Austin’s Arjes has ‘crazy feeling’ about state wrestling meet
Published 6:36 pm Wednesday, February 28, 2018
- Austin’s Isaac Arjes is set to wrestle in his first ever Minnesota Class AAA state wrestling meet in Xcel Energy Center this Friday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Austin junior Isaac Arjes never dreamed he would be wrestling in the state tournament and it wasn’t until last month of this season that he even knew he would be competing in the Section 1AAA Tournament.
Arjes, who is 16-1 overall on the season, is now set to compete in his first ever Minnesota Class AAA State Wrestling Meet at Xcel Energy Center on Friday.
Arjes will open up in a 220-pound match against Luke Parzyck of White Bear Lake Area, who is 34-6 overall. The match will take place at approximately noon. The Class A competition begins at 11 a.m. Friday.
“It’s a crazy feeling,” Arjes said. “I actually never thought I’d be going to state. This is a big thing for me and I’m really excited.”
Austin’s Isaac Arjes fights off an attack from his Faribualt opponent Saturday night in Rochester. Arjes took second place at 220 pounds and andaved to the Minnesota State Tournament. Tyler Julson/Albert Lea Tribune
Arjes missed a lot of time due to injuries this season and the first half of the year was a tough time for him. He was able to practice, but he wasn’t competing.
“It was a struggle to find motivation to come to practice when I wasn’t able to wrestle,” Arjes said. “When I came back I put everything I had into it.”
Arjes was reluctant to wrestle as a youngster, but his dad and his grandfather both wrestled so it wasn’t long before he was hitting the mats. Arjes began as a youth wrestler before he was in kindergarten and he’s stuck with the sport since then.
“I couldn’t ask for a better sport or a better environment to be in,” Arjes said.
Class A
There will be six are wrestlers competing in the Class A tournament.
Westfield senior Ethan Arett, who is 28-8 overall, will open up against New York Mills’ Dane Niemi (34-8) at 106-pounds, Jackson Hale a junior from Grand Meadow/LeRoy-Ostrander/Southland, who is 31-3, will open up against Bryce Bergergon of Badger/Green Bush-Middle River (32-10), Westfield junior Colton Krell, who is 35-3, will open up against Joe Hennen of Norwood Young America (22-17) at 160-pounds, Westfield senior Morgen Moreno, who is 31-5, will open up against Taylor Eigenheer of Crosby-Ironton (37-10), at 195-pounds, Westfield sophomore Dylan Nirk, who is 30-7, will open up against Grant Ludwig of Paynesville Area (33-6), at 220-pounds and Westfield senior Mitchell Oswald, who is 30-5, will open up against Sam Meeker of NYA (26-13), at 285 pounds.
