St. Michael-Albertville wrestling continued its postseason dominance last weekend, punching a “bakers’ dozen” (that’s 13) through to the State AAA individual wrestling tournament, set for March 2-4 at the Xcel Energy Center.
The Knights – who claimed their latest Section 5AAA championship as a team last weekend by steamrolling through the quarter-and-semifinals, the dumped Wayzata in the section championship dual – will be heavy favorites to claim their second State AAA Championship in a row, and send a handful of state placewinners and champions back to the “X” thanks to last Saturday’s performance on their home mat.
“It’s an outstanding program and it’s steeped in tradition,” one coach said Saturday. “It’s like expecting a Winter Storm in March. That’s gonna happen. So is STMA sending a bus load of boys down to state.”
It was a band of brothers that led the way for STMA – namely Lincoln and Landon Robideau, along with Chase and Mason Mills. Lincoln, Landon and Mason each won section titles, as did teammates Parker Janssen (138 pounds), Eli Davis (145), Jed Wester (160), and Myles Dehmer (220).
Knights wrestlers earning state trips by finishing second were Chase Mills (113), Ian Schultz (126), Jarrett Wadsen (152), Noah Torgeson (who put up a great fight in the 170 final, losing a 5-2 decision), Bryon Sauvy (182), and Tyson Hentges (195). Logan Torkelson of STMA finished fourth at 285.
The Robideaus became the first Knights brothers to claim section championships under last year’s Class AAA Coach of the Year Josh Joriman – Lincoln at 106 pounds, Landon and 132. Landon, who is 42-0 on the season, is the top-ranked wrestler in his class and widely considered one of the Top 10 wrestlers in the state of Minnesota. A champion last season at 126 pounds, Landon is looking to become the first Knight to go back-to-back at the top of the podium this decade.
Chase Mills – who was fifth last year at 106 pounds, reached the individual final at 120 this year, but couldn’t get by Luke Koenen of Wayzata. Those two could be on a fast track to meet again at State. Mason Mills, who captured first at 113 pounds in 2022, could give the Knights a PAIR of repeat state champions if he can push through at 120 pounds this year. He’s currently ranked first by The Guillotine and should have the top seed in this weekend’s state tournament.
The other defending place winner is Wester, who, at 160 pounds, is 36-2 on the year and looking for state glory after finishing in second last year at the same weight class. He, too, is top-ranked and should have the No. 1 seed next month in the individual tournament after rolling to the Section Championship with a pin in the first period, but Shakopee’s Leo Tukhlynovych, a senior, will be on his heels.
Here’s a look at Saturday’s 5AAA individual results:
106
1st Place – Lincoln Robideau of St. Michael-Albertville
2nd Place – Grady Weinbrenner of Rogers
3rd Place – Wyatt Koenen of Wayzata
4th Place – Damian Seubert of Maple Grove
5th Place – Andrew Ankeny of Robbinsdale Armstrong
6th Place – Ezra Wolfe of Hopkins
1st Lincoln Robideau (St. Michael-Albertville) 40-4, 7th. over Grady Weinbrenner (Rogers) 34-6, Fr. (MD 22-10)
2nd Grady Weinbrenner (Rogers) 34-6, Fr. over Wyatt Koenen (Wayzata) 17-21, 8th. (NC)
3rd Wyatt Koenen (Wayzata) 17-21, 8th. over Damian Seubert (Maple Grove) 5-11, 8th. (Fall 1:58)
5th Andrew Ankeny (Robbinsdale Armstrong) 18-10, 8th. over Ezra Wolfe (Hopkins) 12-30, Fr. (Fall 2:59)
113
1st Place – Luke Koenen of Wayzata
2nd Place – Chase Mills of St. Michael-Albertville
3rd Place – Kai Beattie of Park Center
4th Place – Logan Buman of Maple Grove
5th Place – Zachary Kellogg of Rogers
6th Place – Benjamin Stark of Robbinsdale Armstrong
1st Luke Koenen (Wayzata) 40-4, Jr. over Chase Mills (St. Michael-Albertville) 36-7, Fr. (Dec 9-2)
2nd Chase Mills (St. Michael-Albertville) 36-7, Fr. over Kai Beattie (Park Center) 13-10, Fr. (Fall 1:36)
3rd Kai Beattie (Park Center) 13-10, Fr. over Logan Buman (Maple Grove) 8-22, 8th. (Fall 4:59)
5th Zachary Kellogg (Rogers) 17-19, Fr. over Benjamin Stark (Robbinsdale Armstrong) 16-24, Jr. (TB-1 7-6)
120
1st Place – Mason Mills of St. Michael-Albertville
2nd Place – Connor Peterson of Maple Grove
3rd Place – Elijah Wald of Wayzata
4th Place – Mason Lund of Rogers
5th Place – Payton Snyder of Park Center
6th Place – Dereck Tingle of Robbinsdale Armstrong
1st Mason Mills (St. Michael-Albertville) 36-5, Sr. over Connor Peterson (Maple Grove) 33-6, Fr. (Dec 8-2)
2nd Connor Peterson (Maple Grove) 33-6, Fr. over Elijah Wald (Wayzata) 22-19, Sr. (NC)
3rd Elijah Wald (Wayzata) 22-19, Sr. over Mason Lund (Rogers) 19-18, Jr. (Dec 6-1)
5th Payton Snyder (Park Center) 13-16, Fr. over Dereck Tingle (Robbinsdale Armstrong) 11-20, 8th. (Dec 6-2)
126
1st Place – Logan Swensen of Wayzata
2nd Place – Ian Schultz of St. Michael-Albertville
3rd Place – Bram Heteen of Robbinsdale Armstrong
4th Place – Ethan Hong of Maple Grove
5th Place – Aaron Dungy of Park Center
6th Place – Ben Haddad of Rogers
1st Logan Swensen (Wayzata) 39-3, Jr. over Ian Schultz (St. Michael-Albertville) 35-7, Jr. (Dec 7-1)
2nd Ian Schultz (St. Michael-Albertville) 35-7, Jr. over Bram Heteen (Robbinsdale Armstrong) 12-21, So. (Fall 0:53)
3rd Bram Heteen (Robbinsdale Armstrong) 12-21, So. over Ethan Hong (Maple Grove) 20-23, 8th. (Fall 5:01)
5th Aaron Dungy (Park Center) 11-21, So. over Ben Haddad (Rogers) 6-23, Fr. (Fall 5:23)
132
1st Place – Landon Robideau of St. Michael-Albertville
2nd Place – Caden Wong of Wayzata
3rd Place – Rufus Bartee of Maple Grove
4th Place – Kael Omann of Rogers
5th Place – Rameses Peterson of Robbinsdale Armstrong
6th Place – Davian Aitkin of Osseo
1st Landon Robideau (St. Michael-Albertville) 42-0, So. over Caden Wong (Wayzata) 28-19, So. (Fall 1:55)
2nd Caden Wong (Wayzata) 28-19, So. over Rufus Bartee (Maple Grove) 26-20, Sr. (Dec 7-0)
3rd Rufus Bartee (Maple Grove) 26-20, Sr. over Kael Omann (Rogers) 15-18, Jr. (MD 13-5)
5th Rameses Peterson (Robbinsdale Armstrong) 17-9, Sr. over Davian Aitkin (Osseo) 4-11, So. (Fall 2:29)
138
1st Place – Parker Janssen of St. Michael-Albertville
2nd Place – Andrew Larson of Wayzata
3rd Place – Thomas Schlangen of Maple Grove
4th Place – Eli Heteen of Robbinsdale Armstrong
5th Place – Carter Williams of Osseo
6th Place – Navarro Kornwolf of Rogers
1st Parker Janssen (St. Michael-Albertville) 34-4, Sr. over Andrew Larson (Wayzata) 31-19, Sr. (Fall 1:52)
2nd Andrew Larson (Wayzata) 31-19, Sr. over Thomas Schlangen (Maple Grove) 30-16, So. (Fall 1:28)
3rd Thomas Schlangen (Maple Grove) 30-16, So. over Eli Heteen (Robbinsdale Armstrong) 31-11, Jr. (MD 11-0)
5th Carter Williams (Osseo) 14-9, So. over Navarro Kornwolf (Rogers) 23-22, Jr. (Fall 5:11)
145
1st Place – Eli Davis of St. Michael-Albertville
2nd Place – Max Johnson of Maple Grove
3rd Place – Kelly Omann of Rogers
4th Place – Bayan El Damir of Wayzata
5th Place – Kehinde Shodiya of Park Center
6th Place – Henry Cronin of Robbinsdale Armstrong
1st Eli Davis (St. Michael-Albertville) 36-7, Jr. over Max Johnson (Maple Grove) 26-5, Sr. (Dec 10-3)
2nd Max Johnson (Maple Grove) 26-5, Sr. over Kelly Omann (Rogers) 32-11, Sr. (MD 13-5)
3rd Kelly Omann (Rogers) 32-11, Sr. over Bayan El Damir (Wayzata) 25-23, Sr. (Dec 7-0)
5th Kehinde Shodiya (Park Center) 14-16, Sr. over Henry Cronin (Robbinsdale Armstrong) 11-9, 8th. (Fall 1:56)
152
1st Place – Charles Petit of Wayzata
2nd Place – Jarrett Wadsen of St. Michael-Albertville
3rd Place – Cole Jordan of Rogers
4th Place – Jacob Hansen of Park Center
5th Place – Jayden Waste of Maple Grove
6th Place – Emilio Montero of Hopkins
1st Charles Petit (Wayzata) 41-8, Jr. over Jarrett Wadsen (St. Michael-Albertville) 34-9, So. (Dec 6-4)
2nd Jarrett Wadsen (St. Michael-Albertville) 34-9, So. over Cole Jordan (Rogers) 28-16, Sr. (MD 12-0)
3rd Cole Jordan (Rogers) 28-16, Sr. over Jacob Hansen (Park Center) 14-19, Fr. (Fall 1:48)
5th Jayden Waste (Maple Grove) 9-15, So. over Emilio Montero (Hopkins) 8-21, Jr. (Dec 13-7)
160
1st Place – Jed Wester of St. Michael-Albertville
2nd Place – Patrick Kubisa of Hopkins
3rd Place – Ty Cassidy of Rogers
4th Place – Matthew Grassie of Osseo
5th Place – Owen Winston of Wayzata
6th Place – Avery Oseth of Robbinsdale Armstrong
1st Jed Wester (St. Michael-Albertville) 36-2, Jr. over Patrick Kubisa (Hopkins) 33-5, Jr. (Fall 1:06)
2nd Patrick Kubisa (Hopkins) 33-5, Jr. over Ty Cassidy (Rogers) 32-3, Sr. (NC)
3rd Ty Cassidy (Rogers) 32-3, Sr. over Matthew Grassie (Osseo) 9-23, Sr. (Fall 1:02)
5th Owen Winston (Wayzata) 10-9, So. over Avery Oseth (Robbinsdale Armstrong) 14-16, So. (Fall 2:18)
170
1st Place – Adam Cherne of Wayzata
2nd Place – Noah Torgerson of St. Michael-Albertville
3rd Place – Tait Yasseri of Rogers
4th Place – Mark Gonzales of Hopkins
5th Place – Nick Wentland of Maple Grove
6th Place – Nick Vang of Osseo
1st Adam Cherne (Wayzata) 40-5, Sr. over Noah Torgerson (St. Michael-Albertville) 20-3, Jr. (Dec 5-2)
2nd Noah Torgerson (St. Michael-Albertville) 20-3, Jr. over Tait Yasseri (Rogers) 11-4, Jr. (NC)
3rd Tait Yasseri (Rogers) 11-4, Jr. over Mark Gonzales (Hopkins) 27-18, So. (Dec 7-3)
5th Nick Wentland (Maple Grove) 7-18, Sr. over Nick Vang (Osseo) 0-10, Sr. (Fall 1:31)
182
1st Place – Isaiah Schmitz of Wayzata
2nd Place – Bryon Sauvy of St. Michael-Albertville
3rd Place – Joseph Longen of Robbinsdale Armstrong
4th Place – Cole Hamilton of Rogers
5th Place – Mohamed Bamba of Park Center
6th Place – Evan Feller of Hopkins
1st Isaiah Schmitz (Wayzata) 28-12, Sr. over Bryon Sauvy (St. Michael-Albertville) 27-15, Sr. (Fall 2:38)
2nd Bryon Sauvy (St. Michael-Albertville) 27-15, Sr. over Joseph Longen (Robbinsdale Armstrong) 21-9, Sr. (Fall 0:36)
3rd Joseph Longen (Robbinsdale Armstrong) 21-9, Sr. over Cole Hamilton (Rogers) 25-18, Jr. (Inj. 0:45)
5th Mohamed Bamba (Park Center) 16-11, So. over Evan Feller (Hopkins) 16-24, So. (Dec 6-2)
195
1st Place – Ben Schultz of Maple Grove
2nd Place – Tyson Hentges of St. Michael-Albertville
3rd Place – Aidan Fartaczek of Wayzata
4th Place – Devin Lopez of Robbinsdale Armstrong
5th Place – Samouka Kanneh of Park Center
6th Place – Charlie Pollen of Hopkins
1st Ben Schultz (Maple Grove) 44-3, So. over Tyson Hentges (St. Michael-Albertville) 30-14, Sr. (MD 12-2)
2nd Tyson Hentges (St. Michael-Albertville) 30-14, Sr. over Aidan Fartaczek (Wayzata) 16-9, So. (NC)
3rd Aidan Fartaczek (Wayzata) 16-9, So. over Devin Lopez (Robbinsdale Armstrong) 13-16, So. (Fall 0:10)
5th Samouka Kanneh (Park Center) 6-14, 8th. over Charlie Pollen (Hopkins) 15-18, Fr. (Fall 5:20)
220
1st Place – Myles Dehmer of St. Michael-Albertville
2nd Place – Vayo Kamara of Osseo
3rd Place – Nelson Kukowski of Wayzata
4th Place – Ayden Gunville of Maple Grove
5th Place – Connor Marshall of Hopkins
6th Place – Sawyer Josewski of Rogers
1st Myles Dehmer (St. Michael-Albertville) 23-9, Sr. over Vayo Kamara (Osseo) 22-14, Sr. (Fall 2:48)
2nd Vayo Kamara (Osseo) 22-14, Sr. over Nelson Kukowski (Wayzata) 24-7, Sr. (NC)
3rd Nelson Kukowski (Wayzata) 24-7, Sr. over Ayden Gunville (Maple Grove) 15-16, Jr. (Dec 7-3)
5th Connor Marshall (Hopkins) 17-18, So. over Sawyer Josewski (Rogers) 15-22, Fr. (Dec 9-2)
285
1st Place – William Russell of Park Center
2nd Place – Logan Ross of Hopkins
3rd Place – Wyatt Gilmore of Rogers
4th Place – Logan Torkelson of St. Michael-Albertville
5th Place – Chase Thein of Maple Grove
6th Place – Briggs Opp of Wayzata
1st William Russell (Park Center) 21-8, Sr. over Wyatt Gilmore (Rogers) 18-13, Jr. (Dec 4-2)
2nd Logan Ross (Hopkins) 35-12, Jr. over Wyatt Gilmore (Rogers) 18-13, Jr. (Fall 4:30)
3rd Logan Ross (Hopkins) 35-12, Jr. over Logan Torkelson (St. Michael-Albertville) 24-16, Sr. (Fall 2:36)
5th Chase Thein (Maple Grove) 16-19, Jr. over Briggs Opp (Wayzata) 14-24, Fr. (Fall 1:20)