“Wrestling is a combination of both,” Coach Greg Burzynski said when asked if strength or skill were more important to success in the sport. “Strength along will not grant you instant success on the wrestling mat. Technique (skill) will help an athlete be more successful if I was forced to choose one attribute,” said the former Stanley-Boyd wrestler now in his thirteenth year as head coach of the wrestling team. “To be a solid overall wrestler, you need a balance of strength and technique,” he said.

It would seem that Stanley-Boyd/Owen-Withee has both, after a recent Varsity wrestling dual at Stanley-Boyd against the Phillips Loggers, at which the Stanley-Boyd/Owen-Withee joint team pinned down the visitors from Price County capital to come away as the victors, 34 to 33. Welcome to the Stanley Country.

Although the WIAA only allows teams to compete once every seven days at present and doesn’t allow tournaments, Coach Burzynski was upbeat about things. “We will take what we can get this year,” he said of the present reality. The Stanley-Boyd/Owen-Withee team now stands at 3-1 after its dual with Phillips. The varsity wrestling dual began at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 29, and came to around one-and-a-half hours long in actual wrestling, laying aside the half-hour preparation beforehand. It was all broadcast live, along with the occasional coaching suggestion. In the meantime, match victories were declared without hand contact between referee or wrestler, the arms of both raised parallel to each other at a distance, adapting to the times. Things began with the National Anthem, minus vocals. Then it was off!

“Pressure! Pressure! Pressure!” the call came from the sidelines at the recent varsity wrestling meet held at Stanley-Boyd High School between the joint Stanley-Boyd/Owen Withee team.

Starting in the first round of competition at 195 pounds it was Caden Koepl for Stanley-Boyd/Owen Withee versus Owen Roe for Phillips, with the first match ending in Price County’s favor. Not long after, Tyler Krizan of Stanley-Boyd/Owen-Withee received a forfeit in the 285-pound weight class for a gain of six.

Following upon Krizan, it was Dale Sayles for Stanley-Boyd/Owen-Withee facing off against Maverick Hoogland of Phillips in the 106-pound weight class. With the decision coming 6-5, Phillips came away with a threepoint gain, each team scoring six points in a back and forth to come.

With a forfeit by Stanley-Boyd/Owen-Withee against Jason McMillan of Phillips in the 113-pound weight class the Loggers gained six points, while a faceoff between Stanley-Boyd/Owen-Withee’s Troy Trevino and Daniel Adiomatis in the 120-pound weight class following led to a fall by Adiomatis in three minutes and 45 seconds with six-points going for Stanley-Boyd. Next up, Breckin Burzynski of Stanley-Boyd/Owen-Withee against Mathias Hoogland in the 126-pound weight class, with a Major Decision with points a spread of 12-1 leading to four more points to Stanley-Boyd. From the 126-pound weight class it was on to the 132-pound class, with Landen Hoel receiving a forfeit to up the score by six in Stanley- Boyd/Owen-Withee’s favor. Up next, Blaine Brenner!

Facing off against Jesse Bruhn of Phillips in the 138-pound weight class, Brenner came away with a fall in zero minutes and zero seconds to add six points to the Stanley-Boyd win list. Following on Brenner, Dominic Kurth of Phillips faced off against Blake Paul of Stanley-Boyd/Owen-Withee, coming away victorious.

Following in sequence, Russell Dorn of Stanley Boyd bested James Bruhn of Phillips in the 152-pound weight class, for six more points to the Oriole victory board.

Following Dorn’s match, Ethan Upson of Phillips came away with six points in the 160pound weight class versus Stanley-Boyd/Owen-Withee’s Taj Faraj, while the 182-pound weight class saw Parker Anderson of Phillips win by forfeit with no opponent presenting.

Along with two double forfeits in the 170 and 220-pound weight classes each (zero points to either side for these), the final score for the varsity dual came away 34-33 in favor of the locals. Singled out for special mention by Coach Burzynski were three senior wrestlers, credited with helping the younger wrestlers in practice.

“Blaine, Russel, and Taylor have done a nice job so far helping the younger wrestlers in practice,” Burzynski said. “We are starting five freshmen and two sophomores. This team does an exceptional job helping each other out in practice.”