Cardinal wrestling: Big Ole tournament brings state-ranked wrestlers to town

• Cumberbatch

Justin Cumberbatch is ranked No. 4 in the Class AAA polls at 220 pounds
• Hubbard

Tony Hubbard is the No. 8 wrestler in the 145 pound weight class rankings in Class AAA.
• Piepenburg

Alexandria's Trent Piepenburg is in the Class AAA rankings at No. 5 in the 113 pound weight class.

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With 26 individuals and three teams ranked in the state polls, the 42nd annual Big Ole wrestling tournament at Jefferson High School on Saturday is bound to be a good one.

Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg, ranked No. 5 in the State Class A polls, is the defending champion, and will be back to defend its title. The Fighting Saints also won the title in 2009, but eight-time champion Frazee, ranked No. 3 in Class A, will also be battling for the crown.

The host Cardinals found themselves in the most recent state polls after some excellent showings in dual meet action, and have three individual state-ranked wrestlers on the squad in Trent Piepenburg, No. 5 at 113 pounds; Tony Hubbard, No. 8 at 145 pounds and Justin Cumberbatch, No. 4 at 220 pounds.

All three of those Alexandria wrestlers competed at the state tournament last year.

New to the tournament this year is St. Cloud Apollo and the Eagles are bringing in five wrestlers in the Class AAA polls: Peter Nelson, No. 9 at 106 pounds; Matt Braun, No. 10 at 126 pounds; Bryce Kirchner, No. 10 at 220 pounds; Grant Nehring, No. 1 at 145 pounds and the defending state champion at that weight; and Mitch Bengston, No. 1 at 138 pounds.

Bengston is a three-time state champion and was second at state last season. He is also ranked No. 11 nationally at his weight class by the Amateur Wrestling News. He is also ranked No. 4 in the Intermat national high school rankings.

Moorhead, which has eight Big Ole titles, has three Class AAA state-ranked wrestlers in Joe Carpenter, No. 5 at 160 pounds, A.J. Wheeler, No. 2 at 182 pounds; and Chase Morlock, No. 2 at 195 pounds.

Morlock is in the national high school rankings according to Intermat, and is No. 19 in his weight class.

In Class A, the Frazee Hornets bring eight ranked wrestlers: Tanner Rentz, No. 6 at 106 pounds; Austin Skillings, No. 9 at 126 pounds; Hunter Sorenson, No. 8 at 132 pounds; Bruce Lemmon, No. 4 at 138 pounds; Tyler Ziegler, No. 8 at 170 pounds; Kody VanDenykle, No. 10 at 182 pounds; Tony Reurink, No. 3 at 220 pounds and Garrett Malstrom, No. 7 at 285 pounds.

KMS has four wrestlers ranked in Class A: Cody Peters, No. 3 at 126 pounds; Zach Carlson, No. 2 at 152 pounds; Jordan Rothers, No. 2 at 170 pounds and Chase Norton, No. 9 at 220 pounds.

The Minnewaska Lakers, who won the title in 2005 and 2006, have three wrestlers in the state rankings: Joe Weaver, No. 10 at 106 pounds; Ryan Stottler, No. 7 at 160 pounds and Bradley Jacobs, No. 10 at 195 pounds.

The other teams scheduled to compete include Rocori, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta and Wadena-Deer Creek.

Rocori boasts eight Big Ole titles, while Wadena-Deer Creek has won the tournament title five times.

Varsity action begins at 11:30 a.m.

BIG OLE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS

1970 – Staples

1971 – Staples

1972 – Moorhead

1973 – Moorhead

1974 – Moorhead

1975 – Moorhead

1976 – Moorhead

1977 – cancelled/snowstorm

1978 – Benson

1979 – Moorhead

1980 – Moorhead

1981 – Moorhead

1982 – Rocori

1983 – Rocori

1984 – Rocori

1985 – Rocori

1986 – Rocori

1987 – Rocori

1988 – Alexandria

1989 – Willmar

1990 – Willmar

1991 – Rocori

1992 – Frazee

1993 – Frazee

1994 – Rocori

1995 – Wadena-Deer Creek

1996 – Wadena-Deer Creek

1997 – Wadena-Deer Creek

1998 – Willmar

1999 – Frazee

2000 – Frazee

2001 – Wadena-Deer Creek

2002 – Wadena-Deer Creek

2003 – Frazee

2004 – Frazee

2005 – Minnewaska

2006 – Minnewaska

2007 – cancelled/herpes gladiatorum virus

2008 – Alexandria

2009 – Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg

2010 – Frazee

2011 – Frazee

2012 – Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg

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