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Dragons complete march to 3AA title

By John RittenhouseThe dream of winning three straight Section 3AA Team Wrestling Tournaments became a reality for the Adrian Dragons Friday in Lamberton.After starting the night with a convincing 62-5 win over Marshall in the semifinals, the Dragons gained their three-peat by upending Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 36-22 in the championship match.By winning their third straight section title, the Dragons matched a program standard of reaching the state tournament as a team set during the 1983 through 1985 campaigns."We wrestled really solid," said AHS coach Gregg Nelson. "We only got pinned once, and we won the matches we were supposed to win. I have no complaints."The 31-7 Dragons will wrestle in the state quarterfinals at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul Thursday, March 2. Adrian meets Section 1AA champion Plainview-Elgin-Millville to open the tournament.Adrian competes at the Section 3AA Individual Wrestling Friday (5 p.m.) and Saturday in Redwood Falls.Adrian 36, T-M-B 22The Dragons erased a nine-point deficit in the championship match to best the Panthers by 14 points Friday in Lamberton.T-M-B, which led 15-6 after Chad Cooreman pinned Tanner Loosbrock in 3:39 at 135 pounds, found themselves facing a 19-15 deficit moments later. Adrian’s Brandon Bullerman won by injury default at 140, Andy Heitkamp nipped Drew Hebig 7-5 at 145 and Zach Reker posted a 10-2 major decision win over Andy Nelson at 152 to give AHS a four-point lead.The Panthers regained the lead at 22-19 when James Prairie saddled Clint Metz with a 13-0 major decision loss and Paul Carlson nipped Tyler Wagner 4-3 at 171, but the rest of the matches belonged to AHS.Nate Engelkes pinned Dan Dieter in 1:48 during the 189-pound match to give the Dragons a 25-22 advantage before Cody Reverts iced the section title by beating Tyler Bauer by technical fall at 215.Will Lutmer then pinned Nathan Jacob at heavyweight to add six more points to the winning tally.Posting wins for Adrian early in the match were Brock Bullerman (6-2 over Zach Campbell at 103) and Tony Thier (4-2 in overtime over Derek Evans at 130).Match wrap-up103 (A) Bk.Bullerman6-2 Campbell.112 (T) Thao 9-6 Tiesler.119 (T) Prairie 7-3 S.Loosbrock.125 (T) Cooreman 13-0 Gades.130 (A) Thier 4-2 Evans.135 (T) Cooremanpins T.Loosbrock.140 (A) Bd.Bullermanby injury default.145 (A) Heitkamp 7-5 Hebig.152 (A) Reker 10-2 Nelson.160 (T) Prairie 13-0 Metz.171 (T) Carlson 4-3 Wagner.189 (A) Engelkes pins Dieter.215 (A) Reverts t.f Bauer.275 (A) Lutmer pins 1:12.Adrian 62, Marshall 5The Dragons dominated the Tigers during a 57-point victory in Friday’s semifinals in Lamberton.Adrian, which drew two forfeits during the match, won 11 of 12 battles staged on the mat.Registering pins for AHS were Tanner Loosbrock (1:28 over Garrett Dubelde), Brandon Bullerman (1:38 over Brett Crecelius), Reker (3:01 over Adam Oakland), Wagner (3:30 over Dan Marron) and Engelkes (2:27 over Caleb Bruns).Thier won by technical fall for the Dragons.Brock Bullerman (2-0 over Nate Zeinstra), Stephen Loosbrock (3-0 over Anthony Coequyt), Matt Gades (6-1 over Sam Oglesby), Heitkamp (7-6 over Ethan Lundberg) and Lutmer (10-4 over Blake Nath) notched decision wins for AHS.Match wrap-up103 (A) Bk.Bullerman 2-0 Zeinstra.112 (M) Jeremiason t.f. Tiesler.119 (A) S.Loosbrock 3-0 Coequyt.125 (A) Gades 6-1 Oglesby.130 (A) Thier t.f. Westberg.135 (T.Loosbrock pins Dubelde.140 (A) Bd.Bullermanpins Crecelius.145 (A) Heitkamp 7-6 Lundberg.152 (A) Reker pins Oakland.160 (A) Metz by forfeit. 171 171 (A) Wagner pins Marron.189 (A) D.Engelkes by forfeit.215 (A) N.Engelkes pins Bruns.275 (A) Lutmer 10-4 Nath.

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