ST. PAUL – Three champions and eight total medal winners.
That’s how the Jackson County Central wresting team wrapped up a strong season for the tradition rich program Saturday night at Xcel Energy Center.
And of course, the Huskies won the team title on Thursday.
Winning state titles were sophomore Nolan Ambrose at 113 pounds, senior Kie Anderson at 120 and senior Payton Handevidt at 160.
Three Huskies finished fourth, Logan Butzon (132), Thomas Freking (138) and Caleb Vancura (182). They’re all juniors.
Placing sixth were another junior, Isaiah Rodriguez (152) and senior Will Freking (195).
Handevidt became the fifth wrestler from Jackson County to win three state titles.
That list:
Payton Handevidt, Jackson County Central (2020-22)
Keegan Moore, Jackson County Central (2014-2016)
Bronson Steuber, Jackson County Central (2009-2011)
Nate Baker, Jackson County Central (1998-2000)
Chad Kraft, Heron Lake-Okabena-Lakefield (1992-94)
Handevidt won two matches on Saturday to claim the 160-pound title as he pinned Isaac Busse of Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted in 50 seconds in the semifinals and then winning 7-0 over Medford’s Tate Hermes in the finals.
Handevidt, who is headed to Augustana University to wrestle for the Vikings, finishes the season with a record of 51-3.
Those 51 wins are the second-most wins in a season in JCC history.
Who is number one on the list for single-season wins? Payton’s cousin, Nolan Ambrose, also this season.
Ambrose won his second state championship on Saturday and concluded the season 52-0.
On Saturday, he recorded his third straight pin in the individual portion of the state tourney in the semifinals as he won in 3:42 over Cole Sykora of Border West. In the championship match Ambrose was a 6-3 winner over Goodhue’s Ryan Bortz.
Anderson capped his high school career with a state championship and also reached a milestone in the process as his 3-2 win over Devin Carter of Tracy-Milroy-Balaton/Westbrook-Walnut Grove 3-2 in the finals was his 100th career victory.
Earlier Saturday in the semifinals, Anderson pinned Teagyn Ludwig of Eden Valley-Watkins in 1:49. Kie (46-7) is headed to Concordia College in Moorhead to wrestle for the Cobbers.
Look for more wrestling information in a future newsletter.
Following is a recap of matches for the JCC wrestlers in the individual tournament.
106: Isaac Rodriguez (26-17)
Champ. Round 1 - Reggie George (Osakis) dec. Isaac Rodriguez (JCC) 7-5
113: Nolan Ambrose (52-0) 1st
Champ. Round 1 - Nolan Ambrose (JCC) pinned Dominick Neisen (Mahnomen/Waubun) 1:12
Quarterfinal - Nolan Ambrose (JCC) pinned Carson Petry (WEM/JWP) 2:38
Semifinal - Nolan Ambrose (JCC) pinned Cole Sykora (Border West) 3:42
Championship - Nolan Ambrose (JCC) dec. Ryan Bortz (Goodhue) 6-3
120: Kie Anderson (46-7) 1st
Champ. Round 1 - Kie Anderson (JCC) pinned Gavyn Hlucny (Crookston) 1:23
Quarterfinal - Kie Anderson (JCC) pinned Brady Kiecker (BOLD) 0:51
Semifinal - Kie Anderson (JCC) 46-7 pinned Teagyn Ludwig (Eden Valley-Watkins) 1:49
Championship - Kie Anderson (JCC) dec. Devin Carter (Tracy-Milroy-Balaton/Westbrook-Walnut Grove) 3-2
126: Landon Andrews (22-18)
Champ. Round 1 - Brandon Ross (Caledonia/Houston) dec. Landon Andrews (JCC) 9-4
Cons. Round 1 - David Revering (Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie) dec. Landon Andrews (JCC) 4-0
132: Logan Butzon (46-9) 4th
Champ. Round 1 - Logan Butzon (JCC) 45-7 pinned Deagen Captain (Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie) 5:50
Quarterfinal - Logan Butzon (JCC) 45-7 dec. Boden Simon (Maple River/United South Central) 6-1
Semifinal - Ayden Horner (Tracy-Milroy-Balaton/Westbrook-Walnut Grove) dec. Logan Butzon (JCC) 4-3
Cons. Semi - Logan Butzon (JCC) dec. Hunter Gruchow (West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansille) 5-3
3rd Place - Owen Denstad (Caledonia-Houston) dec. Logan Butzon (JCC) 10-5
138: Thomas Freking (45-11) 4th
Champ. Round 1 - Thomas Freking (JCC) dec. Patrick Forcier (Border West) 7-0
Quarterfinal - Charley Elwood (Medford) pinned Thomas Freking (JCC) 3:13
Cons. Round 1 - Thomas Freking (JCC) dec. Carter Coauette (Crookston) 9-2
Cons. Round 2 - Thomas Freking (JCC) dec. Nate Bobendrier (Pipestone) 7-0
Cons. Semi - Thomas Freking (JCC) 45-11 dec. Maddox O`Reilly (Goodhue) 5-1
3rd Place - Austin Kiecker (BOLD) dec. Thomas Freking (JCC) 7-2
145: Dylan Withers (35-18)
Champ. Round 1 - Brodie Kellen (Dover-Eyota) 38-5 maj. dec. Dylan Withers (JCC) 14-3
Cons. Round 1 - Zack Fier (Minneota) dec. Dylan Withers (JCC) 5-3
152: Isaiah Rodriguez (29-24) 6th
Champ. Round 1 - Jacob Leibold (Royalton/Upsala) pinned Isaiah Rodriguez (JCC) 3:15
Cons. Round 1 - Isaiah Rodriguez (JCC) dec. Konner Harpestad (Maple River/USC) 8-5
Cons. Round 2 - Isaiah Rodriguez (JCC) dec. Hank Tellers (United North Central) SV-1 7-5
Cons. Semi - Jett Thoreson (St. Charles) dec. Isaiah Rodriguez (JCC) 8-3
5th Place - Blaine Fischer (Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) pinned Isaiah Rodriguez (JCC) 0:52
160: Payton Handevidt (51-3) 1st
Champ. Round 1 - Payton Handevidt (JCC) maj. dec. Tucker Zigan (LPGE-Browerille) 10-0
Quarterfinal - Payton Handevidt (JCC) dec. Maximus Hanson (Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) 6-2
Semifinal - Payton Handevidt (JCC) pinned Isaac Busse (Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted) 0:50
Championship - Payton Handevidt (JCC) dec. Tate Hermes (Medford) 7-0
170: Matthew Haley (40-12)
Champ. Round 1 - Ashton Hanan (Kimball Area) pinned Matthew Haley (JCC) 5:39
Cons. Round 1 - Kail Schott (Chatfield) dec. Matthew Haley (JCC) 7-5
182: Caleb Vancura (50-5) 4th
Champ. Round 1 - Caleb Vancura (JCC) pinned Hunter Novitzki (Royalton/Upsala) 3:31
Quarterfinal - Caleb Vancura (JCC) 49-4 dec. Peyton Hemmesch (Paynesville Area) 6-1
Semifinal - Carter Holtz (Kimball Area) dec. Caleb Vancura (JCC) 3-1
Cons. Semi - Caleb Vancura (JCC) dec. Isaac Schmidt (St. Agnes) SV-1 5-3
3rd Place - Caleb Vacura (Badger/Greenbush-Middle River) dec. Caleb Vancura (JCC) 9-5
195: Will Freking (43-10) 6th
Champ. Round 1 – Will Freking (JCC) pinned Cory Kitchel (Blue Earth Area) 2:35
Quarterfinal – Will Freking (JCC) 43-10 pinned Haden Rosenow (Kimball Area) 5:25
Semifinal - Thomas Dineen (Benson) dec. Will Freking (JCC) 7-1
Cons. Semi - Torrey Carlson (United North Central) medical forfeit over Will Freking (JCC)
5th Place - Isaiah Renne (Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City) medical forfeit over Will Freking (JCC)
285: Cameron Scholten (34-17)
Champ. Round 1 - Makota Misgen (New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva) dec. Cameron Scholten (JCC) 1-0
Cons. Round 1 - Jackson Esping (Minneota) dec. Cameron Scholten (JCC) 1-0