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Grit, Belief, and Hip Tosses are always advisable

By Brandon Paulson, 03/03/19, 1:30PM CST

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14 Champs, 61 Placers, 114 Qualifiers at MN/WI State

photo credits to Xcel Energy Center

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

Minnesota/Wisconsin State Qualifiers      
First Last School Division Weight Finish
Joey Thompson Totino Grace AA 113 Champion
Paxton Creese Shakopee AAA 113 Champion
Chase DeBlaere Simley AA 120 Champion
Jake Svihel Totino Grace AA 126 Champion
Reid Ballentyne Stillwater AAA 126 Champion
Ryan Sokol Simley AA 132 Champion
Trayton Anderson Northfield AAA 132 Champion
Kole Marko St. Croix Falls D3 WI 138 Champion
Nathan Fuller River Falls D1 WI 152 Champion
Brock Schlough Boyceville D3 WI 152 Champion
Bennett Berge Kasson-Mantorville AA 160 Champion
Riley Habisch Buffalo AAA 170 Champion
Danny Striggow Orono AA 220 Champion
Greg Kerkvliet Simley AA 285 Champion
Jore Volk Lakeville North AAA 106 2nd
Ben  Lunn Shakopee AAA 120 2nd
Ryan Scherber Buffalo AAA 126 2nd
Adam Mickelson Apple Valley AAA 132 2nd
Cael Berg Simley AA 138 2nd
Mike Smith Amery D2 WI 152 2nd
Grant Parrish Kasson-Mantorville AA 195 2nd
Lincoln Shinn Willmar AAA 195 2nd
Brandon Psyk STMA AAA 113 3rd
Tyler Jones Shakopee AAA 126 3rd
Walker Ingham Amery D2 WI 126 3rd
Kieler Carlson Stillwater AAA 132 3rd
Charlie Stuhl Ellsworth D2 WI 132 3rd
Carter Entinger Watertown /Mayer Lutheran AA 138 3rd
Hunter Lyden East Ridge AAA 138 3rd
Sean Howk New Ulm Area AA 145 3rd
Nick Dunagan Mounds View AAA 145 3rd
Gavin Nelson Simley AA 152 3rd
Tate Torgerson Cambridge-Isanti AAA 152 3rd
Wyatt Lidberg STMA AAA 160 3rd
Carl Leuer STMA AAA 170 3rd
Rowan Morgan Mounds View AAA 195 3rd
Luke Thaemert St. Croix Falls D2 WI 106 4th
Logan Vaughan Kasson-Mantorville AA 113 4th
Robby Horsman Kasson-Mantorville AA 120 4th
Nick Novak New Prague AAA 120 4th
Kyle Boeke Princeton AA 126 4th
Jordan Bonte Baldwin-Woodville D2 WI 126 4th
Cole Becker STMA AAA 132 4th
Bryce Fitzpatrick Mahtomedi AA 138 4th
Trey Kruse Stillwater AAA 138 4th
Bennett Tabor Simley AA 195 4th
Joey Johnson Shakopee AAA 195 4th
Matt Hogue East Ridge AAA 106 5th
Austin Gabbert Watertown/Mayer Lutheran AA 113 5th
Rocco Visci Big Lake AA 120 5th
Tanner Kroells Delano AA 145 5th
Connor Raines Shakopee AAA 160 5th
Brendan Howes Anoka AAA 106 6th
John Babineau Andover AAA 113 6th
Taedon Nichols Luck/Frederick/Grant/Siren D2 WI 113 6th
Cole West Woodbury AAA 120 6th
Bryce Dagel Eden Prairie AAA 126 6th
Jake Fitzpatrick Mahtomedi AA 132 6th
Connor Thorsten Foley AA 152 6th
Tyler Raway Forest Lake AAA 160 6th
Tommy Johnson Shakopee AAA 220 6th
Matthew Redden Benilde St. Margarets AA 106 DNP
Hunter Frost Farmington AAA 106 DNP
Jimmy Heil STMA AAA 106 DNP
Calvin Lonnquist Wayzata AAA 106 DNP
Emily Shilson Mounds View AAA 106 DNP
Zachary Silvis Park AAA 106 DNP
Jed Wester Annandale/Maple Lake AA 113 DNP
Bennett Colagiovanni Stillwater AAA 113 DNP
Zach Hanson Lakeville North AAA 113 DNP
Brad Howes Anoka AAA 113 DNP
Javan Kaufman Mounds View AAA 113 DNP
Patrick Lockwood Minneapolis Washburn AAA 113 DNP
Michael Loger Totino Grace AA 120 DNP
Eddie Simes Litchfield AA 120 DNP
Hunter Wilsey Mahtomedi AA 120 DNP
Zyan Hall Mounds View AAA 120 DNP
Jared Spohn Sauk Rapids-Rice AAA 120 DNP
Javon Taschuk Stillwater AAA 120 DNP
Brandt Bombard North Branch AA 126 DNP
Vito Massa East Ridge AAA 126 DNP
Austin Moscho Rocori AAA 126 DNP
Jerry Simes Litchfield AA 132 DNP
Alex Kowalchyk Coon Rapids AAA 132 DNP
Mannix Morgan Mounds View AAA 132 DNP
Michael Murphy Eagan AAA 132 DNP
Brice Bischof Lakeville South AAA 138 DNP
Mitch Engebretson Mounds View AAA 138 DNP
Dylan Hanson STMA AAA 138 DNP
Andrew Wick Eagan AAA 138 DNP
Austin Sonnek North Branch AA 145 DNP
Reid Lawrence Mahtomedi AA 152 DNP
Adam Sylvester Totino Grace AA 152 DNP
Brendan Dunagan Mounds View AAA 152 DNP
Xander Falkenstein Eden Prairie AAA 152 DNP
Austin Hamel Farmington AAA 152 DNP
Hayden LeMonds STMA AAA 152 DNP
Anthony Arens Totino Grace AA  160 DNP
Tyler Benson Elk River AAA 160 DNP
TJ Turinske White Bear Lake AAA 160 DNP
Antony Tuttle Stillwater AAA 160 DNP
Chase Vought Farmington AAA 160 DNP
Peter Hansen Hudson D1 WI 160 DNP
Kale Hopke Amery D2 WI 160 DNP
Hudson Day Stillwater AAA 170 DNP
Danny Reynolds Andover AAA 170 DNP
Hunter Hall Mahtomedi AA 182 DNP
Jack Casey Shakopee AAA 182 DNP
Bruce Muehlhauser Anoka AAA 182 DNP
Matt Sloan White Bear Lake AAA 182 DNP
Blaine Guthrie Baldwin-Woodville D2 WI 182 DNP
Pedro Castillo Forest Lake AAA 195 DNP
Isaac Atchison Blaine AAA 195 DNP
Jagger Schack Osseo AAA 220 DNP