The Mound Westonka wrestling squad opened action Dec. 4 with a quadrangular at Chanhassen High School. The White Hawks pounded out wins in the first two rounds 45-20 versus Rockford and 58-6 versus Benilde St. Margaret's. The final round brought “The Battle For the Bakke Bobblehead” versus rival Chaska-Chanhassen. The White Hawks fought hard but ultimately fell by a final score of 41-18.

“I thought we wrestled very well for our first time out as we won a couple big duals, and wrestled a competitive dual with state ranked Chaska-Chanhassen," said head coach Todd Munsterteiger. "We knew we were a little undermanned coming in with a few open weights, but we had a chance to win the dual if we could win a few more swing matches, which is all you can ask for."

Going 3-0 on the night for the White Hawks were sophomore Deacon Ramthun and senior Cole Munsterteiger. The White Hawks wrestlers returned to action Dec. 7 for the annual Don Meyers Fridley Invite. The White Hawks dominated the competition, placing first as a team with a total score of 197.5 points, while placing all 10 wrestlers in the top six.

Placing for the White Hawks were: senior Al Zuniga-Lopez, sixth place; ninth grader Charlie Ogle, fourth place; juniors Phil Pisarchuk and Mason Merritt, third place; and sophomore Levi Hays, second place. Fridley Champions were ninth grader Brady Kirkpatrick, sophomore Deacon Ramthun, junior Cooper Rowe, and seniors Cole Munsterteiger and John Seemann. Rowe also won the Outstanding Wrestler award for his performance.

“It was great to get back on the mat and show our improvement from Wednesday night by dominating on Saturday,” said assistant coach Eric Rodelius. “It was a true team effort by each of our wrestlers." The White Hawks also had two JV wrestlers gain Fridley Back Gym championships in juniors Gabe Brown and Daniel Wechter.

The White Hawks seventh through ninth grade squad also got back on the mats as they attended the Litchfield Invitational on Dec. 6. Seventh grader Parker Hagen went 3-0 enroute to a first-place finish. “We have an energetic bunch of seventh and eighth graders, and it was fun seeing them wrestle in their first tournament,” said assistant coach John Wardlow.

The White Hawks wrestlers will continue action when they head to Brainerd on Friday, Dec. 13, to compete in the 55th annual Paul Bunyan Invite. Start time is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, and action resumes Saturday at 10 a.m.