Austin High School wrestler Chad Mentel won the National High School Coaches Association National tournament in Birmingham, Ala.

Friday, July 07, 2000

Austin High School wrestler Chad Mentel won the National High School Coaches Association National tournament in Birmingham, Ala., which ended Tuesday.

Mentel along with Austin High teammate Spencer Wolner qualified for the national tournament at the Minnesota qualifier at Kasson in April. The national tournament is for wrestlers in grades 3-12. This year’s tournament attracted more than 800 wrestlers, up to four wrestlers at each weight class qualify from each state.

Wolner wrestled at 119 pounds. He lost to Kevin Spangler of Idaho 7-0 in the first round and 14-4 to Marcio Dattalo of New Jersey in the second round. There were 62 wrestlers in his bracket.

Mentel wrestled in the 215-pound weight bracket. There were a total of 33 wrestlers at that weight. Mentel’s tournament went like this: he pinned Billy Gurak of Alabama at the 1:16 mark and he pinned David Berendsen of Georgia at the 1:07 mark. He also decisioned Steve Krambule of Idaho 8-5 and he scored a major decision, 11-2, over Matt Engwall of California.