Area has 4 forge ahead to final

ST. PAUL -- Ryan Thompson of Benson and Joel Bauman of Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg are both one win away from capturing a second straight state individual wrestling title after each won semifinal matches Friday at Xcel Energy Center.

Thompson (35-1), who won the 145-pound Class A title as a junior, will take on Brad Keller (41-2) of Medford for the 152-pound title.

Bauman (45-1) is seeking another Class A 189-pound title after winning that weight as a junior. He will be pitted against Ian Pratt (26-0) of Mille Lacs.

Brandon Manderschied (34-2) of Minnewaska Area is eyeing his first state championship. The senior faces Jon Gorter (34-2) of Pipestone Area for the 215-pound Class A state championship.

And BOLD heavyweight Dusty Caspers (33-4) is also in his first Class A final and will square off against Alex Yeager (35-5) of Badger-Greenbush/Middle River in the title match.

Thompson never trailed in his 9-5 semifinal win over Caleb Lanoue of Mahnomen-Waubun, although Lanoue closed within 5-4 at the end of the second period.

Joel Bauman was locked in a 3-3 tie with Sauk Centre's John Gusewelle after one period, but escaped to start the second period and never trailed after that en route to a 10-7 triumph.

Manderschied was leading Logan Brand of Lewiston-Altura/Rushford-Peterson 5-1 when he took the senior to his back for a pin with nine seconds left in the third period.

Caspers had the weight advantage against muscular Jordan Phibbs of Jackson County Central in the semifinals. Caspers took the lead 2-0 in the second period with a takedown and then added a pair of nearfalls in the third on the way to a 7-2 win.

In other Class A semifinals: Larry Bomstad of Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City lost his semifinal match 5-0 to Drew Lexvold of Kenyon-Wanamingo.

At 160 pounds, Benson's Brady Wersinger fell 6-1 to Jackson County Central's Cooper Moore, who was fourth at 140 last year.

Also at 160, Travis Winter of Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa succumbed to Stephen Erlandson of Breckenridge/Campbell-Tintah 10-5.

All four area wrestlers in Class AA lost in the semifinals on Friday.

Dawson-Boyd/Lac qui Parle Valley's John Weeding lost a 6-2 decision to Kyle Gliva of Simley at 103 pounds and DB/LQPV's Jake Bothun fell 6-2 to Nick Wanzek of Simley at 145.

New London-Spicer also had two semifinalists fall. Shawn Hatlestad dropped a 5-2 decision to Andrew Youngblom of Mora at 140 and John Nething lost 5-3 to Dan Revering of Fergus Falls at 160.

"We could have had two guys in the finals and 10 minutes later, we've got two in the wrestlebacks," said New London-Spicer coach Jair Toedter. "But that's wrestling. My guys both wrestled well."

Weeding, a sophomore, hung tough but was unable to sustain any offense against Gliva, a freshman.

Hatlestad fell behind 5-0, allowing two takedowns and an escape, and didn't score until pulling a reversal with 25 seconds left in the third period. Youngblom had rallied to beat Hatlestad in the West Central North Conference final 7-5 with a five-point move with 12 seconds left. Youngblom was fourth at 135 last year.

Bothun gave up an early takedown, but fought his way back to tie it 2-2 after two periods. Wanzek got an escape and later a takedown for the 5-2 win. Bothun had won two one-point matches to reach the semifinals.

Revering (42-1) did nothing very aggressive or fancy, but was able to score two takedowns for a 4-2 lead midway through the second period. Nething (43-2) was assessed a penalty point for a false start and trailed 5-2. He got a late escape to get within two points of tying a score and nearly pulled off a takedown just before time ran out.

Rand Middleton also contributed to this article.

Area results Class A

Semifinals

130 pounds

LARRY BOMSTAD, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City -- lost 0-5 decision to Drew Lexvold, Kenyon-Wanamingo ... in wrestlebacks vs. Jack Hawkins, Wabasha-Kellogg/Alma

152 pounds

RYAN THOMPSON, Benson -- dec Caleb Lanoue, Mahnomen/Waubun, 9-5 ... in finals today vs. Brad Keller, Medford

160 pounds

TRAVIS WINTER, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa -- lost 5-10 decision to Stephen Erlandso, Breckenridge/Campbell-Tintah ... in wrestlebacks vs. Sean Huls, Pierz

BRADY WERSINGER, Benson -- lost 2-7 decision to Cooper Moore, Jackson County Central ... in wrestlebacks vs. Jarid Groth, Kenyon-Wanamingo

189 pounds

JOEL BAUMAN, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg -- dec John Gusewelle, Sauk Centre, 10-7 ... in today's final vs. Ian Pratt, Mille Lacs

215 pounds

BRANDON MANDERSCHIED, Minnewaska -- pin Logan Brand, Lewiston-Altura/Rushford-Peterson, 5:51 ... in today's final vs. Jon Gorter, Pipestone

285 pounds

DUSTIN CASPERS, BOLD -- dec Jordan Phibbs, Jackson County Central, 7-2 ... in today's final vs. Alex Yeager, Badger-Greenbush/Middle River

Wrestlebacks

103 pounds

EVAN KNUDSON, Yellow Medicine East -- lost 1-5 dec to Marcus Hammer, Kimball Area ... eliminated

KURT TIMMONS, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg -- dec Mick Roemer, Wabasha-Kellogg/Alma, 10-3 ... in consolation semifinals today vs. Matt Hickerson, Ogilvie

119 pounds

HAYDEN ROUSER, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City -- lost 1-5 dec to Chase Levos, St. Clair/Mankato Loyola ... eliminated

130 pounds

JACOB REVIER, BOLD -- lost 3-8 dec to Darick Vancura, Jackson County Central ... eliminated

140 pounds

CAM SCHAFER, Minnewaska -- dec Mike Lerum, Pine Island, 15-2 ... in consolation semifinals today vs. Skyler Quamme, Kenyon-Wanamingo

145 pounds

COLE TENSEN, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa -- was pinned by Grant Hegge, Southland, 3:56 ... eliminated

152 pounds

ALEX STEFFEL, BOLD -- dec Cody Blehr, West Central Area, 4-3 ... in consolation semifinals today vs. Caleb Lanoue, Mahnomen-Waubun

160 pounds

MATT DOOM, Paynesville -- lost 2-6 decision to Sean Huls, Pierz ... eliminated

171 pounds

RYAN LARSON, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City -- lost 1-3 decision to Jared Nash, Park Rapids Area ... eliminated

189 pounds

ANDREW MOSER, Paynesville -- was pinned by John Drury, Park Rapids Area, 2:34 ... eliminated

Class AA

Semifinals

103 pounds

JOHN WEEDING, Dawson-Boyd/Lac qui Parle Valley -- lost 2-6 decision to Kyle Gliva, Simley ... in wrestlebacks vs. Keith Thell, Foley

140 pounds

SHAWN HATLESTAD, New London-Spicer -- lost 2-5 decision to Andrew Youngblom, Mora ... in wrestlebacks vs. Luke Tiesler, Adrian

145 pounds

JAKE BOTHUN, Dawson-Boyd/Lac qui Parle Valley -- los 2-5 decision to Nick Wanzek, Simley ... in wrestlebacks vs. Brandon Seppelt, Foley

160 pounds

JOHN NETHING, New London-Spicer -- lost 3-5 decision to Dan Revering, Fergus Falls ... in wrestlebacks vs. Taylor Lewandowski, Foley

Wrestlebacks

189 pounds

KODY KALKBRENNER, Litchfield -- dec Daren Wingert, Plainview/Elgin-Millville, 5-1 ... in consolation semifinals today vs. Cody Welch, Wabasso/Red Rock Central

1/3: Ryan Thompson, left, of Benson outwrestles Caleb Lanoue of Mahnomen/Waubun 9-6 in the Class A 152-pound semifinals Friday. Thompson, who won the 145-pound state title as a junior, will be looking for his second straight title. Tribune photo by Rand Middleton

2/3: Joel Bauman of Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg, top, controls John Gusewelle of Sauk Centre in the second period en route to a 10-7 decision in the 189-pound semnifinals Friday in St. Paul. Tribune photo by Rand Middleton

3/3: Brandon Manderschied of Minnewaska, left, tries to gain control of Logan Brand of Lewiston-Altura/Rushford-Peterson in the second period Friday in the 215 pound semifinals. The Lakers' senior scored a third-period fall at 5:51. Tribune photo by Rand Middleton