Briggs finishes his last home match with a win

By Tricia Goecks

Editor

POPLAR GROVE – It was Senior Night for the North Boone Vikings wrestling team on Thursday, Jan. 28. In pre-tournament ceremonies, team manager Brianna Weinmann and wrestlers Jack Zwart, Alex West, Mike Schaedel and Brandon Briggs were escorted by their parents into the gym.

“It is sad not to be wrestling here again at North Boone,” Briggs said after the tournament.

In a sport in which athletes compete based on weight class, the six matches that the Vikings forfeited to the Aurora Catholic Central Chargers contributed to the 27-51 loss.  The Vikings won four matches on forfeit. The Vikings and Chargers each won two matches out of the four during the night.

Sophomore Conor Ryan began the action for the Vikings in his match against J. Mattas. Ryan was pinned with 2:29 remaining in the second period. “I think we did pretty well on the head-to-head,” Viking head coach Matt Sbertoli said.

Junior Teagan Ryan dominated his opponent Keegan Donnelly winning in points 8-0. “Teagan had a very good match tonight,” Sbertoli said. “He wrestled hard and with some things that we have been working on, he made some nice adjustments.”

Schaedel, in his first year wrestling, was pinned with 3:08 remaining in the second period. “Mike looked really good. He got in a shot,” Sbertoli added.

The final match of the night was the match between Briggs and Caleb Park. Briggs won the match 6-2 in three rounds. “Park is a tough kid,” Sbertoli said. “He is ranked at 138 so it was a good one for Brandon.”

“It was a tough match I had to work for it,” Briggs added.

Briggs has advanced to the State tournament in his freshman through junior year, is a two time state champion, came in second place in the state tournament and has an overall record of 128-9.  “I want to thank all of my teammates, family and friends for coming out tonight and my coaches for pushing me in practice,” Briggs said.

It is sad not to be wrestling here at NBoone at home.

Aurora catholic 4 forfeit

North Boone 6 forfeit

Briana Weiman

Jack Zwart

Alex West

Mike Schidel

Brandon Briggs

4 year wrestler. Plans to wrestle in college

Won stat

3x regional champ

3x sectional finalist with 1x sectional champ

3 x state finals

2x state champ

2nd place

128 win, 9 losses

38-0 as a sophomore

Matt Spertoli

I thought we did pretty well on the head to head.

Individually we win more matches than we lose. That is success for our team.

Tiegan had a very good match tonight. He wrestled hard and with some things that we have been working on, he made some nice adjustments.

Brandon had a nice match. Park is a tough kid. He is ranked at 138 so it was a good one for Brandon.

Connor is his first year wrestling. Mike looked really good. He got in a shot.

Thank the fans for coming out.

He has the talent to go very far at state. He knows that this is his last year.

Brandon

It was a tough match I had to work for it. 6-2 on points

I want to thank all of my teammates, family and friends for coming out tonight and my coaches for pushing me in practice.

It is sad not to be wrestling here at NBoone at home.