Ryan Ripplinger claimed his title by defeating returning InterMat Classic champion Reid Ballantyne in the finals (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Ryan Ripplinger, a two-time state champion, came to Rochester with unfinished business. Last year he failed to reach the finals of the finals of the InterMat Classic in Rochester, losing in the semifinals by a point and placing third. Two months later, he dropped two matches at the Minnesota Christmas Tournament to place fifth.
This year at the InterMat Classic he left no doubt, cruising to the title at 126 pounds on Saturday. After picking up two technical falls and a fall to reach the quarterfinals, Ripplinger shut out two-time undefeated state champion Hunter Burnett (Pipestone, Minn.) 6-0 in the semifinals. He carried the momentum to his finals match, pinning Reid Ballantyne (Stillwater, Minn.), a returning InterMat Classic champion and undefeated state champion. Ripplinger was named Outstanding Wrestler of the event.
Headlining the tournament was Alex Lloyd (Shakopee, Minn.), the nation's No. 23 senior, and now a four-time InterMat Classic champion. Yet again he won the 145-pound weight class, and this time it was five dominant victories; three pins, a 19-9 major decision, and then a pin at the 3:23 mark against two-time state finalist Drew Steidler (Bismarck St. Mary's, N.D.). Lloyd becomes the second wrestler ever to win four or more InterMat Classic title, joining Mark Hall, who won five.
At 170 pounds, state runner-up Zach Glazier (Albert Lea, Minn.) stunned Peyton Robb (Owatonna, Minn.) 3-1 in overtime in the championship match. Robb, ranked No. 26 overall in the Class of 2018, is expected to compete at 160 pounds this season and moved up to face Glazier. Glazier, a Fargo freestyle All-American, also defeated returning state runner-up Jeremiah Colon (Lake Crystal, Minn.) 10-1 in the semifinals.
One of the event's premier matches came at 132 pounds where three-time state champion Sam Stuhl (Ellsworth, Wis.) upended Fargo (Cadet) freestyle runner-up Aidan Medora (Brookfield Academy, Wis.) 10-6. Stuhl reached the final with three pins from three matches, including a win by fall in 1:06 during the semifinal round against two-time state placer Dylan Droegemueller (Anoka, Minn.). Medora reached the final with a pin, 16-0 technical fall, and an 11-6 decision over two-time state champion Charlie Pickell (Mankato West, Minn.) in a battle of Cadet freestyle All-Americans.
Paxton Creese was one of two champions for Shakopee (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Two pairs of teammates were champions at this year's InterMat Classic. Shakopee's Paxton Creese at 106 pounds joined Lloyd in winning his weight class. His finals victory came 4-2 in overtime over Ryan Henningson (Winona, Minn.). The other pair to win titles came from Arrowhead, Wis. Dominic Dentino beat Max Crowe (Shakopee, Minn.) 1-0 in the 120-pound final, a match in which both wrestlers were state medalists; while state medalist Joshua Otto won the 152-pound final by 9-3 decision over Gage Zieske (Osakis, Minn.).
A pair of state champions were dominant winners of the last two weight classes, Cole Fibranz (Sartell-St. Stephen, Minn.) and the nation's No. 27 overall senior Anthony Cassioppi (Hononegah, Ill.). Fibranz pinned all three opponents he faced at 220 pounds, while Cassioppi had a pair of pins in a combined 65 seconds for his title at 285 in a three-person round-robin.
Logan Vaughan claimed the title at 100 pounds (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Rounding out the weight class champions were Logan Vaughan (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.) at 100 pounds, Joey Thompson (Maple Grove, Minn.) at 113, Tate Torgerson (Cambridge-Isanti, Minn.) at 138, Tanner Wiese (Forest Lake, Minn.) at 160, Michael Nelson (Dover-Eyota, Minn.) at 182, and Beau Yineman (Neenah, Wis.) at 195.
Finals Results:
100: Logan Vaughan (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.) maj. dec. Brendan Howes (Anoka, Minn.), 12-1
106: Paxton Creese (Shakopee, Minn.) dec. Ryan Henningson (Winona, Minn.), 4-2 SV
113: Joey Thompson (Maple Grove, Minn.) dec. Derrick Cardinal (Forest Lake, Minn.), 13-6
120: Dominic Dentino (Arrowhead, Wis.) dec. Maxwell Crowe (Shakopee, Minn.), 1-0
126: Ryan Ripplinger (Bismarck, N.D.) pinned Reid Ballantyne (Stillwater, Minn.), 3:30
132: Sam Stuhl (Ellsworth, Wis.) dec. Aidan Medora (Brookfield Academy, Wis.), 10-6
138: Tate Torgerson (Cambridge-Isanti, Minn.) dec. Sebas Swiggum (Apple Valley, Minn.), 5-1
145: Alex Lloyd (Shakopee, Minn.) pinned Devin Steidler (Bismarck, N.D.), 3:23
152: Josh Otto (Arrowhead, Wis.) dec. Gage Zieske (Osakis, Minn.), 9-3
160: Tanner Wiese (Forest Lake, Minn.) maj. dec. Ben Schmalz (Mound-Westonka, Minn.), 13-3
170: Zach Glazier (Albert Lea, Minn.) dec. Peyton Robb (Owatonna, Minn.), 3-1 SV
182: Michael Nelson (Dover Eyota, Minn.) dec. Andrew Johnson (Tartan, Minn.), 7-0
195: Beau Yineman (Neenah, Wis.) by injury default over DJ Smith (Shakopee, Minn.)
220: Cole Fibranz (Sartell, Minn.) pinned Jacob Somlai (Brookfield, Wis.), 3:43
285: Anthony Cassioppi (Honenegah, Ill.) pinned Ezayah Oropeza (Rosemount, Minn.), 0:48
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