We’ve got some little work to do up above. But we’ve got some promising things happening. I think we’ll be where we need to be later in the year.”

Park head coach Jim LaBrosse

Seventh-ranked Park split four matches in the Wolfpack duals Saturday, topping Mahtomedi and River Falls, while falling narrowly to Cambridge-Isanti and getting pinned by Zumbrota-Mazeppa, ranked No. 8 in Class AA.

Park was edged by Cambridge-Isanti in the tournament opener, losing 39-33, defeated Mahtomedi 53-18 and River Falls 45-28, then fell to a very talented Zumbrota-Mazeppa team, 57-13.

“Good day individually,” said Park head coach Jim LaBrosse. “We kind of let one slip away against Cambridge. So that one hurt, hard to start the day that way but they’re a good team, a traditional powerhouse so we were right there with them. We wrestled like we should have against Mahtomedi and River Falls and Zumbrota is one tough team. We beat a couple of their good kids, but overall, they’re a class above us right now.”

Zumbrota-Mazeppa went 4-0 in the meet, Anoka 3-1, Park and Cambridge-Isanti 2-2, River Falls 1-3 and Mahtomedi 0-4. Zumbrota-Mazeppa hammered Anoka 49-9, Mahtomedi 65-9 and topped Cambridge 51-19.

“Most of the guys did really well,” LaBrosse added. “Nolan Bloch did a great job today. Jackson Jubinal did a good job, those young guys coming through down below really helped us out today. But traditional guys 39 Zack, he had a great day, beating a great kid, a coach's kid from Zumbrota, great match. Those are the ones you’ve got to learn how to win, those tight ones and that’s why he’s at where he’s at. And Gunnar is looking fantastic right now. He’s really stepping it up. We’ve got some little work to do up above. But we’ve got some promising things happening. I think we’ll be where we need to be later in the year.”

“Our team did good,” agreed Park’s Gunnar Mullen, ranked seventh at 152 pounds. “There’s some spots we need to work on. But other than that, it was a pretty successful day. We had a close one with Cambridge-Isanti that could have gone either way.

Mullen scored a win against Zumbrota-Mazeppa’s Kaleb Lochner, ranked third in Class AA at 160 pounds, in Park’s final match.

Park’s second-ranked sophomore Zack Carr scored a dramatic 2-1 win at 139 pounds.

“I’m feeling pretty good,” said Carr. “I know I’ll see him again at Christmas tournament. I’m looking forward to Christmas tournament. It was fun.”

Asked how he felt the Wolfpack did overall, Carr said. “I want that Cambridge-Isanti match back. But I feel the team is kind of coming together as a whole. And weight room, we cut down, we’re going to be a really good team.”

On Friday in a triangular home meet, Park hammered both Cretin-Derham Hall, winning 66-12, and Roseville, a 56-9 triumph.

Wrestling Cretin on Friday, Park wrestlers won 12 of 14 matches. Noah Bloch, Jackson Jubinal, Jack Bachtle, Kyler Jubinal, Leroy Olson, Gunnar Mullen, Dylan Richardson, Samuel Lankow and Jesse Wright all scored pins for the Wolfpack.

Against Roseville, Zack Carr, Leroy Olson, Gunnar Mullen and Fiyin Taiwo each had pins.  Joey Chilton scored a technical fall and Kyler Jubinal had a major decision.

Wolfpack Duals

Cambridge-Isanti 39, Park 33

Park built a 33-18 lead over Cambridge-Isanti after nine matches in the first dual meet of the day, only to see it all slip away as Cambridge wrestlers outscored their Wolfpack foes 21-0 in the final four matches.

Park won six matches in the dual, five by falls. Bloch (fall 2:46), Brooks (1:07), Jubinal (3:48)), Carr (1:53) and Mullen (3:01) all scored pins for the Wolfpack. Park’s Leroy Olson had an 11-4 decision at 152 pounds.

Cambridge-Isanti 39, Park 33

107: Nolan Bloch (PARK) over Gavin Swanson (CAIS) (Fall 2:46)
114: Wyatt Wald (CAIS) over Bryce Dragich (PARK) (Fall 0:16)
121: Leo Edblad (CAIS) over Dylan Dragich (PARK) (Fall 1:07)
127: Landen Brooks (PARK) over Grady Jennissen (CAIS) (Fall 1:07)
133: Kyler Jubinal (PARK) over Ben Westover (CAIS) (Fall 3:48)
139: Zack Carr (PARK) over Ruger Block (CAIS) (Fall 1:53)
145: Brock Brown (CAIS) over Joey Chilton (PARK) (Fall 1:30)
152: Leroy Olson (PARK) over Reshard Cronemiller (CAIS) (Dec 11-4)
160: Gunnar Mullen (PARK) over Marccus Erickson (CAIS) (Fall 3:01)
172: Maverick Henderson (CAIS) over Dylan Richardson (PARK) (Fall 3:15)
189: Jacob Henderson (CAIS) over Samuel Lankow (PARK) (Dec 8-1)
215: Shawn Henderson (CAIS) over Fiyin Taiwo (PARK) (Fall 2:23)
285: Brady Andersen (CAIS) over Jesse Wright (PARK) (Fall 1:04)

Landen Brooks (3:09), Joey Chilton (4:07) and Dylan Richardson (2:26) recorded falls against Mahtomedi.

Park 53, Mahtomedi 18

107: Nolan Bloch (PARK) over (MAHT) (For.)

114: Aidan Carlson (MAHT) over (PARK) (For.)

121: Mac Schultz (MAHT) over Dylan Dragich (PARK) (Fall 1:29)

127: Landen Brooks (PARK) over Oliver LaValle (MAHT) (Fall 3:09)

133: Kyler Jubinal (PARK) over (MAHT) (For.)

139: Zack Carr (PARK) over (MAHT) (For.)

145: Joey Chilton (PARK) over Aidan Boex (MAHT) (Fall 4:07)

152: Leroy Olson (PARK) over Samuel White (MAHT) (Fall 4:34)

160: Gunnar Mullen (PARK) over Alex Lavalle (MAHT) (TF 16-0 0:00)

172: Dylan Richardson (PARK) over Wyatt Herschbach (MAHT) (Fall 2:26)

189: Evan McGuire (MAHT) over (PARK) (For.)

215: Jesse Wright (PARK) over (MAHT) (For.)

285: Double Forfeit

Park 45, River Falls, WI 28

Zumbrota-Mazeppa 57, Park 13

Earlier in the season, Park opened with a 46-24 loss to Anoka, lost to Scott West 52-24 and defeated Irondale/Spring Lake Park 42-24.  The Wolfpack finished seventh in the 17-team Lakeville North Panthers Invitational. Landen Brooks was second at 127 pounds, Zach Carr took second at 139 and Gunnar Mullen was second at 152.

Park is idle until a Wednesday, Dec. 20 triangular meet against White Bear Lake and Stillwater, at Stillwater, starting at 5 p.m.