ROCHESTER – A pair of Austin wrestlers picked up their 100th career wins at the Section 1AA meet, but neither managed to make it back to the state meet at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester Saturday.

Austin senior Brennen Russell, who went to state last year, won all three of his matches in the 126 pound wrestlebacks Saturday, but he never got a chance at a ‘true second’ and he had to settle for third place.

“Over the last three weeks of the season Brennen has been on an incredible hot streak,” Austin head coach Bill Kinney said. “He has wrestled as well as anyone we have had on our teams. With a former state champion and three total state qualifiers returning in his weight class, someone was going to get excluded.”

Austin senior Devon Felten, who was a two-time state qualifier, got to the ‘true second’ match with a trip to state on the line, but had to settle for third place at 138 when he was pinned by Brett Stolarzyk of Stewartville in the first period.

“Devon hurt his knee the first week of the season, and wrestled the entire season without being able to train the way he wanted,” Kinney said. “Most kids would have quit the team and had surgery in November. Devon pushed on through a lot of painful practices and matches in an effort to attain more of his goals and make one more run at a state title.”

Austin junior Mitch Tebay also wrestled in a state-qualifying match at 195, but he was pinned by Justin Miest of Cannon Falls in the second period and had to settle for third place.

Felten and Russell each finish their Packer careers on the 100-win club and Austin now has 13 members on that list.

Austin sophomore Brandon Cotter finished fourth at 145 after falling 8-4 to Roman Wundrow of Cannon Falls.

Riley Grinstead took sixth at 152 for Austin.

It was the first time in 23 years that Austin did not send a wrestler to state.

AUSTIN RESULTS

126: Brennen Russell (A) pinned Jon Wilson (L) 4:05; Russell (A) 8-3 dec. over Luke Werner (CH); Russell 19-2 dec. over Jace Bunne (GMLOK); 138: Devon Felten (A)9-8 dec. over Tyson Ranslow (WEMJWP); Felten (A) 8-2 dec. over Tristan Hoy (W); Felten (A) 15-6 dec. over Parker Hale (GMLOK); Brett Stolarzyk (S) pinned Felten (A) (1:37); 145: Brett Bradford (B) pinned Brandon Cotter (A) (3:44); Cotter (A) pinned Blaine Knutson (CHSG); Roman Wundrow (CF) 8-4 dec. over Cotter (A); 152: Riley Grinstead (A) 4-2 dec. over Sterling Carson (CF); Tucker Speltz (LARP) pinned Grinstead (A) (1:03); Jacob Mewhorter (PEM) pinned Grinstead (A) (2:18); 170: Mitchell Schmitz (CHSG) 4-2 OT dec. over Kole Igou (A); 195: Mitch Tebay (A) 6-3 dec. over Cody Stanger (S); Tebay (A) pinned Matt Hintz (B) (5:54); Tebay (A) 1-0 dec. over Viktor Guth (CHSG); Justin Miest (CF) pinned Tebay (A) (2:29)