In this week’s edition the Jackson County Central wresting team will have another item for the school’s trophy case, Martin County West has a pair of academic award winners, a long-time MCW coach is stepping down, and we have a few student-athlete updates.
Wrestling award
The Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association recognized Jackson County Central as Class 1A team champions from the MSHSL individual state wrestling tournament earlier this month. The winning team and runner-up from each class receives a plaque to display at its school.
JCC compiled 130.5 points, with Dover-Eyota second with 80.5 points.
The Huskies also won the 1A dual title, beating Caledonia/Houston 43-19 in the championship match.
Jackson County Central had seven place winners in the state tournament including four finalists and three champions.
Placing first were Nolan Ambrose (132), Thomas Freking (138) and Caleb Vancura (220). Cameron Scholten (285) was second.
Logan Butzon (145) and Matt Haley (195) both placed third and Isaiah Rodriguez (152) was sixth.
Simley won both the Class 2A dual and individual tournaments, with St. Michael-Albertville winning the 3A individual tourney after losing the dual title to Hastings, which tied for second in the individual tournament standings.
Apple Valley was recognized as the girls campion by the coaches. There was not a girls team champion recognized by the MSHSL.
Here are the team points according to the MWCA.
Class 1A
1. Jackson County Central 130.5
2. Dover-Eyota 80.5
3. West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansville 75.5
4. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 66
5. Chatfield 64
6. Caledonia/Houston 56
7. Royalton/Upsala 54.5
8. Mille Lacs 52.5
9. Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 49
10. Holdingford 45.5
Class 2A
1. Simley 188
2. New Prague 120
3. St Francis 84.5
4. Mound-Westonka 72.5
5. Becker 66.5
(tie) Kasson-Mantorville 66.5
7. Watertown Mayer 59.5
8. Albert Lea Area 56.5
9. Totino-Grace 52.5
10. Detroit Lakes 44.5
Class 2A
1. St. Michael-Albertville 187.5
2. Hastings 96
(tie) Eden Prairie 96
4. Mounds View 83
5. Waconia 80.5
6. Wayzata 73
7. Forest Lake 69
8. Stillwater Area 60
9. Shakopee 56
10. Eastview 50
Girls
1. Apple Valley 69
2. Northfield 52
(tie) Shakopee 52
4. Grand Meadow-LeRoy-Ostrander-Southland 45
5. Stillwater Area 40
6. Bemidji 39
7. Forest Lake 38
(tie) St. Paul Humboldt/Open World Learning 38
9. Centennial 29
10. Luverne 27
Academic all-state basketball
Martin County West has two players named to the academic all-state team by the Minnesota Boys Basketball Coaches Association.
Zach Anderson and Mitch Weber were named to the squad. Both are seniors.
It’s the second straight year the Mavericks have had a player named to the team.
Tanner Sinn earned a spot on the academic all-state team last year.
Taylor retirement
This past week, Rodger Taylor announced he is retiring as head girls basketball coach at Martin County West.
He coached the Mavericks for 31 seasons, winning in the neighborhood of 480 games.
A retirement party will be held Saturday, April 15 in Trimont. You can see details in the flyer posted above.
Athlete updates
Two Jackson County Central graduates and cousins will meet up on the volleyball court in Vermillion when South Dakota hosts the University of Sioux Falls to open the brief spring schedule at 5 p.m. Monday at Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
Alaina Wolff is a defensive specialist for the Coyotes and Sadie Voss is an outside hitter for the Cougars.
Alaina tweeted that she’s ready to see her cousin come to town:
South Dakota was 29-4 overall last season and won the Summit League regular season and tournament titles to advance to the NCAA Division I tournament in Wolff’s first season in Vermillion.
USD lost 3-2 to Houston in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.
Sioux Falls was 18-10 last season, with Voss being named the NSIC’s Freshman of the Year.
USF lost in the first round of the conference tournament.
Alex Bretzman is back with the South Dakota club baseball team, which opened its season with a pair of losses to Iowa State in Ames Saturday. The final game of the series was weathered out.
Two area grads competed in two events apiece for Iowa Central Community College in the Shocker Spring Invitational hosted by Wichita State.
In the 1500 meters, JCC graduate Andrew Boyum finished 22nd out of 26 entries with a time of 4:24.88 and MCW grad Jake Lewis was 24th in 4:39.86.
In the 800 meters, Boyum placed 20th of 25 runners (2:06.85) and Lewis was 22nd (2:11.84).
Fairmont graduate Claire Nemmers is a freshman with the Minnesota State Moorhead women’s tennis team.
She’s won four singles matches and has four wins in doubles play for the Dragons.