In a dual that featured some intense matches, the Austin wrestling team came up on the short end of a 34-33 score to Mayo in Ove Berven Gym Thursday.

The dual was tied at 33, but Mayo was awarded the deciding point based on Austin having more unsportsmanlike fouls.

“I’m extremely happy with our kids. They wrestled real well in the last week and we deserved to win the match tonight. It was a good, fun dual,” Austin head coach Bill Kinney said.

The Packers (10-11 overall, 3-4 Big Nine) got the biggest win of the night at 189 pounds were Austin’s Michael Hirsch, who is ranked No. 2 in Class ‘A’ edged out Mayo’s Jake Minske, who is ranked No. 3 in Class ‘A’ on a 3-2 decision.

“I could’ve bumped Mike up to 215 and we could’ve gotten a major and an extra point there. But I wanted to see that match and I think everybody wanted to see that match,” Kinney said. “We needed to see that match happen tonight.”

Hirsch scored a takedown in the first period, but allowed Minske to escape. Then Hirsch escaped to make it 3-1 in the second period. Minske escaped with 1:12 left in the match, but couldn’t take down Hirsch.

The match was reminiscent of Hirsch’s loss to Minske in last year’s Section Tournament — where Hirsch was called for stalling down the stretch. But this time Hirsch prevailed.

“I was a little worried it was gonna happen like it did at Sections last year. It was the last same score,” Hirsch said. “I tried to stay aggressive so I wouldn’t get a stalling penalty.”

Hirsch, a junior, had to shake off some nerves to get ready for the much anticipated match against Minske, a senior.

“I was worried about this one for two weeks. My friends, family and coaches all helped me get pumped up for this match,” Hirsch said.

In the other high profile match, Mayo’s Zach Hanson, who is ranked No. 9 in class ‘A’ at 160, beat Ethan Eggum, who is ranked No. 10 in Class ‘A’, on a 4-3 decision.

Eggum scored a takedown with 30 seconds left in third period to tie it up at 3, but Hanson escaped with 17 seconds remaining.

“Ethan is right there and we’ll be ready for him the next time we wrestle him,” Kinney said. “This was a good pre-section dual for us. It shows us what we need to work on to get ready for sections.”

Austin got a big effort from Brandon Holtorf at 130, where Holtorf scored six points in the last 30 seconds and nearly go a pin in a 10-2 decision over Mayo’s Marcus Wolf.

“I just went out there and wrestled tough and tried to give it everything I have,” said Holtorf, a senior. “I went with what I had and got him over.”

Mayo 34, Austin 33

103: Jacob Finnegan (A) pinned Devon Patton (2:31)

112: Jake Hanson (M) 4-3 dec. over Colin Sheehan

119: Eric Power (A) pinned Colton Koster (1:02)

125: Blake Patton (M) pinned Dylan Dieckmann (1:29)

130: Brandon Holtorf (A) 10-2 dec. over Marcus Wolf

135: Aaron Martinson (M) 10-6 dec. over Zach Sauer

140: Lucas Akkerman (A) won by forfeit

145: Howie Underwood (A) 6-1 dec. over Warren Brink

152: Mike Minske (M) pinned Bryce Zahradnik (2:15)

160: Bobbie Dulitz (A) pinned Justin Ashbaugh (1:13)

171: Zach Hanson (M) 4-3 dec. over Ethan Eggum

189: Michael Hirsch (A) 3-2 dec. over Jake Minske

215: Cory Black (M) pinned Cory Black (1:21)

Hwt: Kevin Kimlnger (M) pinned Thomas Herrera (3:50)