 15-0.
119: Derek Werner, PR, won by forfeit.
125: Tony Sperle, PR, won by forfeit.
130: Colter Uscola, PR, pinned Nick Harren :48.
135: Joey Meinert, PR, minor decision over Jake Braaten 12-5.
140: Jasper Oyster, BHV, minor decision over Joe Leacox 6-4 (ot).
145: Kevin Voeitz, BHV, pinned Matt Weaver 5:05.
152: Wade Moenkedick, BHV, pinned Andy Boos 1:37.
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160: Sam Moenkedick, BHV, pinned Brandon Steffen 3:21.
171: Tony Schul, BHV, pinned Brandon Fransen 1:56.
189: Aaron Moenkedick, BHV, minor decision over Brandon May 7-4.
215: Josh Lustila, BHV, pinned Tony Gartner 1:23.
275: Lee Branstrom, PR, pinned Aaron Saunders :58.
Hibbing rallies late
The Panthers also held a lead in their second match before Hibbing rallied for the win.
Park Rapids trailed 12-0 before Sperle's second-period pin, Uscola's 17-2 technical fall, Meinert's second-period pin, Joe Leacox's 19-4 technical fall and Andy Boos' forfeit win gave the Panthers a 28-24 lead after the 152-pound match.
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Hibbing then used a pair of pins, a technical fall win and a forfeit win in the next five matches to pull off the win. Brandon May recorded a pin at 189 for the Panthers during that stretch.
Hibbing 47, Park Rapids 34
103: Mike Belich, H, pinned Adam Branstrom 1:29.
112: Jake Bednar, H, pinned Derek Werner 1:49.
119: Tony Sperle, PR, pinned Joe Tichy 3:45.
125: Colter Uscola, PR, technical fall over Darek Schrombeck 17-2.
130: Joey Meinert, PR, pinned Chris Laine 2:56.
135: Joe Leacox, PR, technical fall over Chris Wiggens 19-4.
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140: Matt Koivisto, H, pinned Matt Weaver 1:45.
145: Will Johnson, H, won by forfeit.
152: Andy Boos, PR, won by forfeit.
160: Niko Watkovich, H, pinned Brandon Steffen 1:42.
171: Chris Mattson, H, pinned Brandon Fransen 1:11.
189: Brandon May, PR, pinned Blake Stenstrom 2:50.
215: Matt Anderson, H, technical fall over Lee Branstrom 16-1.
275: Evan Osterhandt, H, won by forfeit.
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Panthers top BCLB again
The Panthers were able to hang on to an early lead to defeat BCLB for fifth place.
Adam Branstrom received a forfeit win at 103, Derek Werner posted a 12-0 major decision at 112, Matt Offerdahl received a forfeit win at 125, Uscola notched a 9-3 win at 130, Meinert recorded a second-period pin at 135 and Leacox had a 16-0 technical fall win at 140 as Park Rapids led 30-6. Brandon Steffen's first-period pin at 152 made it 36-12 with five matches to go.
BCLB used a minor decision and three pins to close the deficit to 36-33 entering the heavyweight match. Lee Branstrom sealed the Panthers' win with a 7-1 decision in the final match.
Park Rapids 39, BCLB 33
103: Adam Branstrom, PR, won by forfeit.
112: Derek Werner, PR, major decision over Jordan Arhart 12-0.
119: Mike Shogren, BCLB, pinned Tony Sperle 1:41.
125: Matt Offerdahl, PR, won by forfeit.
130: Colter Uscola, PR, minor decision over Dale Norton 9-3.
135: Joey Meinert, PR, pinned Roy Gross 3:14.
140: Joe Leacox, PR, technical fall over Brandon Klug 16-0.
145: Joaquin Capitaine, BCLB, pinned Andy Boos 4:52.
152: Brandon Steffen, PR, pinned Tyler Smith :52.
160: Mark Binkley, BCLB, minor decision over Brandon Fransen 12-11.
171: Zack Binkley, BCLB, pinned Tyler Larson 1:47.
189: Dan Smith, BCLB, pinned Brandon May :49.
215: Aaron Young, BCLB, pinned Tony Gartner :18.
275: Lee Branstrom, PR, minor decision over Elliott Warden 39-33.
