Wrestling notes
Items from the state team tourney
Here’s a summary of the team competition at this year’s state wrestling tournament and some history of the event.
JCC records
Records of Jackson County Central wrestlers in this year’s state team tournament.
2-0
Kyler Thier
2-1
Cale Entriken
Colten Gossen
Dallas Gossen
Carson Kolander
1-1
Evan Bartholomaus
Ever Mazariegos
Isaac Rodriguez
Payten Sorbel
1-2
Mathias Liepold
Dezmynd Tupper
0-1
Kollin Brennan
Braxten Hall
Ryan Fricke
Geovany Munoz
Jacob Peterson
0-2
Karsin Janssen
0-3
Hayden Schultz
All-tournament teams
Here is the all-tournament team in each class.
Class A
Garrett Bjerga, Staples-Motley
Liam Sommer, Kenyon-Wanamingo
Jameson Priebe, Chatfield
Logan Pearson, Chatfield
Adam DeVlaenminck, Minneota
Gage Bjerga, Staples-Motley
Eli Greenwaldt, Staples-Motley
Hunter Polikowsky, Chatfield
Colbe Tappe, Staples-Motley
Brock Fier, Minneota
Luke Bjerga, Staples-Motley
George Doherty, LeSueur-Henderson
Cael Fier, Minneota
Class AA
Chase Wilson, New Ulm
Jacob Kranz, Simley
Adrian Mincey, Simley
Logan Refsnider, Totino Grace
Darryl Jackson, Simley
Wyatt Wall, Foley
Jake Kos, Simley
Aiden Mincey, Simley
Candon Briggs, New Ulm
Tiegen Detloff, Perham
Lane Ruch, New Ulm
William Gutormson, Foley
Eli Roiko, Perham
Class AAA
Chase Lawrence, Stillwater
Landon Thoennes, St. Michael Albertville
Saitaro Kong, Apple Valley
Noah Nicholson, Stillwater
Brody Bergeron, St. Michael Albertville
Chase Mills, St. Michael Albertville
Lincoln Robideau, St. Michael Albertville
George Jones, Stillwater
Grayson Eggum, Stillwater
Kyler Walters, Shakopee
John Murphy, St. Michael Albertville
Joseph Heim, Shakopee
Elijah Christopher, Hastings
State results
Scores from the team competition at the state wrestling tournament.
Class A
Quarterfinals
Minneota 45, LeSueur-Henderson 18
Chatfield 47, West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansville 22
Staples-Motley 60, Kenyon-Wanamingo 9
Jackson County Central 35, United North Central 23
Semifinals
Chatfield 34, Minneota 27
Straples-Motley 63, Jackson County Central 3
Consolation semifinals
West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansville 36, LeSueur-Henderson 35
United North Central 33, Kenyon-Wanamingo 29
Championship
Staples-Motley 41, Chatfield 14
Third place
Jackson County Central 30, Minneota 27
Consolation championship
United North Central 38, West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansville 28
Class AA
Quarterfinals
New Ulm Area 53, Totino-Grace 17
Pierz 24, Perham 23
Simley 66, South St. Paul 3
Foley 44, Scott West 15
Semifinals
New Ulm Area 42, Pierz 12
Simley 50, Foley 14
Consolation semifinals
Perham 33, Totino-Grace 27
Scott West 34, South St. Paul 25
Championship
Simley 38, New Ulm Area 13
Third place
Pierz 29, Foley 22
Consolation championship
Perham 35, Scott West 20
Class AAA
Quarterfinals
Stillwater Area 50, Apple Valley 15
Shakopee 55, Northfield 18
St. Michael-Albertville 53, Brainerd 11
Hastings 45, Elk River 23
Semifinals
Shakopee 31, Stillwater Area 29
St. Michael-Albertville 45, Hastings 12
Consolation semifinals
Apple Valley 50, Northfield 16
Elk River 37, Brainerd 26
Championship
St. Michael-Albertville 46, Shakopee 18
Third place
Stillwater Area 58, Hastings 10
Consolation championship
Elk River 33, Apple Valley 27
Winning margins
The winning margins for the three state team champions:
A: Staples-Motley 164-26 (54.7-8.7)
AA: Simley 154-30 (51.3-10)
AAA: St. Michael-Albertville 144-41 (48-13.7)
Been there before
This year’s state championship teams are familiar faces in the winner’s circle.
Simley (AA) won its 18th state team title, St. Michael-Albertville (AAA) won its 12th and Staples-Motley (A) won its ninth. The first seven were as Staples.
Coaches awards
This year’s Coach of the Year selections:
Class A: Matt Myrvik and Matt Buysse, Minneota
Class AA: Kevin Briggs, New Ulm
Class AAA: Geoff Staab, Northfield; Tim Haneberg, Hastings
Most state championships
The coaches with the most state team championships.
20: Jim Jackson, Apple Valley, Shakopee, Staples-Motley
10: Will Short, Simley
7: Randy Baker, Jackson County Central
7: Don Dravis, Staples
6: Bill Demaray, Apple Valley
6: Gregg Greeno, St. Michael-Albertville
17th state trip
Jackson County Central competed in the state team wrestling tournament for the 17th time this week. Prior to that, Heron Lake-Okabena-Lakefield competed in one state tourney and the cooperatively sponsored HLOL/Jackson two.
JCC defeated United North Central in the quarterfinals, giving the Huskies a record of 16-1 in the opening round.
That one loss was 34-33 to Perham in the 2007 Class AA quarterfinals. In its only appearance in the consolation bracket, JCC defeated Thief River Falls and Big Lake to finish fifth.
Jackson County Central has wrestled 50 duals at the state tournament, winning 39, losing 10 and tying one for a .790 percentage.
In three of those losses, one match would have changed the team outcome and there was another where one match could have changed the outcome.
There have been two one-point losses, the loss to Perham in 2007 and a 37-36 loss on the fifth tiebreaking criteria to Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale in the 2021 Class A semifinals.
In their first 14 appearances the Huskies have a 35-5-1 record, a .866 percentage. Two of those losses were by one point, one on a tiebreaker.
There has also been a loss by two points (36-34) to Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa in the 2024 third-place match and one by four points (27-23) to Dassel-Cokato in the 1998 Class AA championship match.
On the flip side, JCC has won nine state tournament matches by six points or fewer. There have been three by one point, one by two points, two by three points, one by five points and two by six points.
And then there was the infamous tie.
The Huskies and Frazee tied 28-28 in the 2011 Class 1A championship match. High school matches had 14 weight classes then and the Huskies won nine matches and the Hornets five.
According to Minnesota State High School League rules, in the final round of the tournament when there is no team advancing the dual remains a tie and the teams are declared co-champions (or co-third place or co-fifth place).
Frazee is the team that JCC has faced most at the state tournament as they’ve squared off six times. The Huskies have a 5-0-1 record vs. the Hornets.
Second is Minneota with five. JCC is 4-1 vs. the Vikings.
Through the years
Here’s how Jackson County Central wrestling teams have fared in their state team tournament appearances:
1998: Class AA runner-up
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 32, Foley 31
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 42, Blue Earth 15
Championship: Dassel-Cokato 27, Jackson County Central 23
1999: Class AA champion
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 27, Staples-Motley 22
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 35, New Prague 16
Championship: Jackson County Central 30, St. Michael-Albertville 18
2000: Class AA champion
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 31, Blackduck/Cass Lake-Bena 19
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 37, Scott West 19
Championship: Jackson County Central 26, St. Michael-Albertville 19
2007: Class AA fifth place
Quarterfinals: Perham 34, Jackson County Central 33
Consolation semifinals: Jackson County Central 30, Thief River Falls 24
Fifth place: Jackson County Central 40, Big Lake 16
2008: Class A champion
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 45, Kenyon-Wanamingo 25
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 40, Frazee 22
Championship: Jackson County Central 42, Canby 10
2010 Class A champion
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 49, Border West 22
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 28, Minneota 26
Championship: Jackson County Central 32, Frazee 23
2011 Class A co-champion
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 59, Pierz 16
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 34, Minneota 25
Championship: Jackson County Central 28, Frazee 28 (tie)
2012: Class A champion
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 52, Pierz 15
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 46, Badger/Greenbush-Middle River 25
Championship: Jackson County Central 35, Kimball Area 28
2013: Class A champion
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 43, Barnesville 19
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 39, Chatfield 25
Championship: Jackson County Central 38, Frazee 22
2014: Class A third place
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 31, Minneota 25
Semifinals: Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 38, Jackson County Central 25
Third place: Jackson County Central 33, Frazee 32
2015: Class A third place
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 35, Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial 34
Semifinals: Minneota 49, Jackson County Central 23
Third place: Jackson County Central 40, Frazee 31
2021: Class A co-third place
Super Section: Jackson County Central 45, Kenyon-Wanamingo 30
Semifinals: Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale 37, Jackson County Central 36
Third place: Match not held
2022: Class A champion
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 52, Maple River/United South Central 9
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 41, West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansville 27
Championship: Jackson County Central 45, Royalton/Upsala 23
2023: Class A champion
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 48, West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansville 17
Semifinals: Jackson County Central 54, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 18
Championship: Jackson County Central 43, Caledonia/Houston 19
2024: Class A fourth place
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 36, Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial 33
Semifinals: Chatfield 49, Jackson County Central 12
Third place: Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 36, Jackson County Central 34
2025: Class A fourth place
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 37, LeSueur-Henderson 25
Semifinals: Staples-Motley 64, Jackson County Central 0
Third place: Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial 34, Jackson County Central 23
2026: Class A third place
Quarterfinals: Jackson County Central 35, United North Central 23
Semifinals: Staples-Motley 63, Jackson County Central 3
Third place: Jackson County Central 30, Minneota 27
By opponents
Here is JCC’s breakdown by team listed in order of win-loss percentage in state tournament competition:
Kenyon-Wanamingo 2-0 1.000
Pierz 2-0 1.000
St. Michael-Albertville 2-0 1.000
West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon-Evansville 2-0 1.000
Badger/Greenbush-Middle River 1-0 1.000
Barnesville 1-0 1.000
Big Lake 1-0 1.000
Blackduck/Cass Lake-Bena 1-0 1.000
Blue Earth 1-0 1.000
Border West 1-0 1.000
Caledonia/Houston 1-0 1.000
Canby 1-0 1.000
Chatfield 1-0 1.000
Foley 1-0 1.000
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 1-0 1.000
Kimball Area 1-0 1.000
United North Central 1-0 1.000
LeSueur-Henderson 1-0 1.000
Maple River/United South Central 1-0 1.000
New Prague 1-0 1.000
Royalton/Upsala 1-0 1.000
Scott West 1-0 1.000
Thief River Falls 1-0 1.000
Frazee 5-0-1 .917
Minneota 4-1 .800
Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial 2-1 .667
Staples-Motley 1-2 .333
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 0-1 .000
Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 0-1 .000
Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale 0-1 .000
Dassel-Cokato 0-1 .000
Perham 0-1 .000
Total 39-10-1 .790
Championship teams
Here is the list of team champions at the state wrestling tournament.
2026
A: Staples-Motley
AA: Simley
AAA: St. Michael-Albertville
2025
A: Staples-Motley
AA: Watertown-Mayer/Mayer Lutheran
AAA: St. Michael-Albertville
2024
A: Chatfield
AA: Simley
AAA: St. Michael-Albertville
2023
A: Jackson County Central
AA: Simley
AAA: Hastings
2022
A: Jackson County Central
AA: Simley
AAA: St. Michael-Albertville
2021
A: Kimball Area
AA: Simley
AAA: Shakopee
2020
A: Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Browerville
AA: Simley
AAA: Shakopee
2019
A: Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Browerville
AA: Simley
AAA: Shakopee
2018
A: Zumbrota-Mazeppa
AA: Kasson-Mantorville
AAA: St. Michael-Albertville
2017
A: Zumbrota-Mazeppa
AA: Kasson-Mantorville
AAA: Apple Valley
2016
A: Kenyon-Wanamingo
AA: Kasson-Mantorville
AAA: Apple Valley
2015
A: Minneota
AA: Simley
AAA: Apple Valley
2014
A: Chatfield
AA: Simley
AAA: Apple Valley
2013
A: Jackson County Central
AA: Kasson-Mantorville
AAA: Apple Valley, St. Michael-Albertville (tie)
2012
A: Jackson County Central
AA: Simley
AAA: Apple Valley
2011
A: Jackson County Central, Frazee (tie)
AA: Simley
AAA: Apple Valley
2010
A: Jackson County Central
AA: Simley
AAA: Apple Valley
2009
A: Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg
AA: Simley
AAA: Apple Valley
2008
A: Jackson County Central
AA: Simley
AAA: Apple Valley
2007
A: Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City
AA: St. Michael-Albertville
AAA: Apple Valley
2006
A: Canby
AA: St. Michael-Albertville
AAA: Apple Valley
2005
A: Pierz
AA: St. Michael-Albertville
AAA: Owatonna
2004
A: Pierz
AA: St. Michael-Albertville
AAA: Apple Valley
2003
A: BOLD
AA: Litchfield
AAA: Apple Valley
2002
A: Frazee, Medford (tie)
AA: Blue Earth Area
AAA: Apple Valley
2001
A: Goodhue
AA: Blue Earth Area
AAA: Apple Valley
2000
A: Paynesville
AA: Jackson County Central
AAA: Apple Valley
1999
A: Frazee
AA: Jackson County Central
AAA: Apple Valley
1998
A: St. James
AA: Dassel-Cokato
AAA: Owatonna
1997
A: Hayfield
AA: St. Michael-Albertville
AAA: Apple Valley
1996
B: Wheaton/Herman-Norcross
A: St. Michael-Albertville
AA: Hastings
1995
A: Canby
AA: Apple Valley
1994
A: Canby, Foley (tie)
AA: Apple Valley
1993
A: Foley
AA: Forest Lake
1992
A: Frazee
AA: Simley
1991
A: Paynesville
AA: Apple Valley
1990
A: Paynesville
AA: Anoka
1989
A: St. James, Foley (tie)
AA: Simley
1988
A: Canby
AA: Simley
1987
A: Paynesville
AA: Simley
1986
A: Canby
AA: Apple Valley
1985
A: Staples
AA: Apple Valley
1984
A: Staples
AA: Bloomington Kennedy
1983
A: Staples
AA: Apple Valley
1982
A: Staples
AA: Brainerd
1981
A: Staples
AA: Albert Lea
1980
A: Goodhue, Staples (tie)
AA: Bloomington Kennedy
1979
A: Canby
AA: Fridley
1978
A: Staples
AA: Anoka
1977
A: Canby
AA: Anoka
1976
A: Canby
AA: Albert Lea
1975
Fridley
1974
Minnetonka
1973
Foley
1972
St. James
1971
Albert Lea
1970
Caledonia
1969
Cooper
1968
Hopkins
1967
Fridley & Hopkins
1966
Albert Lea
1965
Cooper
1964
Mankato
1963
Hopkins
1962
Owatonna
1961
Robbinsdale
1960
Alexander Ramsey
1959
Blue Earth
1958
Blue Earth
1957
Blue Earth
1956
Anoka
1955
Anoka
1954
Owatonna
1953
Blue Earth & Wayzata
1952
Wayzata
1951
Faribault & Wayzata
1950
Anoka
1949
Anoka
1948
Austin
1947
Mound
1946
Robbinsdale
1945
Robbinsdale
1944
Robbinsdale
1943
Robbinsdale
1942
Robbinsdale
1941
Robbinsdale, Minneapolis Vocational, & Wayzata
1940
Minneapolis Marshall & Robbinsdale
1939
Minneapolis Marshall
1938
Minneapolis Marshall