The hype has to rest now. The emotions need to roll along. All that’s left to do is wrestle.
St. Michael-Albertville – rocked last year by a 1-point upset in the Class AAA team finals by Hastings – is back for a record 29th straight season at the State wrestling tournament.
The road to revenge will definitely go Wilmar, as the Knights tackle them in the first round today, Feb. 29. Then, it will be either Shakopee or Apple Valley in the semifinals, two programs with their own histories.
But it’s the finals – if they reach it – where Hastings will wait, or upstart and top-ranked Mounds View, who took the No. 1 ranking when STMA lost a duel to Stillwater earlier this year, their first head-to-head loss in more than two years.
The Knights rolled through the section tournament, knocking off No. 7 Wayazata in the Section 5-3A Championship. Results form that tourney are below.
STMA boys had 11 of 13 wrestlers qualify for state, with seven taking individual section championships, including seniors Jed Wester (172) and Ian Schultz (139).
On the girls side, STMA has more than just goals to “enjoy the ride.” The second-year program had a record number for any program in participation, and will have four wrestlers taking on state competition in the individual tournament, held at the Xcel Energy Center this weekend.
Head coach Dan Lefebvre, the former boys coach, will look to have at least one wrestler atop the podium by the end of the tournament Saturday night.
A look at the girls qualifiers:
2024 MSHSL Girls Section 5 and 7
100 1st – Ella Henning of Walker-Hack-Akeley-Nevis; 2nd – Ava Schultz of St. Michael-Albertville
106 1st – Jennifer Nguyen of Fridley; 2nd – Mariah Remer of Mille Lacs Raiders
112 1st – Isabelle Shockman of Rush City-Braham; 2nd – Trinity Smaker of Mille Lacs Raiders
118 1st – Alivia Szydel of Blackduck-Cass Lake Bena Bears; 2nd – Phoenix Fure of Cambridge-Isanti
124 1st – Bridget Bankers of Mora; 2nd – Raya Koski of Hopkins
130 1st – Jovanna Volker of Nash-Kee- Greenway; 2nd – Nora Houglum of Mora
136 1st – Noelia Fierro of Bloomington Kennedy; 2nd – Claire Kvant of St. Michael-Albertville
142 1st – Alley Altringer of Anoka; 2nd – Ash Strang of Mille Lacs Raiders
148 1st – Kelsey Cruz Rojas of Bloomington Kennedy; 2nd – Bella Carlson of Forest Lake
155 1st – Sadie Strait of St. Michael-Albertville; 2nd – Mandi Lu of Blaine
170 1st – Nas’Jarae White of Forest Lake; 2nd – Maggie Steele of St. Michael-Albertville
190 1st – Lily Hamilton of St. Michael-Albertville; 2nd – Folake Olusesi of Robbinsdale Cooper
235 1st – Ayden Schauer of Grand Rapids; 2nd – Christy Aymere of Champlin Park
Boys Section Results:
TEAM
Quarterfinals
St. Michael-Albertville defeated Osseo 76-0
107 – Eli Schultz (STMA) over Landon Emerson (Osseo) Fall 1:17
114 – Lincoln Robideau (STMA) over Symon Salinas (Osseo) Fall 3:15
121 – Brody Bergeron (STMA) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
127 – Chase Mills (STMA) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
133 – Joe Scully (STMA) over Christopher Madden (Osseo) Fall 1:44
139 – Ian Schultz (STMA) over Jameson Kulseth (Osseo) TF 16-0
145 – Tanner Becker (STMA) over Davian Aitkin (Osseo) Fall 1:52
152 – Tyson Newman (STMA) over Matthew Ennen (Osseo) Fall 0:52
160 – Landon Robideau (STMA) over Charles Somah (Osseo) TF 28-13
172 – Jed Wester (STMA) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
189 – Devon Dehmer (STMA) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
215 – Caleb Matheson (STMA) over Markel Clerk (Osseo) Fall 0:53
285 – Evan Becker (STMA) over Alfredo Fowler (Osseo) Fall 0:48
Semifinals
St. Michael-Albertville defeated Park Center 68-3
107 – Grant Bergeron (STMA) over Owen Yang (Park Center) Fall 1:03
114 – Lincoln Robideau (STMA) over Jonathan Dawodu (Park Center) Fall 1:20
121 – Brody Bergeron (STMA) over Kai Beattie (Park Center) Maj 15-5
127 – Chase Mills (STMA) over Zaye Vang (Park Center) TF 20-3
133 – Gavin Jackson (STMA) over Avery Phillips (Park Center) Fall 3:08
139 – Ian Schultz (STMA) over Aaron Dungy (Park Center) Fall 1:33
145 – Tanner Becker (STMA) over Griffen Ford (Park Center) Fall 0:49
152 – Landon Robideau (STMA) over Jackson Sanders (Park Center) Fall 3:34
160 – Jacob Hansen (Park Center) over Dominic Pardi (STMA) Dec 6-4
172 – Jed Wester (STMA) over Nathaniel Amusan (Park Center) Fall 1:11
189 – John Murphy (STMA) over Samouka Kanneh (Park Center) Fall 2:38
215 – Noah Torgerson (STMA) over Delvine Blidi (Park Center) TF 20-4
285 – Nathan Spindler (STMA) over Mckai Buckingham (Park Center) Fall 1:15
Championship
St. Michael-Albertville defeated Wayzata 46-15
107 – Grant Bergeron (STMA) over Wyatt Koenen (Wayzata) Dec 5-0
114 – Lincoln Robideau (STMA) over Ezekiel Rodrigues (Wayzata) Fall 1:29
121 – Luke Koenen (Wayzata) over Brody Bergeron (STMA) Maj 19-7
127 – Chase Mills (STMA) over Michael Graves (Wayzata) Fall 3:39
133 – Logan Swensen (Wayzata) over Gavin Jackson (STMA) TF 25-10
139 – Tanner Becker (STMA) over Sean Feiten (Wayzata) Dec 5-2
145 – Ian Schultz (STMA) over Caden Wong (Wayzata) Dec 12-7
152 – Landon Robideau (STMA) over Nathan Granberg (Wayzata) Fall 3:04
160 – Charles Petit (Wayzata) over Dominic Pardi (STMA) Fall 3:51
172 – Jed Wester (STMA) over David Fabel (Wayzata) TF 22-7
189 – John Murphy (STMA) over Aidan Fartaczek (Wayzata) TF 25-10
215 – Noah Torgerson (STMA) over Jack Brandt (Wayzata) Fall 1:05
285 – Evan Becker (STMA) over Briggs Opp (Wayzata) Dec 2-1
INDIVIDUAL (state qualifiers)
Saturday, February 24, at St. Michael-Albertville HS
Brackets/Results on TrackWrestling.com
107 1st – Grant Bergeron of St. Michael-Albertville; 2nd – Wyatt Koenen of Wayzata
114 1st – Lincoln Robideau of St. Michael-Albertville; 2nd – Zachary Kellogg of Rogers
121 1st – Luke Koenen of Wayzata; 2nd – Brody Bergeron of St. Michael-Albertville
127 1st – Chase Mills of St. Michael-Albertville; 2nd – Grady Weinbrenner of Rogers
133 1st – Logan Swensen of Wayzata; 2nd – Gavin Jackson of St. Michael-Albertville
139 1st – Ian Schultz of St. Michael-Albertville; 2nd – Jameson Kulseth of Osseo
145 1st – Connor Peterson of Maple Grove; 2nd – Caden Wong of Wayzata
152 1st – Landon Robideau of St. Michael-Albertville; 2nd – Jackson Sanders of Park Center
160 1st – Charles Petit of Wayzata; 2nd – Jarrett Wadsen of St. Michael-Albertville
172 1st – Jed Wester of St. Michael-Albertville; 2nd – Cole Hamilton of Rogers
189 1st – John Murphy of St. Michael-Albertville; 2nd – Aidan Fartaczek of Wayzata
215 1st – Ben Schultz of Maple Grove; 2nd – Noah Torgerson of St. Michael-Albertville
285 1st – Logan Ross of Hopkins; 2nd – Briggs Opp of Wayzata