Herbst sets SJU wrestling record in win over Minnesota West C.T.C.

The St. John’s wrestling team secured a 44-6 win over Minnesota West C.T.C. this weekend in Sexton Arena with five pins, two major decisions and a new program record.

First-year Owen Herbst secured a new SJU school record for the fastest pin with an 8-second fall. He is currently 8-1 this season.

First-year Connor Krueger had a fall in 18 seconds at 141 pounds to secure his seventh straight win and a 16-6 record. First-year Kris Castro scored his 15th win of the season with a takedown in the last 15 seconds in the third period, making his season record 15-8.

Junior Logan Thorsten also had success this weekend, starting the match in the first period with a 7-0 lead in an eventual 9-1 major decision at 165 pounds. He is one of the team’s top performers, holding 39 career victories.

“Saturday’s match was very impressive as a team. We tied the SJU record for most pins in a single match. We also didn’t lose a match, which was good to see for the team,” Thorsten said.

This weekend’s success was a continuation of the team’s trajectory this season with a 2-1 record. The team’s first victory of the season was a duel against Buena Vista on Dec. 9, with many individual wins preceding this. Later that month, the Johnnies secured four top-eight spots in the Warrior bracket at the two-day Citrus Invitational in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

As of last weekend, sophomore Zachariah Hunter, Herbst and Krueger were ranked in the top eight in their respective weight classes in the latest NWCA Upper Midwest region rankings. Herbst and Krueger were recently listed as honorable mentions by D3wrestle.com.

Despite frustrations with injuries this season, the team has learned to rely on each other.

“As a college athlete, there are always going to be injuries that are going to affect the team, and these are where we see most negatives. The positive side of the year is that we have built a level of trust and camaraderie that makes it easier to help each other whenever someone might need it, both in and out of the practice room,” Thorsten said.

Looking forward, the team has their eyes set on the NCAA Upper Midwest Regional tournament. The athletes strive to be on the podium at the regional tournament and help each other achieve their goals.

According to Thorsten, to see results, the team must stay injury free and focus every day at practice.

The Johnnies compete again on Saturday in the UW-Eau Claire Open.