Jamestown, N.D. (NewsDakota.com)—–The Jamestown Blue Jays needed 1 criteria point after the wrestling was done to pull out a 33-32 WDA victory over the visiting Bismarck Saint Mary’s (BSM) Saints. An entertaining dual was decided by the fourth criteria rule which was a total amount of matches won by fall/forfeits, which the Jays had a 3-2 advantage. The match started at 113 pounds and the Jays picked up forfeit victories at both 113 (Pete Rasmussen) and 120 pounds (Sam Schlepitz) and led 12-0 early. Grady Anderson (freshman), wrestled up 1 weight class, and defeated Colin Steidler 11-7 at the 126 pound division giving the Jays a 15-0 team lead.

The Saints would get 4 straight wins starting with 3 time state champion Reece Barnhardt (senior/UMary commit) at 132 pounds with a technical fall victory 20-4 over Aden Braun (sophomore), and 2 time state finalist. Isaac Felchle of BSM picked up a 11-5 decision over Joel Bowman at 138 pounds, William Lengenfelder won by fall at 4:19 over Eric Chea at 145 pounds, and James Richter won by technical fall, 22-6, at the 5:42 mark over Josiah Reimers, giving the Saints a 19-15 lead.

Colton Mewes (sophomore), picked up an 8-0 major decision over Matthew Scheer at 160 pounds tying the dual up at 19-19. Sophomore Jackson Walters added another major decision victory (12-4) over Jaxyn Richter at 170 pounds. Preston Gall (sophomore) added a 7-4 victory over Luke Lengenfelder at 182 pounds and the Blue Jays led 26-19. BSM would score victories at 195 (Trent Radenz), fall at 4:44 over Dalton Darby and a 9-1 major decision for Nick Windsor at 220 pounds over Austin Kessler, giving the Saints a 29-26 lead.

Damien Krebs (senior) gave the lead back to the Jays at 285 with a first period fall at 1:44 and the Jays led 32-29 going into the final match at 106 pounds. Lucas Schlepitz (8th) for the Jays and Jaryn Richter (8th) for the Saints battled it out and went to OT to decide the victor. The match was scoreless after 2 periods and Schlepitz recorded 2 near fall points in the final 20 seconds of the match appeared to be on the way to a victory but Richter picked up a reversal in the final seconds of regulation to tie the match at 2-2. In the one minute overtime session Richter picked up a takedown and 2 nearfall points to win 6-2 and tied the team score at 32-32 setting up the criteria win for the Jays.

Jamestown picked up it’s first dual victory of the season improving to 1-4 overall and 1-3 in the WDA. BSM dropped to 3-4 overall and 3-3 in the WDA. Jamestown will travel to Minot and Williston on Friday and Saturday and wrestle 4 duals against Minot, Williston, Watford City, and Turtle Mountain.