Wrestling: Zutter still unbeaten as Road Crew improves to 24-1

020123.PEJ.RoadCrew1-copy.jpg — Road Crew wrestler Parker Zutter's hand is raised after his victory at 113 pounds against Albany on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023.

By Peter Mohs

February 01, 2023 at 3:57 AM

Parker Zutter improved to 35-0 overall as the Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus Road Crew defeated the Albany Huskies 59-20 and the Brainerd Warriors 42-28 at the Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus wrestling triangular Friday, Jan. 27, in Pequot Lakes.

Besides Zutter, the Road Crew’s Easton Miller, Corbin Knapp and Riley Peters all finished 2-0 with a pin while Trevor Holmberg, Owen Dabill and Earl Stokman also won two matches as the Road Crew improved to 24-1 overall.

“We came into the season knowing we would be competitive, and even a bit better than some might have thought, but to be 24-1 is exciting,” said Road Crew coach Travis Hoffarth, whose team has compiled a 81-8 record over the past three seasons. “We just keep telling our guys that we are going to be in the mix in Section 8AA, and have to continue to control the things we can control. We have a few regular season events left, and then it is time to lock in and work on hunting down a section title.”

Against Brainerd, the Road Crew trailed 19-18 following the 152-pound match.

“We knew that our duel with Brainerd would be competitive, and that the flip was going to come into play with the way both teams weighed in,” Hoffarth said. “We also had a few matches we felt were toss up, and we won two of those (106 and 126).

“Brainerd always has a quality team, and they are good in their middle weights. They took a lead after the 152 match, but we felt we were favored in a majority of the remaining matches, and our kids proved it.”

Other top Road Crew season records include: Miller 32-2, Knapp 31-3, Peters 29-6, Chance Abraham 28-2, Trey Tuchtenhagen 28-6, Brady Ruhl 24-11, Sean Kilpatrick 23-13, Stockman 20-7 and Holmberg 20-13.

The Road Crew, 24-1 overall, are scheduled to host Fergus Falls and Sauk Centre/Melrose at 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, in Pine River.

“We are excited to get another opportunity to wrestle in front of our home crowd in Pine River against two Section 8AA opponents,” Hoffarth said. “Both Sauk Centre-Melrose and Fergus Falls have some tough kids. These are big matches for both team and individual section seeding purposes.”