Blooming Prairie’s wrestling team had knocked on the door the last three to four years and finally this season the Blossoms nudged it open – beating Mankato East, 34-32.

Wednesday, January 17, 2001

Blooming Prairie’s wrestling team had knocked on the door the last three to four years and finally this season the Blossoms nudged it open – beating Mankato East, 34-32.

"It was a big win," said coach ….. "We’ve wrestled them the last three or four years. Each year it’s getting closer. That was a nice swing, to get it our way for the first win."

In the triangular meet, Blooming Prairie also gained a victory over Sinclair, 60-15.

Blooming Prairie improved its record to 7-6 on the year.

The East victory did not come easy. Bob Meyerhofer came through in the heavyweight final, defeating East’s Jason Juliar, 5-0, to give his team the win.

Freshman Grant Johnson, at 103 pounds, started Blooming Prairie off on a positive note, pinning Tyler Nelson at the 5:20 mark of the third period. East got some momentum back when John Schumacher defeated Brad Klemmenson, 8-0, in the 112-pound weight class.

Josh McManamara kept East in the lead with a 9-1 win over Blooming Prairie’s Billy Lindquist at 119 pounds. At 125 pounds, Ryan Klemmenson squared the matches at 2-2 with a pin of East’s Ben McMurray at 1:47.

Blooming Prairie dashed in front at 130 pounds with Luke Nelson’s pin of Mitch Denn. Mankato East came back with a victory behind Nate Graham”s pin of Romero Salinas at 4:51.

East got another pin when Mitch Vogel got a fall on Pat Wallace at 1:43. At 145 pounds, Jon Vogt won a titanic struggle, 13-11, over Andreas Brekke.

Blooming Prairie’s Steve Salinas won a pivotal victory when he reversed a 4-2 disparity and pinned East’s Gerry Brekke at 2:39.

Clint Adams of East was given a forfeit, but Rob Salinas came back with a major decision, 10-2, for Blooming Prairie over Nate Arneson.

East’s Joey Barr pinned Lee Trotman at 2:50 setting up the decisive heavyweight contest.

Blooming Prairie had an easier time of it against Sinclair. Johnson started out with a pin over Justin Schimmel at 1:29. Brad Klemmenson continued with Blooming Prairie with a pin over Nick Coi at 1:08.

Sinclair’s Jack Seys pinned Billy Lindquist at 1:30 and Dan Preston defeated Blooming Prairie’s Luke Nelson, 9-0. Chase Seyes pinned Romero Salinas at the 5:400 mark before Blooming Prairie”s Wallace gained a forfeit.

Vogt pinned Sinclair’s John Glamm at 1:09 in the 145-pound class. Tim Schlund got a forfeit at 152 before Steve Salinas pinned Sinclair’s John Schweim in 1:35.

At 171 pounds, Robert Salinas of Blooming Prairie earned a pin in :43. Trotman won by a pin at 1:35 over Sinclair’s Paul Hubmer. Meyerhofer got a pin at heavyweight in a time of 2:51.

Blooming Prairie hosts Alden-Conger on Thursday.