Yates lifts DHS to state

With one cradle, all of Dickinson High's dual frustrations went away.

Trailing 37-31 and needing a pin, Dickinson High senior wrestler Dusty Yates cradled Minot junior Logan Erz and pinned him with 25 seconds remaining in the first period to give the Midgets a stunning 38-37 West Region victory and a trip to the Class A state dual tournament as the West's fourth seed.

"It was a lot of pressure," said Yates, who is ranked first in the 140-pound class. "It was a lot of weight on my shoulders. I only beat (Erz) 8-4 last time I wrestled him. It was nice to come out and get a pin."

A pin and only a pin would have done it for the Midgets on Friday at the Dickinson High gymnasium.

"There aren't very many kids I'd rather have out there," Dickinson coach Cody Wolf said. "There isn't much more you can ask out of him."

It was a thrilling finish for the Midgets, whose season has gone much like Dickinson junior Ben Brown's match.

Minot had a 31-26 lead and was sitting comfortably as Cody Lawson led 10-4 over Brown. Lawson almost had Brown pinned in the second period before settling for three near-fall points. However, the two started rolling around and Brown caught Lawson and stuck him for six team points.

"He slipped up and I got him," Brown said. "He was stronger than I thought."

Said Minot coach Gene Krebs: "Cody made a mistake, but I'm happy with how he wrestled."

Dickinson coach Cody Wolf said Brown began the match with the intent to pin rather than breaking him down, which led to some easy takedowns for Lawson.

"He just went for it instead of wearing him down," Wolf said. "He came through big for us. That was a huge pin."

A loss by Brown would have most likely ended any dual state tournament hopes for Dickinson.

The Midgets gave up six points at the 135-pound weight class because of a forfeit, which led up to Yates' heroics.

"They wanted it ... they earned it," Krebs said. "We gave up some bonus points."

Overshadowed by Yates and Brown's victories was Dickinson No. 1-ranked senior Luke Mellmer, who pinned his man in the first period.

His opponent?

Minot second-ranked wrestler Vince Pallotta, making the match a possible state championship preview and a great way to start the dual.

"Luke had a huge pin for us," Wolf said. "Things finally fell our way."

It was a fitting accomplishment for Mellmer, who wrestled his final match at home. It was also the final match by a Mellmer of this generation at Dickinson High School, a span of four brothers winning 10 state championships. Mellmer will look to make it 11 later this month.

Also getting a pin for Dickinson was 103-pounder Alex Brown, who helped the Midgets' cause with a fall over Minot's Zach Vetter in the first period. Dickinson 189-pounder Daryl Andes scored a big fall for the Midgets, pinning Minot's Tony Geyer in the first period.

Dickinson's first round opponent will most likely be Fargo South, a team the Midgets lost to at the Grand Forks Multiple dual tournament earlier this season.

"By then, we'll have our starting lineup back where it's supposed to be," Wolf said.