Death, taxes and St. Michael-Albertville at the Minnesota State Wrestling Tournament. It’s a motto that state wrestling fans have expressed (some under their breath) for more than three decades, as the blue and gold standard for the sport has built a one-of-a-kind dynasty.
STMA made it four titles in five years and three in a row with a run through the State AAA team tournament that seemed, by some accounts, “inevitable.”
“Upsets can happen. One happened about four years ago here,” said one coach. “But they’re so good. You don’t win something like 70 in a row without being really, really good.”
Make it 71 in a row. And 12 team titles, overall, now for the Knights.
STMA’s balance was no match for Brainerd, Hastings or eventually runners-up Shakopee en route to the 2026 championship. Josh Joriman’s club – bleach blonde hair and all – used an all-star cast in the early weights. Jackson Thorn at 107 was 3-0, as was Landon Thoennes at 114. Grant Bergeron actually was rested in the semifinal, but went 2-0 in his matches.
Photo by MSHSL. Knights celebrate their 2026 team wrestling title in Class AAA.
Meanwhile, Chase Mills and Lincoln Robideau are a 1-2 punch in the middle. Mills – who has 3 losses but can chalk those up to injury recovery – essentially clinched the state championship with a 7-1 decision over Shakopee senior Calvin Miller in the finals. Robideau is 44-0 on the season, trying to match his brother’s unbeaten road to a championship from last year, wrestling at 152 pounds. All he did was get bonus points in all three of his matches (two by tech fall), including a stunning 10-second pin in the semis versus Hastings.
It was sweet for Mills, a senior, who missed last year’s run to the title. He suffered an ankle injury last winter and then a knee injury over the summer of 2025 that put this season on some shaky ground, but he’s rolled to a 38-3 record in his final season.
Senior John Murphy is also on a roll, extending his winning streak to 44 matches this season. He’ll be a favorite in the individual tournament at 189 pounds.
And, perhaps the loudest cheer Thursday night (quarters and semis were Wednesday) was for senior Roman Herron, who pulled out a win by fall to put the icing on the state championship at 285 pounds.
The boys’ and girls’ individual tournaments will take center stage at Grand Casino Arena now. While there is no girls’ team tournament (yet), the Knights have a strong contingent looking for podium spots. We’ll have a full recap next week.
RESULTS
Quarters : St. Michael-Albertville over Brainerd ( 53-11)
107: Tucker McLennan (9-3) 7th, SMA over Jaxx Dahlheimer (6-9) 8th, BRAI (F 1:06)
114: Landon Thoennes (40-2) Jr., SMA over Kyper DeRosier (4-24) So., BRAI (F 0:23)
121: Grant Bergeron (33-2) Jr., SMA over Jake Rodriguez (16-10) So., BRAI (Dec 6-0)
127: Eli Schultz (28-6) Sr., SMA over Crewe Dahlheimer (32-12) So., BRAI (MD 10-1)
133: Brody Bergeron (31-5) Jr., SMA over Henry Norman (9-10) 8th, BRAI (F 1:46)
139: Chase Mills (38-3) Sr., SMA over Jackson Berhow (29-11) Jr., BRAI (SV 8-5)
145: Lincoln Robideau (44-0) So., SMA over Nolan Jukish (17-15) Sr., BRAI (TF 18-3 (3:50))
152: Easton Dircks (34-2) Sr., BRAI over Tyson Newman (16-7) So., SMA (TF 15-0 (2:59))
160: Henrik Sperlazza (21-10) So., SMA over Lukas Lind (33-13) Sr., BRAI (Dec 8-4)
172: Joe Scully (38-5) Sr., SMA over Nico Young (22-15) Jr., BRAI (F 2:44)
189: John Murphy (43-0) Sr., SMA over Skyer Gridley (0-2) So., BRAI (F 1:16)
215: Tyce Faber (40-7) So., BRAI over Peyton Preston (5-9) Sr., SMA (F 1:19)
285: Roman Herron (10-9) Sr., SMA over Levi Becker (14-21) So., BRAI (TF 16-0 (5:59))
Semis : St. Michael-Albertville over Hastings ( 45-12)
107: Jackson Thorn (36-5) So., SMA over Sullivan McNamara (15-7) Fr., HAST (TF 20-5 (5:26))
114: Landon Thoennes (40-2) Jr., SMA over Rowan Henson (6-12) Fr., HAST (F 1:09)
121: Grant Cook (3-1) 8th, HAST over Ryder Refsland (6-7) 8th, SMA (Dec 9-7)
127: William Bainbridge (31-5) So., HAST over Eli Schultz (28-6) Sr., SMA (TB 2-1)
133: Brody Bergeron (31-5) Jr., SMA over Donavin Ward (21-11) Sr., HAST (F 3:51)
139: Chase Mills (38-3) Sr., SMA over David Bauer (16-20) Jr., HAST (TF 18-1 (1:35))
145: Lincoln Robideau (44-0) So., SMA over Rocco Iallonardo (20-9) So., HAST (F 0:10)
152: Gavin Jackson (20-10) Sr., SMA over Presley McCrae (13-9) Jr., HAST (MD 14-2)
160: Mark Svoboda (32-9) Sr., HAST over Henrik Sperlazza (21-10) So., SMA (Dec 11-7)
172: Joe Scully (38-5) Sr., SMA over Kasen Esterby (9-6) Sr., HAST (MD 12-0)
189: John Murphy (43-0) Sr., SMA over Xavier Timm (11-22) Jr., HAST (F 1:02)
215: Phil Harris (34-9) Fr., SMA over Adrian Fuchs (31-10) So., HAST (Dec 10-4)
285: Elijah Christopher (33-8) Jr., HAST over Roman Drew (12-11) Sr., SMA (SV 3-2)
State Championship: St. Michael-Albertville over Shakopee ( 46-18)
107: Jackson Thorn (36-5) So., SMA over Patrick Heim (27-7) 8th, SHAK (MD 12-2)
114: Landon Thoennes (40-2) Jr., SMA over Ethan Phanmanivong (30-3) Sr., SHAK (F 1:25)
121: Grant Bergeron (33-2) Jr., SMA over Asher Miller (13-6) Fr., SHAK (F 1:44)
127: Eli Schultz (28-6) Sr., SMA over Kaleb Long (19-14) Sr., SHAK (TF 16-1 (4:22))
133: Brody Bergeron (31-5) Jr., SMA over Noah Wegner (26-10) Jr., SHAK (TF 21-6 (3:33))
139: Anthony Heim (31-5) So., SHAK over Nolan Seman (9-2) Fr., SMA (TF 18-3 (4:23))
145: Chase Mills (38-3) Sr., SMA over Calvin Miller (25-5) Sr., SHAK (Dec 7-1)
152: Lincoln Robideau (44-0) So., SMA over Davis VanLaningham (23-8) Fr., SHAK (TF 21-5 (2:30))
160: Jackson Barron (32-2) Sr., SHAK over Gavin Jackson (20-10) Sr., SMA (TF 15-0 (3:14))
172: Kyler Walters (28-0) Sr., SHAK over Joe Scully (38-5) Sr., SMA (Dec 8-1)
189: John Murphy (43-0) Sr., SMA over Forfeit, SHAK (FF)
215: Joseph Heim (31-2) So., SHAK over Peyton Preston (5-9) Sr., SMA (TF 17-1 (1:46))
285: Roman Herron (10-9) Sr., SMA over Nathan Courtney (7-23) So., SHAK (F 4:46)
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