Eric Swensen

Minnesota wrestling coaches pleased with high school league’s tricky-to-plan state tournament

Where it will be held is still unknown, but the March 25-27 event will crown team and individual champions, something that had been much in doubt two months ago.

Two months ago, Will Short was worried.

The highly successful head wrestling coach at Simley, where he also serves as athletic director, was convinced there wouldn’t be a wrestling state tournament this year.Wrestling presented perhaps the most vexing challenge to the Minnesota State High School League’s goal of holding state tournaments for winter sports this year.

Trying to reconcile the need to be safe and take the necessary COVID-19 precautions with a tournament that featured more than 650 wrestlers pursuing individual state titles — along with coaches, teammates, parents and fans — seemed more than daunting. It seemed impossible.

“Two months ago, things were in bad shape and it looked like we weren’t going to have a tournament,” Short said. Continue reading at startribune.com →

Wayzata wrestlers waiting for off-season opportunities

April, May and June are usually off-season wrestling months for the grapplers from Wayzata High School, but the COVID-19 situation has put the Trojan wrestlers in lock-down mode.

“We’re not alone,” Wayzata head coach Eric Swensen said last week. “No school in the state has its guys working out.”

That is not to say the Trojans are idle, however. They can’t get on the mats yet, but state 138-pound champion Cael Swensen has been leading outdoor conditioning. One of his favorite training regimens is running the bleacher stairs on the home side at Wayzata High Stadium.

“When will we be able to start? That’s the million-dollar question,” Eric Swensen said. “This is the longest my kids [Cael and younger brother Logan] have ever been away from the mat. It is super frustrating for them and for our other boys.” Continue reading at hometownsource.com