Minnesotans stumble in Greco-Roman Olympic wrestling trials
By RaCHEL BLOUNT, Star Tribune
April 3, 2021 — 8:13pm
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Some of the toughest matches of Pat Smith's career have come in consolation bouts. The Chaska wrestler was reminded of that Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas, when he had to shake off the disappointment of Friday's semifinal loss at the Olympic wrestling trials and try to forge ahead.
Smith made it to the consolation finals of the Greco-Roman 77-kilogram class, but he dropped a 4-0 decision to RaVaughn Perkins to finish in fourth place. Two other Minnesotans also wrestled for third place in the Greco-Roman division Saturday. Leslie Fuenffinger, a Hibbing native and two-time NCAA champ at Augsburg, pinned Sam Jones in the 60 kg class, while heavyweight Donny Longendyke, an Augsburg alumnus from Vadnais Heights, fell 3-1 to Jacob Mitchell.