Blooming Prairie's trip to New Richland provided everything it advertised, except a winner.

The Blossoms and host NRHEG -- both in Class A's listing of Lean and Mean teams -- wrestled to a 34-34 tie Friday night in Gopher Conference action. Each team won seven matches, but the tie did not require any further criteria than the final score.

"It doesn't get any closer than that," said Blooming coach David Pfeifer. "That was a packed gym. It was as exciting of a match as I've been in.

"It was a match of streaks."

Two matches went to overtime, including the night's final clash at 215 pounds between a pair of rated wrestlers. Blooming Prairie's third-rated Jay Salinas squared off with NRHEG's Bill Root, who is rated eighth at 189 pounds, with the Blossoms trailing by three points.

A takedown in overtime made the difference as Salinas put Root on his back chest-to-chest along the out-of-bounds line. Hopeful for the team victory, Salinas was unable to get any back points as the whistle blew to signal a restart.

Salinas got the 8-6 win and Blooming Prairie (14-3-1) completed the comeback that started 12-0 in NRHEG's favor. The Panthers won the first three matches, starting at heavyweight, before a pin by sixth-ranked Grant Johnson got the Blossoms going at 119.

After a loss at 125, Blooming picked up four consecutive wins -- including three by fall -- to get ahead 27-17. NRHEG won the next three to regain the advantage, 34-27, with two matches remaining.

The Blossoms had confidence that a pair of Salinas boys -- Steve and Jay -- would provide the team with a win. But with the way the dual was up-and-down between the teams, Coach Pfeifer was content to come away with the tie.

Steve Salinas, rated ninth at 160, wrestled up to 189 for a 14-6 major decision over Matt Holland to get the BPHS within three points of NRHEG. His younger brother Jay did his part to get the team back in the match, and came inches away from the victory.

"He took him down right to his back, but right on the lines," Pfeifer said. "We were eight inches away from winning it."

Shelby Parks, Luke Nelson and Brad Klemmensen all got wins by pin during the Blossoms' string of four straight in the middle weights.

Despite expending plenty of energy getting caught up in the excitement of Friday's match, the Blossoms will have little time to rest. BPHS has a full week scheduled starting with a triangular at WEM including Montgomery-Lonsdale. Blooming hosts JWP on Thursday night for a Gopher Conference dual, and the Hayfield Tournament is Saturday.

Results:

275 -- James Petsinger (NR) pinned Reese Hageman, 3:02; 103 -- Krey Cory (NR) dec. Jeremiah Johnson, 5-0; 112 -- Cody Christensen (NR) dec. Sam Tashima, 11-9 OT; 119 -- Grant Johnson (BP) pinned Brian Bos, 2:49; 125 -- Carl Pederson (NR) tech. fall

Pat Winzenburg, 4:35; 130 -- Shelby Parks (BP) pinned Tim Rysavy, 4:38; 135 -- Luke Nelson (BP) pinned Andy Tomsche, :59; 140 -- Brad Klemmensen (BP) pinned Brandon Bartness, :36; 145 -- Billy Lindquist (BP) def. Anders Mattson, 6-4; 152 -- Nick Christensen (NR) tech. fall Isaiah Moser, 5:13; 160 -- Pat Petsinger (NR) pinned Pat Wallace, 4:47; 171 -- Kaleb Jacobson (NR) pinned Tim Andrews, 4:18; 189 -- Steve Salinas (BP) major dec. Matt Holland, 14-6; 215 -- Jay Salinas (BP) dec. Bill Root, 8-6 OT.