Wrestling notes

State tournament tidbits

A total of 31 teams across the three boys classes qualified six or more wrestlers for the individual portion of the state tournament at Grand Casino Arena.

Here’s the list by class:

Class 1A

11

• Stapley-Motley

9

• LeSueur-Henderson

8

• Minneota

7

• Chatfield

• West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansville

6

• Adrian/Ellsworth

• Frazee

• Holdingford

• Jackson County Central

• Kenyon-Wanamingo

• United North Central

Class 2A

8

• Grand Rapids

7

• Perham

• Pierz

• Simley

• Totino-Grace

6

• Becker

• Foley

• New Ulm

Class 3A

12

• St. Michael-Albertville

11

• Shakopee

• Stillwater Area

7

• Apple Valley

• Hastings

• Waconia

• Wayzata

6

• Albert Lea

• Brainerd

• Centennial

• Elk River

• Rochester Century

Big South Conference

Here are the number of wrestlers in the state tournament from other Big South Conference schools:

• Marshall: 5

• Martin County: 4

• Redwood Valley: 4

• Pipestone: 3

• Blue Earth Area: 2

• Waseca: 2

• Luverne: 1

• Tri-City United: 1

• Windom/MLBO: 1

• Worthington: 1

Wrestler notes

Class 1A

• Staples-Motley senior 160-pounder Colbe Tappe recorded his 250th career victory during the individual Section 7A tournament. He is 39-1 this season.

• Pipestone Area sophomore Miklo Hernandez is 35-0 this season at 133 pounds.

• Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg’s Trey Gunderson, a 145-pound senior, is 29-0.

Class 2A

• Watertown-Mayer senior Titan Friederichs, a 127-pounder, set a state record during the individual section qualifying with his 190th consecutive victory. He is a three-time state champion. His twin brother, Joel, was the 121-pound champion a year ago. Both are committed to wrestle at the University of Minnesota.

• Grand Rapids junior Christian Jelle, a 145-pound senior, is a two-time state champion who hasn’t lost a match in more than two seasons. He has committed to wrestle at Oklahoma.

• University of Minnesota recruit Cooper Rowe, a 160-pound senior at Westonka, is a two-time Class AA champion.

Class 3A

• St. Michael-Albertville sophomore 145-pound Lincoln Robideau was the Class AAA 133-pound champion in 2025. He is 47-0 at 145 pounds this season.

• John Murphy, a senior 189-pounder at St. Michael-Albertville, is a two-time state champion who hasn’t lost a match since his sophomore year. He is 46-0 this season. Last fall, he decommitted from the University of Wyoming in favor of the University of Minnesota.

• Hastings senior Trey Beissel is top-ranked at 133 pounds. He is 46-0 this season.

• Shakopee senior Kyler Walters is top-ranked and undefeated (31-0) at 172 pounds.

Girls

• Apple Valley’s Cassandra Gonzales, a 142-pound senior, is a three-time state champion.

• Caley Graber, a senior 118-pounder at Northfield, has won two state championships. She was fifth in the boys state tournament in 2025.

• Sarah Pulk, a senior 190-pounder at Badger/Greenbush-Middle Rivier, is a three-time state champion.

• Simley junior Charli Raymond continues to roll along and make wrestling history. With four state championships already in her possession, the 124-pounder is on pace to win six career titles. That would match the mark set Apple Valley’s Mark Hall in 2016. Raymond will forever be known as Minnesota’s first girls wrestling high school state champion.

Officials

There are a pair of officials from the region who will work at the state tournament:

• Brian Danks, Pipestone

• Patrick Irlbeck, Blue Earth