The St. Michael-Albertville wrestling team crowned 7 individual champions and 10 “All-Conference” individuals in dominating the Mississippi-8 Conference individual wrestling tourney at Big Lake Friday, Jan. 27.
Team points were kept, with STMA amassing 238.5 points, ahead of team runnerup, St. Francis, with 190.5 points, followed by Cambridge-Isanti-178, Buffalo-111, Rogers-94, Princeton-90, Big Lake-86.5, Chisago Lakes-76, Monticello-50.5, and North Branch-14.
The official Mississippi-8 Conference title will be determined on Thursday February 2nd when the eastern half dual meet champion (of the Mississippi-8), St. Francis, will meet the western half champion, STMA, in a dual meet at St. Francis.
In the Conference tourney, Nathan Nygaard (106 pounds), Brandon Psyk (113), Patrick McKee (120), Zach Dehmer (126), Jake Allar (170), Max Jensen (195), and Evan Foster (220), each won individual titles at their respective weight classes. Others earning “All-Conference” honors for the Knights by placing in the “top 3”, included: Carl Leuer (138-2nd), Cody Schoen (145-3rd), and Allen Winters (285-3rd). Kyle Elkie (132) and Nolan Schmitz (182) each placed 4th and Gabe Anderson (160) earned a 5th place finish.
STMA head coach, Dan Lefebvre, said, “We wrestled at or above our seeds in all but one weight class. When you do that in a tournament, you are successful. We are real happy with the progress of the team. The boys are wrestling their matches at a high pace. They are fun to watch when they do that.”
Following the match at St. Francis on Thursday night, the Knights will head northwest to meet Perham and Frazee in dual meets in a triangular at Perham High School, on Friday February 3rd. The Knights will wrestle Frazee at 6:45 PM and Perham at 8:15 p.m.
Mississippi-8 Championship
106-Nathan Nygaard (STMA) decision over Ben Andress (Buffalo) 16-10; 113-Brandon Psyk (STMA) decision over Jordan Driscoll (Cambridge-Isanti) 2-1; 120-Patrick McKee (STMA) pinned Ben Ruhr (Buffalo) 5:44; 126-Zach Dehmer (STMA) decision over Bret Wilson (Rogers) 1-0; 138-Mason Hall (St. Francis) decision over Carl Leuer (STMA) 6-1; 170-Jake Allar (STMA) major decision over Cole Kirpach (St. Francis) 20-8; 195-Max Jensen (STMA) decision over Zac Aanerud (Rogers) 8-6; 220-Evan Foster (STMA) pinned Kyle Lindenfelser (St. Francis) 1:47
Third Place matches; 132-Ben Morris (Big Lake) decision over Kyle Elkie (STMA) 6-5, OT; 145-Cody Schoen (STMA) decision over Caleb Juhl (Big Lake) 6-2; 182-Matt Baloun (Monticello) decision over Nolan Schmitz (STMA) 9-5; 285-Allen Winters (STMA) pinned Zach Carlson (Chisago Lakes) 3:44
Fifth Place match — 160-Gabe Anderson (STMA) decision over Luke Rogers (Princeton) 7-0.
9th Grade
On Saturday, Jan. 28, the STMA Ninth Grade wrestling team outpointed 12 other teams to win the Minnesota Ninth Grade League and Under Region 6 Individual Wrestling Tournament held at Anoka.
STMA had 226.5 points followed by: St. Francis-130.5, Elk River-116, Andover-102, Coon Rapids-98.5, Anoka-94, Cambridge-Isanti-83, Blaine-76.5, Buffalo-75, Rogers-57, Zimmerman-52, Monticello-40, and Champlin Park-17.
STMA had six individuals qualify for the 9th Grade League State Tourney to be held at Champlin Park High School Saturday Feb. 4.
“Top 2” individuals in each weight qualified for the State.
STMA wrestlers that captured individual tiles were: Isaiah Mlsna (100 pounds), Chris Vrudny (113), Hayden LeMonds (132), Wyatt Lidberg (160), and Toby Dehn (285). Owen Vike was a runnerup at 145 pounds, also qualifying for the State. Other placewinners for the Knights included: Johnny Mlsna (94-3rd), Jared Dick (106-6th), Sean Kennedy (120-5th), OP Johnson (126-5th), Luke Logan (138-5th), Boden Sperr (152-4th), Fletcher Nesbitt (170-3rd), and Favour Drombraye (189-4th).