The Knights are back in the State 3A Team Championship dual tonight after a hard-fought, 34-18 victory over Willmar in the semifinal round.
St. Michael-Albertville, who fell to Prior Lake in last year’s semifinal – the first year the team didn’t make the championship dual at the Class 3A level – redeemed themselves by handing the Cardinal their first defeat of the season. Though seeded No. 3, Willmar came into the bout with a record of 27-0.
The Cardinals looked hot early, pulling off a pair of decisions at 106 and 113 pounds, but Zach Dehmer pulled out a big decision at 120 to cut the Willmar lead to 6-3, and junior Mitch McKee stopped the bleeding for good forthe blue and gold in quick fashion, winning by fall in just 35 seconds and giving STMA its first lead at 9-6.
The two teams would trade matches for the next few weight classes. Jake Allar picked up a win at 138, but Donnie Leuer lost at 145. Luke Jeske picked up a big win at 152 pounds and then the match tilted on its ear when Evan Ronson came through with a major decision at 170 pounds, giving STMA a 22-18 lead, breaking a tie, and setting STMA up for the victory.
Evan Ronson, shown here in the Section 7-3A tournament, keyed a huge string of wins for the Knights in the Class 3A semifinals today in St. Paul.
Ronson’s win set off a domino effect for the Knights. Jordan Joseph defeated the No. 3 wrestler in the state at 182, extending the lead. Evan Foster won in dramatic fashion, coming from behind with an escape, takedown and riding points in the final seconds to make it 28-18. And Jake Briggs sealed the win at 220 pounds with a win. For good measure, Randy Anderson won his first match of the afternoon, an upset over Willmar’s Brady Reigstad, who is seeded higher in the individual tournament.
Heading into state, coach Dan Lefebvre knew the Cardinals would be a tough foe.
“We’ve seen them individually at the Christmas Tournament [in Rochester], but it’s one team we haven’t seen top to bottom this year. They’re well-coached and they have strong wrestlers top to bottom, so we know it’s going to take our best effort just to make it back to that final. But that’s our ultimate goal is to finish better than we did last year and be there at 7 p.m. on Thursday night in that final match to give ourselves a shot.”
The Knights will have just that, facing Apple Valley, the perennial favorite in Minnesota and No. 1 team the entire year according to state rankings. The two foes haven’t met since they tied in the State AAA dual championship in 2013.
Action kicks off at 7 p.m. at the X on Thursday (Feb. 26). Follow North Wright County Today on Facebook and Twitter for updates from that championship match.
RESULTS
STATE AAA SEMIFINAL
St. Michael-Albertville 38, Willmar 18
106 3 points 9-8
Israel Navarro Willmar def. Patrick McKee St. Michael-Albertville
113 3 points OT 3-1
Clay Carlson Willmar def. Zach Nygaard St. Michael-Albertville
120 3 points 6-1
Zach Dehmer St. Michael-Albertville def. Juan Resendez Willmar
126 6 points Fall 31
Mitchell McKee St. Michael-Albertville def. Lincoln Shinn Willmar
132 6 points Fall 59
Logan Walkow Willmar def. Cody Schoen St. Michael-Albertville
138 6 points Fall 434
Jake Allar St. Michael-Albertville def. Jonathan Linden Willmar
145 3 points 11-5
Estevan Navarro Willmar def. Donnie Leuer St. Michael-Albertville
152 3 points 7-5
Lucas Jeske St. Michael-Albertville def. Colten Carlson Willmar
160 3 points 6-3
Travis Deegan Willmar def. Mitchell Zachman St. Michael-Albertville
170 4 points 15-6
Evan Ronsen St. Michael-Albertville def. Darius O’Neill Willmar
182 3 points 9-4
Jordan Joseph St. Michael-Albertville def. Vaughn Johnson Willmar
195 3 points 6-3
Evan Foster St. Michael-Albertville def. Augustine Hahn Willmar
220 3 points 8-3
Jake Briggs St. Michael-Albertville def. Matt Hennes Willmar
285 3 points 3-1
Randy Anderson St. Michael-Albertville def. Brady Reigstad Willmar
STATE AAA QUARTERFINAL
53 St. Michael-Albertville, 12 Moorhead
106 5 points TF 19-3
Patrick McKee St. Michael-Albertville def. Haden Bjorge Moorhead
113 3 points 8-5
Ethan Tallakson Moorhead def. Zach Nygaard St. Michael-Albertville
120 3 points 3-0
Zach Dehmer St. Michael-Albertville def. Grant Brendemuhl Moorhead
126 6 points Fall 105
Mitchell McKee St. Michael-Albertville def. Jacob Larson Moorhead
132 3 points 3-2
Cody Schoen St. Michael-Albertville def. Matt Sollid Moorhead
138 6 points Fall 318
Jake Allar St. Michael-Albertville def. Riley Schock Moorhead
145 5 points TF 503 16-1
Donnie Leuer St. Michael-Albertville def. Jack Lien Moorhead
152 5 points TF 536 16-1
Lucas Jeske St. Michael-Albertville def. Wyatt Hanson Moorhead
160 3 points 5-0
Samuael Grove Moorhead def. Garrett Ailts St. Michael-Albertville
170 5 points TF 502 22-7
Evan Ronsen St. Michael-Albertville def. Joseph Grove Moorhead
182 6 points Fall 116
Jordan Joseph St. Michael-Albertville def. Tristian Meyer Moorhead
195 3 points 7-5
Evan Foster St. Michael-Albertville def. Grant Trowbridge Moorhead
220 6 points Fall 118
Ryan Jones St. Michael-Albertville def. Jonny Mark Moorhead
285 6 points Fall 552
Brody Jerome Moorhead def. Randy Anderson St. Michael-Albertville