Head Coach: Robb Moser--7th season, all at PHS (131-33-1).
Assistant Coaches: Chris Pirrotta (Asst. Varsity), Terry Weller (JV), Darren Glynn (Jr. High), Nick Courneya (Jr. High), Kevin Scheidecker, Wayne Werner.
2006-07 Season: Perham went 20-0 in the regular season with three individual tournament championships, including the HOL Conference title, the 9th in school history.
2007 Sections: The Yellowjackets were the No. 1 seed in the 7AA North Sub-Section Tournament. They beat No. 4 Staples-Motley, 63-7, then beat the South's No. 3 seed, Fergus Falls, 46-11. Perham won the Section 7AA Championship with a 33-29 win over the North's No. 2 seed, Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus. Individually, Perham sent a school-record 12 wrestlers to State, including four Section champs.
2007 State: Perham upset No. 1 ranked Jackson County Central in the State Class AA quarterfinals, 34-33. They went on to beat Adrian in the semifinals, 31-22. The Jackets run for a State title ended with a 28-25 loss to St. Michael-Albertville in the Class AA Championship. Five Jackets placed at State, including 2007 senior Michael Guehna, who won the 152-pound State title. Justin Berns and Philip Moenkedick finished 2nd. Sam Warne (2008 sophomore) finished 5th at 112 pounds.
ADVERTISEMENT
2008 Seniors: Mac Stoll (6th at State), Barry Nelson (State participant), Jordan Palubicki, John Carlson, Mike Howey.
Get to Know'em: Nathan Schmitz (jr.), Andrew Gorentz (jr.), Joe Berns (jr.), Casey Sazama (jr.), Jacob werner (jr.), Gavin Biegler (jr.), Jordan Kratzke (jr.), Dwight Jenne (jr.), Charlie Schmitz (so.), Taylor Doll (so.), Isaac Werner (so.), Jesse Hein (8th grade).
Strengths: The Jackets lost four fantastics seniors from last year's 2nd place team, but this year's squad may be better. Perham has tremendous depth, going 2-deep at nearly every weight, They have a great deal of experience with 10 of 14 returning starters from the State Championship match and 7 returning individual State participants; Warne was a HOL champ, Jacob Werner, Berns, Stoll and Nathan Schmitz were HOL runner-ups.
Season Outlook: Perham begins the season as the No. 2 team in Class AA, behind St. Michael-Albertville. They have 9 individual ranked to start the season: Gorentz (No. 4, 103), Isaac Werner, a transfer from Aitkin (No. 5, 112), Warne (No. 4, 119), Jacob Werner (No. 5, 125), Berns (No. 10, 130), Nelson (No. 9, 140), Jenne (No. 6, 145), Stoll (No. 2, 171), and Sazama (No. 3, 215).
It will be a two-team race for the HOL between Perham and Frazee. Thief River Falls (No. 12), PL/PR-B (No. 22) and Fergus Falls (No. 25) will give the Jackets a run in Section 8AA.
Coaches Quote: "We have great kids who know how to work hard and have an expectation to win every time."
Robb Moser
