Out on a high note: White, Blue Jays win final dual with a pin
Greg White had a number of reasons to be emotional. But the longtime Jamestown High School wrestling coach kept it together, and so did his Blue Jays.By: By Chris Aarhus, The Jamestown Sun, The Jamestown Sun
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Greg White had a number of reasons to be emotional.
But the longtime Jamestown High School wrestling coach kept it together, and so did his Blue Jays.
At the 160-pound class, Jamestown’s Brandyn Harr pinned Mason Bjornson in 2 minutes, 30 seconds in the last match of the dual to secure the Jays’ 42-32 win over rival Valley City on Friday night at the JHS gym.
Likely at the top of the heap for White was his retirement from coaching. It was his final home appearance as coach of the Blue Jays after 13 years with the head job and another 17 as assistant. He coached for seven years in Minnesota prior to that.
“Not that this has to be the year (to retire), but … it’s more like, ‘what has kept me going?’” said White, who has the West Region tournament and the Class A state tournament the next two weeks. “It’s the kids, the wrestlers. That’s what’s kept me going. After 37 years, I think it’s time somebody else puts their blood in there and takes over, and I can be a spectator.”
Jamestown gave him plenty of memories to go out on.
Along with a standing ovation for White to start the dual, the Blue Jays used signature wins by Harr and defending state champion Zane Braun (152) to push them over the top. Braun, ranked No. 1, earned a 5-2 decision over third-ranked Shane Undem to knot the dual at 36. Braun improved to 2-0 on the season against him.
“We’ve had a long time with Mr. White,” Braun said. “It’s nice to end on a win like this.”
The dual served as a microcosm of the Blue Jays’ season —they pinned and got pinned.
Jaden Horsted (132), Mitch Ova (138), Eathan Gumke (170) and Cullen Goter (220) all recorded falls in the first period. Jamestown won eight of the six matches, getting a 6-1 decision from Triston Shipley (6-1) and a forfeit win from Paxton Mewes (120).
“They seem to be pins,” said White, of how his wrestlers have won matches this season. “That’s keeping us in there. … It’s so important to us in a dual that ends like this.”
Valley City wasn’t shabby, either. The Hi-Liners recorded all six of their victories by fall.
The win was a saving grace for Jamestown, which had a chance to earn a spot in the state dual tournament with wins over Minot and Williston last Saturday, but struggled to two losses.
“It was so great to bounce back like this, and we did,” said White, who received yet another surprise when his wife put his baby granddaughter from Minnesota in his arms. “We wrestled tough up and down the lineup.”
Jamestown 42, Valley City 32
170: Eathan Gumke, J, pinned Christian Swenson, 1:24.
182: Triston Shipley, J, dec. Dustin Lindgren, 6-1.
195: Jordan Magnuson, VC, pinned Colin Crabtree, 2:38.
220: Cullen Goter, J, pinned Wyatt Bjornson, 0:22.
285: Steven Hunter, VC, pinned Mark Reynolds, 0:26.
106: Cole McGough, VC, pinned Kane Barnick, 3:02.
113: Logan Erlandson, VC, pinned Nick DiLallo, 1:02.
120: Paxton Mewes, J, forfeit.
126: Jake Ashline, VC, pinned Kyle Dupree, 0:43.
132: Jaden Horsted, J, pinned Jon Langer, 1:37.
138: Mitch Ova, J, pinned Jake Tangen, 1:51.
145: Evan Carroll, VC, pinned Lucas Shirley, 5:56.
152: Zane Braun, J, dec. Shane Undem, 5-2.
160: Brandyn Harr, J, pinned Mason Bjornson, 2:30.
Sun sportswriter Chris Aarhus can be reached at (701) 952-8462 or by email at caarhus@jamestownsun.com
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