Dreams came true, and hearts were broken. That is part of every State High School tournament. Congratulations to all who competed at the MSHSL State Wrestling Tournament! We saw great finals matches this year with rivalry matches, and great finishes. 

Congratulations to Will Short of Simley, and Jim Jackson of Shakopee on winning the Team titles in AA, and AAA respectively. A lot of work goes in to building a High School program, and these coaches go the extra mile to help their High School succeed.

Congrats to all the State High School coaches who had individuals step on that line.  We are thankful that you trust us with your wrestlers, and we love to be part of training wrestlers to Be Great!

We wish we could talk about all the matches, and the wrestlers, but that is impossible.  We are proud of the effort, sportsmanship, and fight of all the wrestlers at State!

"Underhook to your shots, singles, doubles, knee-pull, and yeah, Hip Tosses are always advisable" says Coach Paulson in the practice room. Up by 2, less than 30 seconds left, and Ryan Sokol was facing a former State Champ who was firing off shots. Bam! Hip-Toss for the pin! Pinnacle wrestlers scream, "Hip Tosses are always advisable"

Paxton Creese needed two takedowns in the third if he was going to win a State title. After getting his first takedown, Pax let his opponent go with 35 seconds left because HE Believed! He believed that he was the best on the mat, and that he was going to get that takedown. The match ended with a wild scramble, and with Paxton winning his first state title.

Some call him Diesel. Reid Ballantyne missed a good portion of the season with a high ankle sprain. He came back at Team Sections and tore his meniscus in his other knee. 6 days after surgery, he returned to win Sections. At Team State, he re-injured the ankle, and had to function without a healthy leg. He fought, and did what was necessary to come out on top. Never question the toughness of Reid Ballantyne.

Bennett Berge had 2 previous loses this year to Cade Mueller, but that would change in the State Finals. Bennett wrestled calm, and confident, and earned a slick go behind takedown with 15 seconds left to seal his 2nd state title.

Jake Svihel scores points. He isn't out to just win, he goes out and scores as many points as he can. Because of this, he is a wrestler with a lot of attacks, and has become one of the best at his weight in the country.  Jake was looking for his first state championship after 3 runner-up finishes, and did the same thing as he always does, attack. Jake came away a champion, and the crowd gave him a standing ovation for his efforts.

Greg Kerkvliet is one of the best wrestler in MN history. Trayton Anderson changed his practice habits this fall and it lead to a State title. Chase DeBlaere is really strong. Joey Thompson and Danny Striggow dominated the competition. Shooting on Riley Habisch's legs is not advisable.

The wrestlers below deserve the credit. Wrestling is a tough sport, and what a wrestler has to go through on a daily basis is very demanding, exhausting, tough, but also rewarding.  Wrestlers aren't just statistics to us. We care about these guys, and go through a roller coaster of emotions at this tournament.  

By the numbers for MN and WI State

14 State Champions, 61 State Placers, 114 State Qualifiers

22 Finalist

All 4 Semifinalist in AAA at 126 and 132

Greg Kerkvliet didn't wrestle a full minute in a match

Joey Thompson tech falled everybody up to the finals

14 Wrestlers on State Champion Shakopee's team participated in PINnacle in the past year. 2nd place Stillwater had 12