Hi-Liner grapplers win big at North in season debut
The 2022-23 wrestling kicked off in fine fashion for Valley City Tuesday night as the Hi-Liners had no problem with Fargo North coming away with a 71-9 win.
Out of the eight matches that took place, Valley City won six of them.
The night started out with four forfeits all by Fargo North. By the time the first two wrestlers hit the mat at 132, Valley City was up 24-0. Koltyn Grebel's first match of the season took 1:16. The defending state champ at 106, and preseason #1 at 113 pounds, pinned Nathan Morken of the Spartans in the first period to make it 30-0
At 138, Tucker Johnson pinned Konnor Johnson with 27 seconds left in the match to give Valley City a 36-0 lead. Defending state champion at 120, Koye Grebel who is the preseason top ranked wrestler at 132, won by tech fall at 145. He defeated Augustus Maughan, the #2 ranked wrestler at 138, 17-0. Grebel reached the tech fall plateau with nine seconds remaining in the match. The Hi-Liners led 41-0 at the halfway point.
Espen Kunze clinched the dual for Valley City by pinning Henry Maughan at 1:39 at 152. That made it 47-0 Hi-Liners. North picked up its first win at 160 when Cal Bratton defeated Alex Rogelstad 3-1 to make it 47-3 Valley City.
After a forfeit at 170 made it 53-3, William Ward the #2 ranked wrestler at 182, pinned Ryer Muske 43 seconds into the match to make it 53-9 Valley City. That was the last match North would win.
At 195, Isaiah Schuldheisz defeated Harper Schultz by pin with ten seconds to go in the first period to make it 59-9. Valley City won by forfeit at 220. At 285, Broden Muske, who is #1 at 220 in the state, pinned Lennox Charley in 45 seconds to make the final 71-9 Valley City.
In the first coaches poll, Valley City is preseason #1 in the East Region and preseason #2 in the state behind Jamestown.
The Hi-Liners are next in action versus #10 Davies in Fargo next Tuesday.