ST. PAUL – Three Martin County wrestlers earned medals at the state Class 2A individual wrestling tournament at Xcel Energy Center.
Senior Kain Sanders placed fourth at 145 pounds, while senior Jesse Potts (126) and junior Max Olson (220) were both fifth.
Sanders won three straight wrestleback matches Saturday before losing in the third-place match. He pinned Alex Temple of Totino-Grace in 4:01, won a 6-2 decision over Kaleb Lochner of Zumbrota-Mazeppa and then was a 4-2 winner over Simley’s Kaiden Schrandt before losing 10-1 to Trevor Radunz of Pierz in the third-place match. It was his second loss of tournament to Radunz, who defeated Sanders 10-1 in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Sanders finished the season 51-7.
Potts won twice on Friday to advance to Saturday’s semifinals, where he lost 10-0 to eventual champion Christian Noble of Big Lake. In the consolation semifinals Potts dropped a 9-3 decision to Scott West’s Zach Tracy before winning 5-2 over Nick Korman of Albert Lea Area in the fifth-place match. He finishes 51-2.
Olson lost an 8-3 decision to Justin Matson of Pine City/Hinckley-Finlayson in the semifinals and then lost by fall to Mahtomedi’s JP Johnson in the consolation semifinals before pinning Rocori’s Grady Minnerath in 1:51 in the fifth-place match to finish 47-5.
Following is a recap of matches for the Martin County wrestlers in the individual tournament. The Red Bulls had placed sixth in the team tournament.
120
Rylan Cutler (37-7)
Champ. Round 1 - Noah Gindele (Annandale/Maple Lake) dec. Rylan Cutler (MC) 7-3
126
Jesse Potts (51-2) 5th
Champ. Round 1 - Jesse Potts (MC) maj. dec. James Salas (Simley) 14-6
Quarterfinal - Jesse Potts (MC) maj. dec. Nathan Trotter (Aitkin) 14-2
Semifinal - Christian Noble (Big Lake) maj. dec. Jesse Potts (MC) 10-0
Cons. Semi - Zach Tracy (Scott West) dec. Jesse Potts (MC) 9-3
5th Place - Jesse Potts (MC) dec. Nick Korman (Albert Lea Area) 5-2
145
Kain Sanders (51-7) 4th
Champ. Round 1 - Kain Sanders (MC) dec. Harold Born (St. Peter) 6-1
Quarterfinal - Trevor Radunz (Pierz) maj. dec. Kain Sanders (MC) 10-1
Cons. Round 1 - Kain Sanders (MC) pinned Alex Temple (Totino-Grace) 4:01
Cons. Round 2 - Kain Sanders (MC) dec. Kaleb Lochner (Zumbrota-Mazeppa) 6-2
Cons. Semi - Kain Sanders (MC) dec. Kaiden Schrandt (Simley) 4-2
3rd Place - Trevor Radunz (Pierz) maj. dec. Kain Sanders (MC) 10-0
160
Carver Rohman (44-8)
Champ. Round 1 - Brandt Bombard (North Branch Area) dec. Carver Rohman (MC) 5-3
Cons. Round 1 - Cody Wienen (Thief River Falls) dec. Carver Rohman (MC) 5-2
220
Max Olson (47-5) 5th
Champ. Round 1 - Max Olson (MC) pinned Ian Larrabee (Hibbing) 3:44
Quarterfinal - Max Olson (MC) dec. Dioszeghy (Mound-Westonka) 7-5
Semifinal - Justin Matson (Pine City/Hinckley-Finlayson) dec. Max Olson (MC) 8-3
Cons. Semi - JP Johnson (Mahtomedi) pinned Max Olson (MC) 3:22
5th Place - Max Olson (MC) pinned Grady Minnerath (Rocori) 1:51