Gophers Win a Pair of Titles at Worthington Open

Seven Gophers competed unattached in the Worthington Open on Saturday in Worthington, Minn. Across the five weight classes in which a Minnesota wrestler competed, the group claimed two titles. At 165, Darius Wright and Brandon Krone mutually defaulted the championship match that would have pitted them against each other, and Jordon Rothers marched to the title at 174 after outscoring his three opponents by a total score of 30-1. A full listing of participants and how they placed at the tournament appears below.

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Rothers put on a dominant display in winning his third straight tournament title, extending a run that includes championships at the Finn Grinaker (Cobber) Open and the Wisconsin Open. Rothers surrendered just a single point in his three matches, building on a narrow decision in his first math to score a major decision to reach the finals and then taking the title bout by tech fall.

Outside of his first collegiate tournament back in early November, Wright has now placed in every event in which he has competed so far this season. His finish on Saturday was his best to-date, surpassing third-place finishes at the Bison Open and Luther Open.

For Krone, the trip to the title match was his second in his last three tournaments after he claimed the title at the Cobber Open just before Thanksgiving. Krone looked impressive in a pair of matches in Worthington, defeating his first opponent with a pin in the match’s opening minute, then earning a 9-0 major decision in the tournament’s semifinals.

As always, the best way to stay up-to-date on what’s happening with Gopher Wrestling is to regularly check for updates on GopherSports.com and follow on Facebook and Twitter.

Worthington Open Results

141
DNP: Gannon Volk (1-2)

165
Tied 1st: Brandon Krone (2-0)
Tied 1st: Darius Wright (3-0)

174
1st: Jordon Rothers (3-0)
DNP: Tijani Karaborni (0-2)

184
4th: Dalton Lunde (2-2)
DNP: Faris Karaborni (0-2)

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