Cloquet-Esko senior Griffin Fjeld won four matches before falling in his final contest to Grand Rapids’ Dusty Wilke, finishing second in the 132-pound weight class at the Superior Spartan Classic Saturday, Jan. 11.
The Lumberjacks finished 10th at the Superior meet, with fellow senior Jordan Allen scoring a third place finish in the 145-pound weight class.
Allen — who moved up two weight classes this season — fell in the semifinal match to Ashland’s Jared Stricker. Allen rallied to top “arch rival” Caydon Lehman of Grand Rapids in the third place match, coach Al Denman said.
Fjeld is one of just three seniors wrestling for the Lumberjacks this year, but the group has provided valuable leadership for the team. Denman said any of them has a chance to finish second in Section 7AA and clinch a spot at the state meet.
Zeb Wehr was unable to compete in Superior because of illness, but can wrestle at a number of different weight classes.
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“Zeb can wrestle at 138, 145 or 152 — he’s that light,” Denman said. “He’s a very aggressive, very strong, very quick wrestler and holds his own against guys that are much larger than he is.”
A fourth senior — Tyler Harms-Synkiew — was a state qualifier last season for the Lumberjacks, but knee and shoulder injuries have forced him off the mat.
“These boys have been at it since kindergarten,” Denman said. “They’re finally starting to see all the payback for all the time they’ve put in — we shouldn’t be too surprised they are doing so well.”
Other top finishers for Cloquet-Esko were Gage Stankiewicz in fifth place at the 285-pound class and Gage Allen in sixth at the 113-pound level.
