Contributed photo
Otter Tail Central wrestlers Xavier Lewis and Collin Tierney pose with Gable Steveson, Olympic champion and NCAA champion, at the Gopher/Northwestern dual on Sunday afternoon. Members of the Bulldog wrestling team were in attendance to watch Steveson win 14-4 and Gophers win 31-9.

The Otter Tail Central Bulldogs traveled to Belgrade on Friday for the BBE Invite.  

“There was some great competition as the host team Brooten-Belgrade-Elrosa is ranked first in the State at the Class A level and the Becker Bulldogs, who are ranked third in Class AA. Then throw in Eden Valley-Watkins, Frazee and Quad County and you find yourself wrestling against some pretty stiff competition,”  said coach Jason Rogers.  

The Bulldogs ended up in fourth place and wrestled very competitively.  

Logan Schleske ended up taking 5th at 152 lbs., in what was probably the most competitive bracket at the tournament with three ranked wrestlers. After Schleske won his first match against Brady Crabtree of Frazee by a score of 8-2, he found himself wrestling the top ranked Blaine Fischer from BBE. Schleske wrestled him very tough, but came up short losing 8-0.  Schleske then went through the consolation bracket meeting Crabtree again in the fifth place match. This time Schleske was able to get the fall to end his tournament.

Jaxon Rich 160 lbs., ended up in fourth place. Rich wrestled very well winning his first match against Jack Graham of Frazee by a score of 8-3.  He then had to wrestle the top seed of his bracket Sam Nistler of Eden-Valley Watkins.  Nistler was able to get a throw on Rich and ended up pinning him.  Rich then went to the consolation bracket and got a pin against Nolan Hildahl of Quad County. This put him in the third place match where he met Adam Jurek of Becker and lost by tech fall. He went 2-2 on the day.

Kale Rich and Tayden Soma were both able to bring home second place finishes.  

Rich was able to get a pin against Armando Walker of Eden Valley-Watkins and then lost to the 10th ranked Ethan Spanier of BBE in the finals. Soma was able to get a pin against Blaine Carroll of Quad County before losing to Nolan Jurek of Becker in the finals 14-1.

Brien Poser was the lone champion for the Bulldogs at 138 lbs.  

Poser started the day with a bye before wrestling Tanner Viessman from BBE in the semifinals. Poser dominated the whole match and came away with a 17-3 victory.  

In the finals he met state ranked Wyatt Engen also from BBE. Poser was able to control the whole match and came away with a 9-0 victory.  

“All the Bulldogs wrestled very tough today and I was happy with their effort.  We are starting to come along as a team,” said Rogers.

The OTC Bulldogs will travel to Ortonville on Tuesday for a triangular with Ortonville and Wahpeton-Breckenridge, start time is 5 p.m.  Then on Saturday, the Bulldogs will travel to Alexandria for the Big Ole Invitational.