COON RAPIDS — Saturday’s visit to the Crusader Invitational proved quite profitable for the Panorama wrestling team, as the Panthers rode the strength of four titleists and two second-place finishers to easily win the team title.
Panorama scored 180.5 team points despite leaving the 106, 113, 126 and 170-pound weight classes uncontested. English Valley was second at 136.5 with Riverside third at 132.5 in the 10-team field.
George Appleseth (132 pounds), Gunnar Grunsted (160), Trevor Carey (182) and Dalton Holmes (195) each won their division, with Danny Nordquist (120) and Tyler Van Houten (152) both placing second after each lost in the finals to a ranked opponent.
Noah Kirtley (138) and Dan Jensen (285) were each third for Panorama, with Kaleb Stogdill (145) and Brady Howard (220) both finishing fourth.
Appleseth (25-1) pinned Reid Chambera (RVR) in 1 minute, 54 seconds and scored a 10-0 major decision against Tristin Winfred (WCV) to win his gold medal, with Carey (16-11) pinning Ben Kingery (AC/GC) in 1:49 and Nolan Smith (AUD) in 1:20 before topping RIley Algreen (WCV), 9-2, for his crown.
Holmes (23-3) beat Carsem Schneller (WCV), 4-0, and tallied a technical fall (17-1, in 4:41) against Spencer Grove (AC/GC) before moving to the finals with a pin of Austin Corbin (ESC) in 3:26. He claimed first with a 6-4 decision over 10th-ranked Cody Schumacher (20-3) of South Central Calhoun.
Grunsted (23-3) also had a dramatic final. He opened with a 64-second pin of Lane Snyder (ESC) and with an 11-3 major decision over Cole Bruns (E/EH-K) before grabbing first place with a 4-2 Sudden Victory 1 triumph over Brody Goodman (22-2) of South Central Calhoun.
Nordquist (19-6) defeated Zachary Fees (AC/GC) by injury default in 5:05 before pinning Garrett Peterson (CR-B) in 5:12. He lost by fall to fourth-ranked Tatem Bluml of Riverside in 1:36.
Van Houten (24-2) pinned Joe Septer (WCV) in 1:01 and Mason Rasmussen (E/EH-K) in 1:23 before losing, 14-7, to top-rated Zachary Axmear of English Valley. The loss was only the second of the year for the Panther senior.
Kirtley (14-11) won by pin and in Sudden Victory 1 to place third with a 2-1 mark, with Jensen (13-7) 2-2 in placing third, both of his victories coming by pin.
Stogdill (16-11) and Howard (19-9) were both 2-2 en route to fourth place finishes. Stogdill’s wins came by fall and decision, with Howard winning twice by fall.
Panorama will join East Union and No. 7 Martensdale-St. Marys for a quadrangular at Van Meter Thursday. They will then compete in the Perry Invitational Saturday.
