Jared Franek scored the first takedown and spent the majority of six minutes on the legs of his Illinois counterpart Danny Braunagel, but Braunagel proved too strong defensively and ultimately won via 13-2 technical fall.  The Illinois multi-time state champion scored the majority of his scores on go-behind’s from Franek attacks, but ended the match on a beautiful single leg that he transitioned into a leg lace for the win.  Franek finishes his Fargo Freestyle career a four-time All American in four attempts with two Junior runner-up finishes and a Cadet national championship.  He is headed to North Dakota State this fall.

The end result wasn’t what Kyle Burwick would’ve liked, but the Hettinger product proved that he is on par with the best wrestlers in the country in his 8-6 third place match loss to Patrick McKee of Minnesota.  Burwick scored the first takedown to take a 2-0 lead and the two traded points the rest of the way, with McKee scoring exposure off Burwick leg attacks twice in the final 1:30 and taking the 8-6 victory.  It has been a great summer for Burwick, who entered the national rankings after Junior Duals and continued the momentum at Fargo.

“I visited with my dad (Hettinger/Scranton Head Coach Randy Burwick) and other coaches and had lofty goals entering this summer,” Burwick stated to NDwrestle.  “I wanted to make a name for myself and put North Dakota on the map.  We are a tough group of guys.”

Burwick enters his senior season as one of the top uncommitted lightweights in the class of 2019, and now the focus naturally moves to choosing a place to study and compete at the next level.  It is easy to tell how seriously Burwick takes this decision based on his well though out response to the thought of where he might spend the next four or five years of his life.

“Ive talked with my coaches and mentors a lot about this, and I’m the type of guy like to hammer out my options,” Burwick noted.

Burwick’s focus is on a lot more than just the quality of wrestling program.

“My values, my morals are all things that will factor in making the decision about who I want to be wrestling for and representing at the next level,” Burwick said.  “I think later fall is the time I’ll have an idea of where that place is.”

Burwick will rest a bit before jumping back onto the football field for the NightHawks this fall.

Christian Tanefeu was the lone North Dakotan to win on the final day of Junior Freestyle competition.  The Bismarck product scored an impressive 10-0 technical fall to grab fifth place honors in the Junior 100 pound division.  What’s even more impressive, is that Tanefeu has’t even been in the sport for  a year.  Bismarck High co-head coach Mark Lardy, who also coaches the North Dakota national team in the summer, had high praise for the soon to be Sophomore Tanefeu.

“Christian has spent countless hours over the last four months with his twin brother Wilfried and Coach Jeff Schumacher working on the basics of the sport and allowing their athleticism to shine through,” Lardy noted after the tournament