BISMARCK -- Faced with the possibility of having less desirable food served at its season-ending banquet in a week, the Oakes wrestling team got its act together Saturday.
Oakes scored 152 points to earn a fourth consecutive Class B individual team title at the North Dakota state tournament at the Bismarck Civic Center.
"We've served prime rib the last three years when we've won," Tornadoes head coach Cory Schall said. "We told the kids that if we didn't win, we'd be serving hot dogs."
Entering Saturday, Oakes was in third place, trailing Carrington by 14½ points. In the end, the Tornadoes were posing for snap shots with the entire team holding up four fingers. Carrington ended with 146½ points for second place and Lisbon placed third with 144.
The Tornadoes scored several big wins in the consolation bracket, but it was two repeat champions that led the way.
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Oakes freshman Erik Loepp pinned Caleb Dorich of LaMoure in 19 seconds to pick up a 113-pound individual title. Loepp won the 103-pound title in 2011.
Senior Cody Voegeli added a 4-0 decision over Velva's Colten Lee to win the title at 145. Voegeli won the 135-pound crown last year.
"All my hard work the last two years has paid off," Voegeli said. "It feels great to be a champion again."
Cody's title added to a special day for the Voegeli family.
Rich Voegeli, Cody's dad, was inducted into the North Dakota Wrestling Hall of Fame prior to the individual championships.
After accepting his award, Rich watched his son to add to the family trophy case.
"It's a dream come true. There is no other way to describe it," Rich Voegeli said. "I was in the individual championships twice and lost both times. From that day on, I dreamed of having sons who loved wrestling."
One area champion
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There was one area Class B champion from the area.
Rolla-St. John-Rolette's Seth Anderson captured the heavyweight championship, and ended his season undefeated.
Anderson downed Hillsboro's Tommy Doeden, 10-0.
Anderson, the top seed, came into the tournament with a 25-0 record.
Carrington wrestlers win
A year ago, Carrington's Lucas Brown didn't even have a spot on the varsity team.
Fast forward a year, and not only was the 106-pound junior on the team, Brown was a state champion, defeating Oakes sophomore Kaleb Sell in a 9-0 major decision.
"I wrestled not as well as I could have," Brown said of the finals. "I'm still very proud of what I've accomplished this year."
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Brown, who was seeded No. 2, ends the season with a 37-5 record.
"I'm just blown away," Brown said. "I can't take the smile off my face."
Senior Cordell Schroeder earned the Cardinals' second title after he edged Napoleon's Andrew Beine 4-1 in double overtime.
The two have a history of going to extra time. Beine bested Schroeder 3-2 in double overtime earlier this season.
"We've wrestled each other a lot, and I knew it would be close," Schroeder said. "I'm speechless. It's just tremendous."
Takedowns
Lisbon junior Jace Berg scored an 11-4 decision over Carrington's Joe Bakke in the 120-pound championship match ... No. 1-seeded Jamison Jangula of Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm posted a 14-1 major decision over Carrington junior Austin Schuldheisz in the 195-pound final ... Class B coach of the year honors went to Shon Horgan of North Border-Cavalier ... Napoleon's Jared Reis was named Class B senior athlete of the year.
This article is by Forum Communications Co., which owns the Herald
