Benson finishes team season with playoff loss to Paynesville

By Sam Peterson
Swift County Monitor
After the conclusion of the regular season, the Benson wrestling team earned the seventh seed in Section 6A. The team took on 10-seed Ortonville in a pigtail dual Feb. 13 and secured a huge 66-6 win over the Trojans in Paynesville. The Braves advanced to compete against the second seeded Paynesville Bulldogs the same day and lost 43-21 to end their team competition season.
Benson 66
Ortonville 6
Benson earned the seventh seed in the Section 5A team tournament and took on the 10 seed Ortonville in their first playoff dual, destroying the Trojans 66-6 to advance.
Ortonville left eight weight classes open (107, 114, 139, 145, 152, 160, 172 and 215) to just give the Braves 48 points.
Benson led 12-0 after two forfeits before Ortonville got on the board with a decision win at 121 pounds to make it 12-3.
Gavin Olson and Ethan Tolifson added pins for Benson at 127 and 133 pounds and Ortonville left the next five weight classes open to give the Braves a 54-3 lead.
Ortonville won their second weight class of the dual at 189 pounds with a decision to make it 54-6. Benson won 215 pounds by forfeit and DeMarcus Neal had a pin at heavyweight for the Braves to make the final score 66-6.

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