Blooming Prairie continued to make a bid for a top-12 team ranking by blasting Nicollet and Mankato Loyola in a Gopher Conference triangular Thursday night at home.

The Blossoms, polled as one of the 'Lean and Mean' teams just outside the Class A team rankings, battered Nicollet 42-29 and Loyola 64-7. Nicollet knocked off Loyola 51-18 for second place in the triangular.

Tenth-ranked Luke Nelson (130) and No. 3 Jay Salinas (275) each had a pair of pins to highlight Blooming Prairie's victory. Against Nicollet, Brad Klemmensen (140) and Zach Hoffman (189) also won by fall, while sixth-rated Grant Johnson (119) and 10th-ranked Billy Lindquist (145) each won by decision.

Jeremiah Johnson accepted Nicollet's only forfeit at 103.

The Loyola Crusaders forfeited at eight weight classes. Blooming Prairie won four of the six matches wrestled in the final dual. Pat Winzenburg won by fall at 119 and Shelby Parks got a major decision at 135, adding to pins by Nelson and Salinas.

The Blossoms have another conference dual scheduled for Jan. 17 at New Richland at 6:30 p.m.