Weege Takes Third and Rasset is Fourth at State Tourney

By Brenda Erdahl, Sports Editor

Walker Weege returned from the State Wrestling meet with a third place medal in his pocket to place the highest among the five wresters the Annandale-Maple Lake wrestling team sent on this season.

Reed Rasset also brought home some hardware, battling his way to fourth place at the Xcel Energy Center Thursday and Friday, March 1 and 2.

Other Lightning to compete but not place at state were Quinn Youngs, Hunter Manka, and Mitch Bergstrom.

“Walker had a great tournament at state,” coach Ben Youngs said.

Weege won his first match at 152 pounds over No. 2 seeded Austin Baker of Detroit Lakes 9- 4. After winning his next match with Gavin Christoffersen of South St. Paul 9-5 he was assured a medal, Youngs said.

In the semi-final he lost to a wrestler from one of Minnesota’s most famous wrestling families, the Shorts of Simley. His 8-2 loss to Quayin Short sent him to the wrestlebacks where he dominated his Plaineview-Elgin-Millville opponent in the first match 6-0, then in the match to determine the third or fourth place winner he defeated Baker for the second time in the tournament with a score of 6-2.

Rasset had an “interesting tournament” at 220 pounds, Young said. After winning his first match against wrestler Azonwu Chizaram of South St. Paul Johnson by fall in :50 he dropped his next match, then rattled off three straight wins in a stretch where he “looked as good as he has all season,” coach Youngs said, Rasset avenged a loss against the wrestler who beat him in the section finals in the process.

When wrestling for third place, Rasset dropped a match 3-2 to Nate Schutz of Totino-Grace, but still found his way to the podium and fourth in state.

To read the entire piece, subscribe to The Maple Lake Messenger today!