wrestling

Owatonna placed five individuals at the MN Christmas Wrestling Tournament, Westfield had two place winners.

Owatonna's wrestlers won the Faribault Invite Saturday with a photo finish thanks to Isaiah Noeldner's win in the third place final.

Owatonna wrestling champs Peyton Robb and Brandon Moen have switched their college colors.

An Olympian, a politician and a wrestling announcer walk into a room. And the punchlines were many at Saturday's induction into the Minnesota chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame at the Austin Holiday Inn.

His voice is synonymous with Owatonna wrestling specifically, and all wrestling in general. His exclamation, "Takedown! Owatonna!" is a legendary call. Dale Benjamin will enter the Minnesota Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a lifetime service honoree at a banquet on Saturday, April 21 at the Holiday in of Austin. It is a well-deserved recognition.

Peyton Robb became Owatonna High School's first three-time state wrestling champion Saturday with an 8-2 decision over Austin Brenner of St. Cloud Tech at 160 pounds. Robb finished his senior season at 48-0 and his career at 185-27, the second-most wins in school history. OHS junior Cade King also finished an unbeaten season (44-0) with a 6-4 decision over Calvin Sund of Prior Lake at 182 pounds. King was a runner-up in 2017.

Jeff Becker, a former longtime assistant wrestling coach at Owatonna, will be inducted into the Region One-Mayo Civic Center Wrestling Hall of Fame Monday, March 5. The banquet will be held at Charlie's Eatery on Highway 52 North in Rochester in the Hillcrest Mall. Call for tickets at 507-358-7075. Tickets will also be at the door.

Five Owatonna wrestlers punched their ticket to the state tournament with top two finishes in the Section 1AAA Saturday at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester. Five others finished in third place. The state individual tournament is Friday and Saturday, March 2-3 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. The team tournament is Thursday, March 1.

Albert Lea Area won a series of close decisions in the lower weights and held off Owatonna in the upper bouts to knock off the defending section champion Huskies 33-19 Saturday at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester. The Tigers won five straight matches from 113 pounds to 138 by a total of seven points. Albert Lea led 15-3 at that point.

The Owatonna wrestlers made quick work of Rochester Century in Thursday's Section 1AAA quarterfinals at the OHS gym. The Huskies won 70-0 in their first action in defense of their section crown from 2017. Owatonna will face Northfield Saturday at 11AM at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester on KRFO AM1390. The winner advances to the section final at 1PM. The Huskies edged Northfield 33-30 on December 14.