Erpelding sets records with 171 wins, 100 pins
Alex Erpelding wasn’t aware he was about to set a school record for wins at the dual wrestling match against United North Central on Feb. 9. “I knew something was up but I didn’t know what,” he said.
After pinning his opponent with his powerful cradle, “I turned around and saw all the people and posters,” said Erpelding. “It was pretty cool.”
Erpelding’s 171st career victory led to a standing ovation from the home crowd, and the old record holder at 170 wins, Mark Carlson, came onto the mat to present Erpelding with a gift.
Carlson also had the old school record with 97 pins.
“It’s an honor,” said Erpelding, “It feels really good to accomplish something like that.”
With postseason wrestling coming up, Erpelding still has around a dozen matches remaining in his career, and he is looking to get more wins.
“There are still goals I want to achieve,” he said.
For the rest of the match on Feb. 9, the Cardinals rested a couple of wrestlers and it hurt them in the team score, as they fell 38-33.
The most exciting match of the night was at heavyweight, where Kyle Serich battled into four overtime periods before winning with an escape.
Team results
Staples-Motley 33, United North Central 38
106 - Payton Bjerga L 6-1; 113 - Conner Dobson L fall; 120 - Brayden Christensen L fall; 126 - Spencer Miller W fall; 132 - Owen Bjerga W ff; 138 - Jasiah Paskewitz L 12-10, 1OT; 145 - Cade Schmidt L fall; 152 - Isaac Swensrud L 5-1; 160 - James Ehresman L fall; 170 - Jonathan Lisson L 17-2; 182 - Alex Erpelding W fall; 195 - Shaine Guggenberger W fall; 220 - Braden Tyrell W fall; 285 - Kyle Serich W 3-2, 4OT
