CLASS AA PREVIEW
By Roger Mischke
MAT RATS PREVIEW (2023-2024)
SECTION 7AA
FAVORITES: MORA MUSTANGS and the PIERZ PIONEERS
DARK HORSES: LITTLE FALLS FLYERS and the GRAND RAPIDS THUNDER HAWKS
MORA MUSTANGS
Head Coach: Tom Youngblom
Granite Ridge Conference: 6-0
Overall Duals: 24-2 (Section 7AA Champions)
The Mustangs will have back ten section place winners, including two state qualifiers and nine with experience. They did graduate six very good seniors last spring, including three state qualifiers. The Mustangs will have a very experienced lineup, including ten with twenty-two plus wins. Look for the Mustangs to make a strong challenge to defend both their section dual honors and conference honors. The defending section 7AA champions should get some strong challenges from what should be a very balanced section with possibly multiple teams state ranked.
Returning Wrestlers:
Nathan Nelson 12th 43-8 1st Sec./6th State/AC
Mason Nelson 12th 40-11 2nd Sec./2nd State/AC
Brock Peterson 12th 30-11 3rd Sec./AC
Brock Folkema 12th 27-17 4th Sec.
Cooper Sjodin 11th 26-19 4th Sec.
Carter Gmahl 11th 26-6/AC Injured
Jared Yates 11th 24-20 6th Sec.
Stratton Nelson 9th 22-22 5th Sec.
Ben Everson 12th 22-11 4th Sec.
Curtis Maegi 10th 11-13
Braydon Eakmen 11th 10-11
Devin McCallahan 11th 10–5 Injured
Hayden Bourcy 11th 9-10
Cole Grams 11th 6-7
Gage Gobel 11th 5-12
Logan Wickland 10th 4-7
Jordan Ringler 11th 3-7
Troy Bankers 11th 3-8
Joseph Connor 10th 3-10
Graduates:
Connor Gmahl 39-5 1st Sec./AC (176-54 Career)
Tucker Hass 37-11 2nd Sec. (134-70 Career)
Avery Nelson 33-6 1st Sec./AC (158-53 Career)
Dyllon Adams 3rd Sec./AC (81-49 Career)
Anthony Nelson Injured (86-41 Career)
Cole Gmahl Injured
PIERZ PIONEERS
Head Coach: George “Skip” Toops
Granite Ridge Conference: 4-2
Overall Duals: 19-14
The Pioneers will have back seven section place winners, including three state qualifiers. They will have thirteen back with experience, with the graduation of three seniors, including three section place winners. The Pioneers should challenge those dual meet marks from last season. They could challenge with this young team for conference honors. Look for the Pioneers a strong challenge for possible section dual honors, in what should be a very competitive section dual meet campaign. They will had six back with twenty-four plus wins, they if they stay spread out in their weights they will be a team to looking for a very good season.
Returning Wrestlers:
Carter Young 10th 34-5 1st Sec./6th State/AC
Chase Becker 12th 34-5 1st Sec./AC
Kyle Stangl 11th 34-9 1st Sec./AC
Jayden Zajac 8th 27-12 4th Sec.
Liam Hennessy 10th 24-11 3rd Sec.
Caleb Koch 11th 24-11 6th Sec.
Nathan Nash 11th 15-13
Link Toops 9th 15-6
Wyatt Dingmann 12th 14-20
Cash Fussy 10th 14-13
Brayden Melby 10th 12-14
Jack Byker 11th 10-17
Bradly Tanner 10th 5-14
Brayden LeBlanc 11th 4-9
Kaden Kroll 12th 3-5
Henry Hoffman 10th 2-4
Alan Brixius 11th 1-9
Graduates:
Jacob LeBlanc 25-14 2nd Sec. (109-62 Career)
Derek Stangl 30-10 5th Sec. (98-54 Career)
Derrick Pryzybilla 7-11 5th Sec.
LITTLE FALLS FLYERS
Head Coach: Simon Waltman
Granite Ridge Conference: 3-3
Overall Duals: 17-9
The Flyers will have back ten section place winners, including one state qualifier and nine with experience. They did graduate two seniors last spring including one section place winner. They will return six with twenty-five or more wins back, so look for this overall young team to challenge those dual meet marks from last season, possibly challenge for conference honors. They should make a strong challenge for a top four spot in what should be a very competitive Section 7AA dual meet campaign.
Returning Wrestlers:
Hank LeClair 12th 40-4 1st Sec./AC
Beau Robinson 11th 32-7 3rd Sec.
Noah Cameron 10th 31-6 3rd Sec./AC
Mason Rausch 11th 29-7 3rd Sec./AC
Ivan Petrich 11th 28-13 3rd Sec./AC
Joey Wilczek 12th 25-14 3rd Sec.
Alexander Schmitz 12th 19-19 4th Sec.
Cassidy Okerman 10th 17-24 4th Sec.
Ethan Zellers 9th 13-19 6th Sec.
Aiden Nordley 11th 7-15 5th Sec.
Hunter Ramsdell 11th 7-15 5th Sec.
Kobi Cameron 10th 6-4 Injured
Ryan Vogt 8th 6-13
Abe Anez 12th 5-8
Hayden Ramsdell 9th 2-8
Alex Rudenick 12th 2-3
Chaston Gwost 10th 2-1
Leighton Odegaard 11th 1-9
Graduates:
Ryan Kloecki 30-12 3rd Sec./AC (74-66 Career)
Wyatt Baum 19-19
GRAND RAPIDS THUNDERHAWKS
Head Coach: Mike Schafer
Overall Duals: 15-5
The Thunderhawks will have twelve section place winners back, including four state qualifiers. They will have back five with a great deal of varsity experience, with eleven with twenty-four plus wins. They did graduate one senior, this young talented and very experienced team should challenge those dual meet marks from last season. They should make a strong challenge for a top four spot in this very good section dual meet campaign.
Returning Wrestlers:
Alex Lehman 12th 36-9 1st Sec.
Justin Jobe 12th 37-8 2nd Sec.
Joey Seely 11th 32-15 3rd Sec.
Tanner Morlan 11th 31-11 3rd Sec.
Clayton Danielson 11th 30-15 2nd Sec.
Jake Freed10th32-8
Jaxon Thompson 10th 29-16 3rd Sec.
Christian Jelle 10th 28-1 2nd Sec. (Transfer/Hibbing)
Asher Brenden 11th 28-12 6th Sec.
Oliver Spahn 10th 27-19 6th Sec.
Joe Berg 12th 26-22 4th Sec.
Connor Keith 10th 24-20 5th Sec.
Weston Danielson 11th 20-22 6th Sec.
Austin Prebeck 11th 20-22 Injured
Holt Brink 12th 20-11
Simon Sisco 12th 19-9
Warren Ritter 10th 18-13
Conner Higgins 11th 15-0 Injured
Ben Mashuner 9th 14-20
Graduate:
Trevor Snetsinger 16-19
RUSH CITY/BRAHAM TIGERS
Head Coach: Matthew Morgen
Great River Conference: 8-0
Overall Duals: 14-8
The Tigers will have back six section place winners, including one state qualifier and eight with a great deal of experience. They graduated two section place winners, including a state qualifier. The Tigers will have seven back with twenty plus winner, so look for this overall young but experienced team to challenge those dual marks from last season. They should make a strong challenge to defend their conference honors. The Tigers should have a very good season, in what should be a very balanced section 7AA dual meet campaign, with possible four teams in the ratings.
Returning Wrestlers:
Isaac Coolidge 12th 35-14 6th Sec./AC
Tucker Gould 11th 34-13 2nd Sec.
Jesse Eklund 12th 28-11 4th Sec./AC
Emerson Umbreit 9th 23-23 5th Sec.
Dalton Bengston 11th 22-12 5th Sec.
John Cacioppo11th22-14
Landon Luckoff 9th 20-23
Kellen Gorman 11th 16-27
Patrick Allerton 11th 16-31 6th Sec.
Anthony Graves 10th 9-29
Eli Umbreit 9th 9-28
Christian Kellum 10th 4-3
Mempheys Campbell 11th 2-2
Morgan Bodell 9th 1-2
Graduates:
Landon Umbreit 43-6 2nd Sec./AC (157-83 Career)
Kaden Gorman 26-20 5th Sec./AC (53-75 Career)
PROCTER-HERMANTOWN RAILS
Head Coach: Eric McPhee
North Star Conference: 1-7
Overall Duals: 5-15
The Rails will have three section place winners back, including one state qualifier and nine with experience. They did graduate four seniors, including one section place winner. Look for the Rails to challenge those dual meet marks from last season if they stay healthy they should make steady improvement thru out the season.
Returning Wrestlers:
Zak McPhee 12th 45-2 1st Sec./2nd State/AC
Cooper Lucarelli 9th 28-20 6th Sec.
Landin Laakso 12th 26-21 3rd Sec./AC
Noah DeLuca 12th 7-14
Jack London 9th 7-25
Thomas Barnstorf 12th 6-27
Jake Follet 10th 3-17
Aaron Bergquist 12th 4-11
Ethan Golden 12th 2-21
Royce Lee 9th 3-2
Reece Williams 12th 2-9
Nathan Tagen 10th 2-6
Graduates:
Quinn Schnabel 15-26
John Becker 13-22 6th Sec.
Brett Pampuch 7-9
Dan Harnell 3-12
ROCK RIDGE
Head Coach: Dennis James
Overall Duals:
This crew will have back six section place winners, including a pair of state qualifiers, including a state medal winner. They graduated a section champion last spring and will return four with experience. They had six back with twenty-two plus wins, so look for a steady improving team, with a number of talented wrestlers.
Returning Wrestlers:
Damian Tapio 12th 48-7 1st Sec./4th State
Dutch Hedblom 11th 43-9 2nd Sec.
Jackson Kendall 11th 34-14 4th Sec.
Gage Benz 9th 28-17 6th Sec.
Gavin Flannigan 11th 27-19
Keegan Comer 11th 26-17
Grayson Bennett 9th 22-20 6th Sec.
Colton Gallus 12th 18-18
Jake Neari 11th 14-8 6th Sec.
Kaelan Kimball 10th 12-20
Graduates:
Nolan Campbell 26-8 1st Sec.
PINE CITY/HINCKLEY-FINLAYSON DRAGONS
Head Coach: Josh Barnes
Great River Conference: 3-3
Overall Duals: 9-19
The Dragons will have back five section place winners and eight with experience. They did graduate two seniors last spring, including one section place winner. They have six back with double figure wins, so look for this young Dragons team to make steady improvement thru out the season. They should challenge those dual meet marks from last season. They get spread out in their weights and stay healthy they should have a successful season.
Returning Wrestlers:
Roman McKinney 11th 26-10 4th Sec.
Braxton Peetz 11th 26-13 5th Sec.
Jace Preston 12th 24-21
Frank Betters 11th 23-21 4th Sec.
Ethan Perrotti 11th 17-25
Logan Klecki 11th 12-6
Leanardo LeTourneau 12th 9-8 5th Sec.
Jaxon Karas 11th 9-4
Anthony Thomas 10th 9-28
Nicholas Blaiser 11th 8-26
James Noreen 10th 7-24
Tristan Johnson 12th 2-3
Xavier Skiff 8th 2-3
Graduates:
John Mead 32-7 3rd Sec./AC (69-58 Career)
Damien Torgerson 25-21 (59-84 Career)
HIBBING BLUEJACKETS
Head Coach: Chad Snider
Overall Duals:
The Bluejackets will have three section place winners back, including one state qualifier and six with experience. they did graduate three seniors last spring, including a pair of state qualifiers, of which one earned a state medal.
Returning Wrestlers:
Ian Larrabee 11th 37-8 1st Sec./6th State
Cooper Hendrickson 12th 30-12 5th Sec.
Ben Masheimer 9th 14-23
Nehimia Fiqueroa 10th 12-26
Alex Hendrickson 12th 10-18 4th Sec.
Aaron Rolf 11th 9-19
Kaden Sweeney 9th 8-23
Evan Hanson 10th 3-11
Jame Ojala 10th 1-15
Graduates:
Bryson Larrabee 37-8 2nd Sec./4th State
Thomas Hagen 27-12 2nd Sec.
Trevor VonBrethorst 4-12
MILACA FAITH CHRISTIAN WOLVES
Co-Head Coaches: Mitch Vedders/Clay Hoeck
Granite Ridge Conference: 3-3
Overall Duals: 14-7
The Wolves will have three section place winners back, including one state qualifier and two with experience. They did graduate eleven seniors last spring, including seven section place winners, of which three were state qualifiers. This young team will fill in with some young wrestlers, look for them to make strides of improvement thru out the season.
Returning Wrestlers:
Jack Hanson 12th 26-7 1st Sec./AC
Lincoln Starr 10th 22-14 4th Sec./AC
Rollie Steinbrecher 11th 8-14 6th Sec.
Kaysen VanDerZwaag 10th 1-2
Graduates:
Logan Ash 30-5 1st Sec./AC (78-50 Career)
Colbee Zens 27-8 2nd Sec./AC (74-65 Career)
Jack Nord 25-7 3rds./AC (65-75 Career)
Jack Schoenborn 30-7 2nd Sec./AC (105-56 Career)
Clay Anderson 24-8 5th Sec./AC (55-66 Career)
Austin Linder24-134th Sec./AC(51-67 Career
Caleb Sahlstrom 23-10 3rd Sec. (62-49 Career)
Seth Noack 10-11 (29-48 Career)
Nicholas Reese 7-19
CEC LUMBERJACKS
Head Coach: Allen Denman
Overall Duals:
The Lumberjacks will have three section place winners back, including a state qualifier and three with experience. This is the only information I could gather from the section program.
Returning Wrestlers:
Aiden Thiesen 9th 28-7 2nd Sec.
Cavan Fjeld 9th 25-13 3rd Sec.
Warren Hietala 11th 25-10 4th Sec.
Bohdon Fjeld 12th 13-14
Brendan Malloy 9th 6-15
Patrick Lussier 9th 2-8