Luverne senior Joel Evans works from the top of an opponent during the Minnesota State Class AA Wrestling Championships at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul over the weekend. Evans went 1-2 without placing at 215 pounds.
By John Rittenhouse
Two athletes representing the Luverne-Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth wrestling program were unable to place at the Minnesota State Class AA Wrestling Championships staged at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul Thursday through Saturday.
Luverne High School seniors Joel Evans and Canaan Petersen entered the event as a Section 3A champion and a runner-up respectively.
Evans went 1-2 in his second appearance at the state classic. Petersen went 0-1 during his initial visit to the mat in St. Paul.
The event started in a positive way for the 215-pound Evans, who pinned Waseca’s Scott Kaminski in 2:55 during Thursday’s preliminary round.
Evans then came up on the short end of a 10-8 decision to Watertown-Mayer’s Cole Schrupp in Thursday’s quarterfinals. Schrupp went on to place fourth.
Evans’ 23-8 season came to an end when he was pinned by Orono’s Ryan Eckdahl at 2:54 during their match in the wrestlebacks Friday.
Petersen drew a tough opponent for Thursday’s preliminary round in Waconia-Mayer Lutheran’s Dennis Westlund. Westlund, who eventully placed fourth at 152 pounds, nipped Petersen 4-2.
When Westlund dropped a 10-7 decision to Wadena-Deer Creek’s Kyle Trout, the eventual runner-up, Petersen’s 23-12 campaign was complete.
