No Trojans earn state in wrestling; JCC dominates 3A; Adrian/Ellsworth does well

By Doug Wolter

February 25, 2023 at 8:52 PM

The Worthington Trojans were not able to qualify anyone for the Minnesota state high school individual tournament Saturday at Morris Area High School.

But in another section -- Section 3A in Jackson -- the high-powered Jackson County Central Huskies sent more than half a dozen champions.

The 2023 state tournament will be wrestled at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul Thursday through Saturday, March 2-4. The team tournament will be Thursday. The individual tournament is Friday and Saturday.

Jackson County Central, the top-ranked team in Class A and the defending Class A champion, will compete in the team tournament.

Here’s a rundown of the Section 3AA and Section 3A individual tournaments on Saturday:

Section 3AA

The Trojans got a few place-winners Saturday. But no one finished first or second in their weight classes to jump-start a state tournament berth.

Worthington’s highest individual finish was fourth place, by senior Oscar Galvez at 126 pounds. He lost his third-place match to Raydon Bipes of Hutchinson by fall in 5:49.

Teammate Ethan Meyer was fifth at 132. Meyer, another senior, won his fifth-place match with a 15-0 technical fall over Berent Kosbab of Fairmont/Martin County West.

Trojan Mason Schutz placed fifth at 195. The senior pinned Ethan Lieb of New Ulm in just 23 seconds to capture his place.

At 106, sophomore Alex Galvez was sixth.

“We didn’t have luck go our way today. We definitely had opportunities, but we weren’t able to capitalize in them,” said WHS head coach Kirk Feit. “I saw some good things with our upperclassmen. I like their determination and desire. I saw some bright spots with some of our underclassmen, too.”

One underclassmen Feit mentioned was freshman Danny Banegas, who finished only a rung lower than sixth place (places were cut off after sixth). Last year was Banegas’ first year of wrestling, and he was injured for most of the 2022-23 season.

“He was one win away from placing,” Feit pointed out.

Windom/Mountain Lake captured a first Saturday at 106 pounds as Preston Xayachak improved his record to 38-5 with a 7-5 decision over Ben Gunlogson of Dawson-Boyd in the final.

W/ML’s Aiden Holmberg (138) and Noah Holmberg (145) placed sixth in their weight classes.

Section 3A

JACKSON -- The Jackson County Central powerhouse captured seven individual championships Saturday at their own place, and sent four more Huskies to state with second-place finishes.

JCC champs were Kayden Eller at 106 pounds, Nolan Ambrose at 132, Thomas Freking at 138, Logan Butzon at 145, Isaiah Rodriguez at 152, Dylan Withers at 170 and Caleb Vancura at 220. Seconds were secured by teammates Benjamin Dahlin at 126, Trey Rossow at 160, Matthew Haley at 195 and Cameron Scholten at 285.

Despite the Huskies’ haul, there were some other state tournament berths available for other area wrestlers, including a few championships.

MORE WRESTLING

Travis Weiss of Adrian/Ellsworth won the 113-pound championship, Brayden Burmeister of Pipestone Area won at 120, Devin Carter of Tracy-Milroy-Balaton/Westbrook-Walnut Grove won the 126-pound title, DJ Rock of Luverne won at 160, Quentin Wolf of Adrian/Ellsworth captured the 182-pound crown, Vander Mathiowetz of Red Rock Central won at 195, and Cameron Wieneke became the third Adrian/Ellsworth champ by winning at 285.

The top two wrestlers in every weight class qualify for state. Here are the results of the championship rounds, including the winner’s won-loss record:

106-Kayden Eller (JCC, 38-13) pinned Miklo Hernandez (PA), 2:41. Hernandez places second.

113-Travis Weiss (A/E, 33-9) dec. Kaysen Harms (Wabasso) 9-6. Harms dec. Kyler Thier (JCC) 5-0 in true second.

120-Brayden Burmeister (PA, 34-4) MD David Schuh (TMB/WWG) 11-1. Schuh places second.

132-Nolan Ambrose (JCC, 34-3) dec. Hudson Burnett (PA 8-4. Burnett by TF in 4:26 over Talyn Tande (St. James Area) for true second.

138-Thomas Freking (JCC, 45-7) TF in 5:27 over Evan Bartholomaus (RRC). Bartholomaus places second.

145-Logan Butzon (JCC, 38-3) dec. Alexander Schuh (TMB-WWG) 12-6. Schuh places second.

152-Isaiah Rodriguez (JCC, 29-16) dec. Levi Miest (St. James Area) 17-12. Miest places second.

160-DJ Rock (Luverne, 44-5) pinned Trey Rossow (JCC) in 1:27. Rossow places second.

170-Dylan Withers (JCC, 35-4) dec. Sam Rock (Luverne) 6-0. Rock MD Gage Struchen (TMB/WWG) 16-2 for true second.

182-Quentin Wolf (A/E, 32-7) dec. Chase Irlbeck (Wabasso) 4-3. Irlbeck places second.

195-Vander Mathiowetz (RRC, 38-3) dec. Matthew Haley (JCC) 2-0. Haley pinned Eathan Martinez (TMB/WWG) in 1:04 for true second.

220-Caleb Vancura (JCC, 40-3) dec. Jaren Winselman (A/E) 5-1. Winselman places second.

285-Cameron Wieneke (A/E, 34-4) dec. Cameron Scholten (JCC) 5-3. Scholten pinned Masyr Akkerman (Luverne) in 1:12 for true second.

By Doug Wolter

Doug Wolter joined the Worthington Globe in December of 1983 as a sports reporter. He later became sports editor, and then news editor and managing editor. In 2006 he moved to Mankato with his wife, Sandy, and served as an editor at the Mankato Free Press. In 2013 he and Sandy returned to Worthington to take up the job of sports editor at The Globe, and they have been in Worthington since.

Doug can be reached at dwolter@dglobe.com.

No Trojans earn state in wrestling; JCC dominates 3A; Adrian/Ellsworth does well

The Minnesota state wrestling tournament is March 2-4 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul