St. Michael-Albertville rolled out its 2014-2015 season in Monticello Friday, Dec. 5, and then wrestled with heavy hearts on the weekend, still taking top billing in the STMA Invitational, which featured a section opponent in Elk River.
The Knights hammered the Magic on their home mat Friday night, with Zach Nygaard (113), Jake Allar (138), Donnie Leuer (152), Mitch Zachman (160), Evan Ronsen (170), Jordan Joseph (182), and Ryan Jones (195) all winning by fall.
Mitch McKee picked up a major decision over Andrew Mergen at 132 pounds, one of the night’s more entertaining matches. The Knights’ fast victory matched one of their largest over Monticello in recent memory, as STMA and Monticello have had some close battles until this season.
Saturday, the Knights returned home to kick off the tournament season with the annual St. Michael-Albertville Invitational, featuring rivals like Elk River, Spring Lake Park and Forest Lake.
Ranked No. 2 in the state, the Knights rallied Saturday after tragedy struck the program – midway through the tournament, STMA wrestlers Mitchell and Patrick McKee, who each started the day with wins, were asked to head home to be with their father, Steven, who passed away over the weekend after a long battle with cancer.
STMA put several wrestlers atop the podium, despite the somber mood of the day. Jake Allar, Done Leuer, Evan Ronsen, Jordan Joseph, Ryan Ronsen and Jake Briggs all wrestled to 3-0 records on the afternoon, earning first. Zach Dehmer was 3-1, taking third, and Ryandy Anderson was 2-1 and took second at heavyweight.
The Knights, as a team, scored 242.5 points on the day, topping the Elks, who are ranked “Lean and Mean” in Class AAA according to The Guillotine.
St. Michael-Albertville 70 Monticello 6
106 McKee, Patrick (STMA) def. (null), Forfeit (MONT) === {Forfeit} (Score: 6-0)
113 Nygaard, Zach (MONT) def. Scherber, Carsten (STMA) === {Fall 0:59} (Score: 12-0)
120 Michels, Carter (MONT) def. Cornell, Ethan (STMA) === {Fall 2:34} (Score: 12-6)
126 Dehmer, Zach (STMA) def. (null), Forfeit (MONT) === {Forfeit} (Score: 18-6)
132 McKee, Mitchell (STMA) def. Bourgeois, Jack (MONT) === {Maj Dec 15-5} (Score: 22-6)
138 Allar, Jake (STMA) def. Mergen, Andrew (MONT) === {Fall 1:42} (Score: 28-6)
145 Ailts, Garrett (STMA) def. Hanson, Cooper (MONT) === {Dec 4 – 1} (Score: 31-6)
152 Leuer, Donnie (STMA) def. Gaber, Brandon (MONT) === {Fall 0:43} (Score: 37-6)
160 Zachman, Mitchell (STMA) def. Gaber, Devon (MONT) === {Fall 0:42} (Score: 43-6)
170 Ronsen, Evan (STMA) def. Vetsch, Lucas (MONT) === {Fall 1:22} (Score: 49-6)
182 Joseph, Jordan (STMA) def. Nathan, Kyle (MONT) === {Fall 2:30} (Score: 55-6)
195 Jones, Ryan (STMA) def. Thompson, Jakob (MONT) === {Fall 1:06} (Score: 61-6)
220 Briggs, Jake (STMA) def. (null), Forfeit (MONT) === {Forfeit} (Score: 67-6)
285 Anderson, Randy (STMA) def. Riddle, Brent (MONT) === {Dec 2 – 1} (Score: 70-6)
STMA Invite
1. St. Michael-Albertville 242.5
2. Elk River 182.0
3. Waconia 171.5
4. Forest Lake 111.0
5. Spring Lake Park/St. Anthony 102.0
6. Dassel-Cokato 100.0
7. Benilde-St. Margaret’s 81.5
8. Tri-City United 71.0
9. St. Cloud Apollo 63.0
10. Minneapolis Roosevelt 19.0
Varsity Brackets/Results
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct errant information provided to NWCToday.