OTC senior takes second at 152 lbs.

Photo by Chad Koenen
Tayden Soma works for position over Tony Nichols of New York Mills during the semi-finals of the 152 lbs. tournament on Friday.

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Tayden Soma became the first Otter Tail Central wrestler in two years to advance to the state wrestling meet after taking second place in the Section 6A individual tournament on Friday night. Soma entered the tournament as the third seed and needed to win a true second match to punch his ticket to state.

Otter Tail Central senior William Schwartz inches closer to a pin during Friday’s Section 6A wrestling tournament against Oliver Willis of BHVPP.

In the opening round of the tournament, Soma won by a 17-0 tech fall over Levi Ries of Osakis. In the semi-finals, Soma needed some late match magic to upset second seeded Tony Nichols of New York Mills. Soma trailed 5-4 heading into the final period and started in the down position, before Nichols elected to let Soma up to start the period to tie the match at 5-5. 

Soma earned a take down midway through the period and held on for an 8-5 decision to advance to the section finals. 

Unfortunately, Soma fell to top seeded Gunner Hennessy of Border West by a 13-9 decision and sent the Henning senior to a true second match. Soma was able to leave little doubt of the outcome of the match as he pinned Preston Captain of Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie to advance to state as the section runner up.

MaCade Barbre works fo position over Dylan Groebner of Border West during the opening round of the section wrestling tournament on Friday.

Soma, who is 26-12 on the season, will open the state tournament against undefeated and seventh ranked Dalton Wilson of LeSuer-Henderson. Henderson is currently 31-0 on the season.

The winner of the match will take on either fourth ranked Gavyn Hlucny of Crookston or Cayden Maly of Westfield on Friday morning in the quarterfinals. The two wrestlers who fall in the opening round of the tournament will face each other on Friday morning in the consolation tournament. 

William Schwartz wrapped up his senior season on the mat with a fourth place finish at 215 lbs. after he fell to Tommy Miron of Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Browerville in the third place match by a pin. 

Schwartz opened his section tournament with a pin over Oliver Willis of Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie, before falling to top seed Conner Koep of Osakis by a fall at 2:40 in the semi-finals. In the consolation semi-finals, Schwartz secured his second pin of the tournament at the 3:39 mark of the match in a win over Ben Boen of Wadena-Deer Creek, before falling in the third place match. 

Also placing for the Bulldogs was Colton Dolezal who took sixth place at 107 lbs. and Joshua Larson who took fifth place at 285 lbs. 

107 – 6th place- Brody Brunkow (38-11) Sr., WCAA over Colton Dolezal (12-25) Fr., OCB (MD 13-0), Colton Dolezal (12-25) Fr., OCB over Elias Nelson (14-20) 8th, WDC (Dec 4-3), Oakley Kern (24-13) 8th, NYM over Colton Dolezal (12-25) Fr., OCB (F 2:48), Blake Fuhrman (20-17) So., BWB over Colton Dolezal (12-25) Fr., OCB (MD 11-2)

127 – Evan Flan (26-16) Sr., LBW over Peter Newark (17-22) Sr., OCB (Dec 15-12), Carlyle Tumberg (15-20) Jr., NYM over Peter Newark (17-22) Sr., OCB (Dec 17-14)

133 – Gauge Eide (8-36) Fr., WCAA over Brock Malone (8-18) Fr., OCB (F 3:17), Ashton Pastian (40-10) Jr., OSAK over Brock Malone (8-18) Fr., OCB (F 1:32)

139 – Houston Schwartz (8-24) Fr., OCB over Caden Wevley (3-31) 8th, WCAA (F 5:08), Jackson Peasley (17-3) Sr., PERA over Houston Schwartz (8-24) Fr., OCB (F 0:52), Creed Mursu (31-7) Jr., NYM over Houston Schwartz (8-24) Fr., OCB (F 1:44)

145 – Evan Dingwall (34-10) So., WCAA over Keaston Thorpe (17-24) Fr., OCB (TF 18-3 (2:19)), Keaston Thorpe (17-24) Fr., OCB over Demetrius Redetzke (11-28) So., OSAK (SV 13-10), Jaxn Heintzlman (12-4) Jr., PERA over Keaston Thorpe (17-24) Fr., OCB (F 3:44)

152 – 2nd place- Tayden Soma (26-12) Sr., OCB over Levi Ries (6-18) Sr., OSAK (TF 17-0 (4:21)), Tayden Soma (26-12) Sr., OCB over Tony Nichols (21-11) Jr., NYM (Dec 8-5), Gunner Hennessy (14-3) Sr., BWB over Tayden Soma (26-12) Sr., OCB (Dec 13-9), Tayden Soma (26-12) Sr., OCB over Preston Captain (20-24) Sr., BHVP (F 3:28)

160 – Royce Lorentz (10-22) So., NYM over Anthony Rousu (2-24) Sr., OCB (F 1:40), Owen Deal (15-16) Jr., BWB over Anthony Rousu (2-24) Sr., OCB (F 1:54)

172 – Logan Thom (32-10) Sr., LBW over Luitovio Faaaliga (5-15) Sr., OCB (F 1:13), Luitovio Faaaliga (5-15) Sr., OCB over Jaxon Gary (3-16) So., BWB (MFF), Chevy Herron (9-10) Jr., NYM over Luitovio Faaaliga (5-15) Sr., OCB (F 1:39)

189 – Dylan Groebner (34-11) Jr., BWB over MaCade Barbre (3-10) Jr., OCB (F 0:37), David Veronen (6-22) Jr., BHVP over MaCade Barbre (3-10) Jr., OCB (F 1:52)

215 – 4th place- William Schwartz (15-12) Sr., OCB over Oliver Willis (2-15) Fr., BHVP (F 1:48), Conner Koep (42-3) Jr., OSAK over William Schwartz (15-12) Sr., OCB (F 2:40), William Schwartz (15-12) Sr., OCB over Ben Boen (10-13) Jr., WDC (F 3:39), Tommy Miron (24-15) Sr., LBW over William Schwartz (15-12) Sr., OCB (F 3:59)

285 – 5th place- Edwin Escobar (10-9) Jr., PERA over Joshua Larson (19-18) Sr., OCB (F 2:14), Alexander Murphy (18-13) So., BWB over Joshua Larson (19-18) Sr., OCB (F 4:35)