The Southwest Minnesota State University wrestling team opened their season on Saturday, November 10 at the Bison Open on the North Dakota State University campus. Micah Larson and Justin Reinsma, both finishing third in their respective weight classes, led the Mustangs.
Reinsma kicked off the day with a pin over the University of Mary’s Hunter Menendez only 1:39 into the round. Reinsma then took an 8-5 decision over Minnesota State-Moorhead’s Javier Portillo. The only loss of the day for Reinsma was a 3-0 decision coming from NDSU’s Justn Scherkenback. Reinsma rebounded with a 6-1 decision over another MSUM’s Tyler Tischer. A 6-4 win over Randy Hanson of the University of Minnesota secured Reinsma’s third place finish.
Devin Terry, Ethan Hildebrandt, and Beau Buysse all competed in the 141 bracket. Terry defeated Brent Johnson of Itasca Community College and MSUM’s Cory Messer before falling to Minnesota’s Nick Dardanes. Terry was then forced to forfeit to Hildebrandt due to injury. Buysse went 1-2 for the day. His only win came from MSUM’s Connor MacGregor. Hildebrandt went 3-2 for the day. He took decisions over Brent Johnson (Itasca CC), MSUM’s Mario Tuccitto, and a default win over Terry.
Freshman Cody Fritz went 3-2 for the day, with a decision over Ben Cousins of Corcordia, a pin over Minot State’s Victory Strasburg, and an overtime win over Concordia’s Kevin Fynboh.
Travis Longtin went 0-2 for the day. Longtin was pinned by Concordia’s Josten Coleman and lost by decision to Jake Krogstad, also of Concordia.
Blaine Miller, William Dean, and Andrew Rodas all wrestled in the 174 bracket. Miller went winless for the day, while Dean’s only victory was over Nick Bachmann of Concordia. After receiving a bye in his first match, Rodas went 1-2 on the day. His win came from a major decision over Minot State’s Devin Flores.
Travis Peralta, who competed in the 184 bracket, fell to NDSU’s Kody Sorenson in the third-place match. Peralta pinned MSUM’s Matthew Beehler, topped Concordia’s Christian Harrison, and defeated South Dakota State University’s Shea Nolan.
Micah Larson earned a pin over Concordia’s Delson Saintal before receiving a bye in the first round and major decisions over Colt Castebury and Martin Hagen. Joel Bauman of the University of Minnesota handed Larson his only loss for the day.
Cole Wilson and Todd Klemz both represented SMSU in the 285 bracket. Wilson went 0-2, with losses coming from Concordia’s Cody Kasprick and NDSU’s John Gusewelle. Klemz went 1-2 with a pin over SDSU’s Jacob Haydel.