FARGO, N.D. – The Southwest Minnesota State wrestling team opened up the 2011-12 season on Saturday at the 41st Annual Bison Open at the Bison Sports Arena on the campus of North Dakota State University. SMSU had six wrestlers place at the open led by Jacob Begin who finished in second place in the 165-pound weight class.
Travis Borchert, who wrestled unattached, went 3-3 for SMSU finishing in sixth place at 125 pounds. Borchert fell to Jordan Kingsley of the University of Minnesota in the fifth place match. Justin Reinsma, wrestling at 133 pounds finished 3-3 on the day finishing in sixth place.
Reinsma faced Justin Solberg of NDSU twice on the day, eventually dropping a 9-3 decision in the fifth-place match. Devin Terry finished 2-2 at 141 pounds. Ethan Hildebrandt wrestled unattached for SMSU at 141 pounds. He started off the day with a 12-3 major decision over Nathan Galvan of MSU Moorhead.
Hildebrandt followed that performance with a 6-3 decision over Brandon Bigelbach of Minnesota, and a 3-2 decision over teammate Beau Buysse who was also wrestling unattached. Travis Fredrickson earned a 9-4 decision in his first match before falling in his next two bouts going 1-2.
Begin picked up a win by fall of Connor Pariseau followed by a 12-2 major decision over Josten Coleman to advance to the championship match. Begin dropped a 4-3 decision to Cody Yohn, wrestling unattached for the University of Minnesota.
Terrance Maier, wrestling unattached at 174 pounds for SMSU, finished sixth in his weight class. Maier opened the meet with a win by fall at 4:48 over Christian Harrison. Maier dropped a 3-0 decision to Tyler Kivel of MSU Moorhead and rebounded with a 5-1 decision and a 12-6 decision. Maier then lost a 4-0 decision in the fifth-place match to Kivel.
Micah Larson went 2-2 at 184 pounds. He started off the day with a technical fall and a major decision. SMSU’s Travis Peralta, wrestling unattached at 184 pounds for SMSU, finished in fourth place losing an 8-1 decision to Kallen Kleinschmidt of NDSU.
Andrew Rodas finished in sixth place in the 197-pound weight class. Rodas earned a 4-2 decision over Brandon Manderschied of MSU Moorhead.
Todd Klemz went 1-2 in heavyweight action, earning a win by fall at 2:17 in his first bout.
Southwest Minnesota State will compete at the Concordia-Moorhead Open on Saturday, Nov. 19, beginning at 9 a.m. in Moorhead, Minn.