by Marie Olson
contributing writer
Three Sartell Sabres’ wrestlers qualified for the State Wrestling Tournament March 1-3 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Junior Jackson Penk (120 pounds) went 2-2 on the weekend, falling one match short of placing in the tournament. He won his first match 10-2, then lost his next match by fall. In his first wrestle-back match he won by fall in :28 seconds, then lost his next match by a score of 9-6. Penk finished the season with 41 wins which is the second most in a season in Sartell.
Junior Nick Pelach (126 pounds) went 2-2 at the state tournament as well. Pelach won his first match 7-6 and then fell to a nationally ranked wrestler in the next round. Pelach won his first wrestle-back match 14-7 before falling a match short of placing. Pelach finished the season with 38 wins which is tied for the fifth most in the school history. Pelach also moved to fifth in all-time career wins at Sartell High School, pushing his total up to 127.
Junior Cole Fibranz finished third in the state tournament at 220 pounds. Fibranz won his first match by a fall and then won the next round 9-0. In the semifinals, Fibranz fell 4-3 to the eventual state champion; he then won by a fall in the wrestle backs and avenged one of his losses this season winning 5-1 over Sam Horn of Eden Prairie in the third-place match. Fibranz broke school records this season with the most wins in a season with 43; he also broke the record for most falls in a season and team points scored in a season. All three wrestlers will be back next season.
Sartell wrestler Jackson Penk (top) vs. Mason Enderlein of Eastview.
