Cloquet-Esko Wrestling Gets First Victory Of The Season

Jan 20

By: Greg Oakes

Every team likes to think that they get better as the season progresses. The Cloquet-Esko wrestling team is no exception. Last Thursday, on January 13, the Lumberjacks headed to Rush City, a team they had lost to in late December, 40-36. This time the Jacks would come away with their first victory of the season, with a hard fought 51-28 win.

Esko seventh grader Mitchell Borchardt got things started by pinning his opponent in the 103 pound weight class. Jolynne Denman received a forfeit at 112 pounds and the Jacks had a quick 12-0 lead.

After dropping the next two matches, eighth grader Nelson Hall notched his first varsity win by pinning his opponent at 130 pounds. This began a string of three straight wins by the Jacks as Kristina Erickson won at 135 lbs. and then senior Marcus Hunt won his first ever varsity match, 12-6.

Rush City won the next three matches to pull ahead of the Jacks 28-27. Senior captain Jake Baker would put the Jacks ahead for good as he pinned his opponent at 171lbs. Kyle Langenbrunner then won by forfeit at 189 to put the Jacks up by the score of 39-28. Wrestling at 215 pounds, Trevor Lowther won his first ever varsity match as he pinned the Rush City grappler to give the Jacks an insurmountable lead of 45-28. Senior Tahkoa Smith received a forfeit in the 285 pound weight class to finish off the scoring for the Jacks and secure their first dual match victory of the season.

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