By Colin Staab and Keith Harner
Northfield took seven wrestlers to the Xcel Energy Center for the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) individual state championships March 1-2. Six wrestlers were in the boy’s division and one in the girls.
Boys State Wrestling Tournament
Caley Graber started off her tournament by making history as the first girl to win a match in the boys state tournament doing so by pinning Saitro Kong of Apple Valley in 1:29. As the fourth seeded wrestler in the 107 pound AAA bracket, Graber took on Owen LaRose of Mounds View. Caley won the quarterfinal matchup 5-2. In the semifinal match, Graber took on top seeded Dylan St. Germain, losing 4-0 in a tightly contested battle. In the consolation semifinal match, Caley had a rematch of the Rumble on the Red finals when she took on third seeded Anthony Heim. Caley fell short again, losing by a score of 1-0 in the final overtime. For Graber’s fifth place match, she faced Owen LaRose once again. This time winning by more, 7-0. Caley finished her season in fifth place at 107 pounds in Class AAA and being the first girl to place in the MSHSL Boys State Wrestling Tournament.
Caden Staab was forced to exit the tournament due to an ongoing illness.
Keith Harner wrestled at 133 pounds where he lost to third seeded Cavin Carlson of Willmar ,who finished third in the tournament, in his first match. In his second, he lost to Gavin Jackson of St. Michael-Albertville 6-3 who went on to take fifth place.
Owen Murphy wrestled top seeded and eventual state champion Jed Wester losing by technical fall. In Murphy’s second match, he lost to Chaska-Chanhassen’s Michael Gillette in overtime 3-1.
Ryan Kuyper wrestled a close match against Mack Carlson from Stillwater resulting in a 6-0 loss. In the Minnesota State Wrestling Tournament, if you lose your first match in order for you to have a second match, your opponent must win their second match. Ryan’s opponent lost his second match. Therefore, Ryan did not wrestle a second match.
Noah Ackerman wrestled the second seed in the bracket Mark Rendal from Forest Lake, losing by fall; Rendel went on to take third place. In Ackerman’s second match, he lost to St. Thomas Academy’s Avaugn Dorvil by fall.
Girls State Wrestling Tournament
In the Minnesota Girls State Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, March 2, Lainey Houts wrestled the four seed Chloe Berg from Chatfield which was a rematch from the super section finals and won 12-7. Houts’ next match was against the one seed Lanna Walter from Sauk Centre-Melrose. Houts lost by fall. Houts’ third place match was against Kamdyn Saulter from Rosemount resulting in a 9-1 loss. Houts finished the state tournament on the podium taking fourth place.
Thank you to all our coaches this year for all of their help and support: Geoff Staab, Josten Coleman, Beau Hayes, Jules Dolescar, Jack Stanton, Jeromy Mork, Jacob Ventura and Brent Yule. Also, thank you to all the parents who have helped and supported us throughout the year. Finally, thank you Northfield Live for the coverage and support of our wrestling season.