Grand Forks’ Allyssa Johnson, Emily Novak win North Dakota state wrestling titles

FARGO — One Grand Forks women wrestler completed off a outstanding particular person profession Friday, whereas one other captured her first massive second.

The KnightRiders received two state championships on the North Dakota state wrestling event on the Fargodome.

Senior Allyssa Johnson received a state title at 140 kilos by capping off an ideal season. No opponent scored a single level in opposition to her all season. No opponent made it past six minutes of the match, both.

Johnson pinned Bismarck Excessive’s Paige Baumgartner at 1:18 to win the 140-pound division.

“We stated it earlier than, there isn’t any one in her class within the state,” Central coach Matt Berglund stated. “You simply do not see that kind of dominance.

“She wrestled an actual good championship match and did not put herself in danger. We instructed her to remain at a conservative strategy, and she or he completed off her particular person profession the way in which she wished to. It has been a protracted journey for her.”

If Johnson was the confirmed star anticipated to dominate, Grand Forks’ different state champion traveled a totally totally different path.

Novak, a sophomore in her first season of wrestling, was seeded third within the 155-pound bracket.

Within the championship match, Novak beat Lexi Beckler of Bismarck, the No. 1 seed, 8-2.

“Emily is our Cinderella story,” Berglund stated. “She actually wrestled within the JV division in December. Now, she’s a state champ.”

Novak entered the third interval main Beckler 2-1. In the course of the third, Novak countered a headlock by placing Beckler on her again for a few minute.

By the point Beckler escaped, Novak completed the match forward 8-2.

Novak had beat Beckler twice this 12 months, as soon as in 4 overtimes.

“We went again and watched each of these movies a number of occasions,” Berglund stated. “She’s such an amazing listener and nice learner. She’s a sponge in the case of speaking about technique. She was smiling the entire time in warmups. She knew she had a very good plan, and she or he adopted it by way of and executed it.”

Grand Forks additionally positioned two others at state: Bryn Larson and Kaylee Kurz. Larson completed sixth, whereas Kurz was fourth. Each wrestlers completed above their seeding.

Grand Forks completed fifth within the event’s workforce scores.

The Grand Forks Central boys ended with three state placers Friday.

“Our three wrestlers competing of their second day of the state particular person event had an amazing day,” Central coach Jeff Welsh. “All three wrestlers received matches immediately and wrestled rather well in opposition to the most effective competitors of their weight class.”

Daniel Suda went 2-0 Friday to position third at 285 kilos. Michael Torgerson went 1-2 and positioned sixth at 220 kilos, selecting up his thirty third win of the season within the course of. Brendan Winn-Kelley, unseeded coming into the event, completed fifth at 145 kilos thanks to 2 come-from-behind wins.

“We’re lucky that we get to have our whole workforce again on the mat (Saturday) as we compete within the state twin event,” Welsh stated.

Central, the East Area No. 4 seed, faces Williston, No. 1 within the West Area, within the state twin quarterfinals at 10 a.m. Saturday.