Change of heart: Konzal allowed the wrestle

February 11, 2012

Deer Park's Jake Konzal earned his third Mat Classic berth this weekend.

Deer Park’s Jake Konzal, disqualified from last week’s District VII wrestling tournament in a weight classification dispute, made a surprising appearance at this weekend’s Region IV tournament.
The district disqualification occurred after Stag head coach Matt Jorgensen decided to move Konzal, who was battling an illness, up a weight class.
Jorgensen said he followed league rules in making the decision and it was met with approval by the Great Northern League coaches.
The GNL athletic directors and principals did not agree, forcing Konzal out of the tournament and ending any chance of him earning his third straight Mat Classic berth.
A few days after the tournament, the league principals reversed their decision.
Jorgensen thought the new ruling would come with a letter of apology and it would end the matter.
Instead, the league decided to let Konzal into the regional tournament if he could defeat the district’s fifth seed in the opening round of regionals.
The fifth seed turned out to be teammate Devon Pelham.
Jorgensen said Pelham and his parents were OK with the ruling.
Konzal defeated Pelham and advanced to his third Mat Classic.