FAVORITES: WILLMAR CARDINALS and the BRAINERD WARRIORS
DARK HORSES: BEMIDJI LUMBERJACKS and the SARTELL SABRES
WILLMAR CARDINALS
Head Coach: Ed Oehlers
Central Lakes Conference; 12-0
Overall: 24-2
The Cardinals defeated the Spuds of Moorhead 47-19 and the Lumberjacks of Bemidji for the Section 8AAA Section duals. They were defeated by Anoka 37-24 in the State Quarterfinals. The Cardinals should be a big favorite to defend their Section dual title and their Central Lakes Conference honors. They graduated just three seniors, including one state place winner. They will return eight section place winners, seven super Section place winners and three state place winners. Their key leaders should include Conlan Carlson, Jonas Anez, Mason Swanson, Ivan Ciriaco-Mares, Braden Erickson and Sullivan Anez.
RETURNING WRESTLERS:
Conlan Carlson 9th 30-3 Top 2/2nd/5th State/AC
Jonas Anez 12th 29-3 Top 2/2nd/5th State/AC
Mason Swanson 12th 24-9 Top 2/2nd/6th State/AC
Ivan Ciriaco-Mares 10th 21-11 Top 4/5th
Braden Erickson 11th 21-7 Top 2/Injured/AC
Sullivan Anez 9th 21-3 Top 4/2nd
Joe Kallevig 12th 20-12 Top 4/5th/AC
Steven Cruze 9th 17-12 Top 4
Jorge Zelaya-Velasquez 12th 6-17
Daunte Castellano 10th 1-4
GRADUATES:
Kaden Streed 26-6 Top 2/2nd/5th/AC
Caden Carlson 25-6 Top 2/2nd/AC
Tyler Ludwig 6-6 Top 5
BRAINERD WARRIORS
Head Coach; Mikkel White
Central Lakes Conference: 11-4
Overall: 22-11
The Warriors defeated St. Cloud Tech in their first Section 8AAA dual 35-33 and they were defeated by Bemidji 41-21 in the Section dual semifinals. The Warriors graduated three seniors. Including a pair of super section place winners. They will have back eight section place winners and five super section place winners, of which six were Central Lakes All Conference. Look for the Warriors to make a strong challenge for a spot in the Section 8AAA dual championship and for possible Central Lakes Conference honors. The Warriors should challenge those dual meet marks from last season. Their key leaders should included Gabe Wagner, Easton Dircks, Cole Ostrowski and Isaiah Jillson
RETURNING WRESTLERS:
Gabe Wagner 12th 35-7 Top 4/1st/3rd State/AC
Easton Dircks 8th 30-7 Top 2/5th/AC
Isaiah Jillson 11th 30-8 Top 2/5th/AC
Cade Ostrowksi 10th 27-12 Top 4/5th/AC
Shane Carlson 9th 19-17 Top 5/AC
Isaiah Germann 11th 18-19 Top 4/5th/AC
Damien Bentho 11th 13-22 Top 5
Gus Wagner 11th 8-23 Top 4
Adam Cox 12th 1-17
GRADUATES:
Kyle Eschenbacher 31-8 Top 4/5th/AC (111-43 Career)
Forrest Gibson 19-10 Top 4/5th (83-47 Career)
Cole Larkin 13-21 Top 5
BEMIDJI LUMBERJACKS
Head Coach: Rance Bahr
Central Lakes Conference: 12-2
Overall: 29-3
The Lumberjacks defeated the Sabres of Sartell-St. Stephen in the Section 8AAA duals and 48-13 and they defeated the Warriors of Brainerd 41-21 in the semifinals. They were defeated for the Section 8AAA title by Willmar 37-22. The Lumberjacks did graduate seven seniors, including four super section place winners. They will have six section place winners and three super section place that will return. Along with five others with a great deal of experience. Look for them to make a challenge for a top four spot in this section dual meet campaign. Their key leaders should including: Seth Newby, Barrick Nelson, Coy Olson, Thade Osborn, Brody Castonguay and Hunter Heim.
RETURNING WRESTLERS:
Seth Newby 11th 30-7 Top 2/3rd/AC
Barrick Nelson 11th 24-6 Top 2/2nd/AC
Thade Osborn 12th 20-6
Brody Castonguay 10th 17-8
Coy Olsen 11th 15-18 Top 5
Gavin Osborn 9th 14-7
Hunter Heim 11th 13-11 Top 4/5th
Dane Jorgensen 11th 12-11 Top 5
Jared Frenzel 12th 11-5
Nate Schwighammer 12th 12-9 Top 5/AC
Alex Newby 9th 11-13
GRADUATES:
Colton Hinrichs 26-7 Top 2/5th/AC (103-54 Career)
Caleb Bahr 26-11 Top 2/4th/AC (74-28 Career)
Hoyt Solum 20-8 Top 4/5th/AC (26-13 Career)
Darren Roth 19-7 Top 2/5th/AC (97-23 Career)
Seth Sisneros 15-16 Top 5 (30-36 Career)
JD Kondos 9-12 Top 5
Noah Leffelman 9-15 Top 4
Owen Seitz
SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN SABRES
Head Coach: Cody Olson
Central Lakes Conference: 5-8
Overall: 9-17
The Sabres were defeated by the Lumberjacks of Bemidji 48-13 in the Section 8AAA semifinals. They did graduate seven seniors last spring, including four Section place winners and one state place winner. Despite the loss thru graduation, they will have eleven back with varsity experience. This includes five section place winners and three super section place winners and one state place winner. So look for them to make a challenge, if they can stay healthy, for a top four spot in the Section 8AAA duals meet campaign. They should challenge their dual meet marks from last season. Their key leaders should include: Spencer Johnson, Dylan Enriquez, Dutch Norby, William Budge and Ashton Lipinski.
RETURNING WRESTLERS:
Spencer Johnson 12th 31-3 Top 2/1st/5th State/AC
Dylan Enriquez 12th 22-3 Top 2/4th/AC
Dutch Norby 12th 21-7 Top 5/AC
William Budge 12th 15-8 Top 5/AC
Ashton Lipinski 12th 12-6 Top 4/4th
Dylan Welle 12th 8-19
Zach Anderson 10th 7-22
Calen O’Connell 12th 4-5
Ryan Joyce 12th 4-16
Kaden Brooks 11th 4-15
Adam Haffner 12th 2-3
Donovan Lund 10th 1-5
Tucker Mugg 10th 1-0
GRADUATES:
Ethan Torgrimson 27-6 Top 2/1st/4th State/AC
Avery Kouba 6-9 Top 5
Austin Frauenholtz 6-11 Top 4
Logan Robebush 2-8 Top 5
Carter Swenson 6-8
Bret Thayer 8-14
Deegan LaSart 2-15
ST. CLOUD TECH TIGERS
Co-Head Coaches: Bob Boeck/Scott Davis
Centra Lakes Conference: 8-4
Overall: 9-12
The Tigers were defeated in their first round of section duals by Brainerd 35-33. They graduated just two last spring, two section place winners and one super section place winner. They will have eleven back with a experience, including seven section place winners, a pair of super section place winners and a state medal winner. Look for the Tigers to improve on their dual meet numbers from last season. They will have former Head Coach Bob Boeck back at the helm including national Hall of Fame Coach Scott Davis. They could make a challenge for top four spot in both the Section dual meet campaign and the conference. Their key leaders should include: Jaxon Kenning, Tucker Hugg, Cody Brott and Aiden Orth.
RETURNING WRESTLERS:
Jaxon Kenning 10th 25-6 Top 2/2nd/4th State (AC)
Tucker Hugg 11th 21-5 Top 4 (AC)
Andy Johnson 12th 13-8 Didn’t wrestle
Cody Brott 12th 16-6 Top 4/5th
Aiden Orth 11th 13-13 Top 4
Tanner Hugg 8th 10-15 Top 5
Noah Neuman 8th 8-16 Top 5
Nick Hamak 12th 7-17 Top 5
Jesus Ruiz 10th 7-15
Sam Long 10th 9-15
Logan Lunceford 10th 2-15
Sutton Kenning 8th 10-9
GRADUATES:
Mahamat Hissein 16-8 Top 5 (AC)
Spencer Gustin 14-5 Top 2/5th (AC)
BUFFALO BISON
Head Coach: Jeff Granrud
Lake Conference: 4-2
Overall: 8-15
The Bison were defeated in their first section dual by Little Falls 48-26. They did graduate four last spring including two super section place winners. They will return fourteen with a wide range of varsity experience. They could possibly challenge those dual meet numbers from last season. They will return five section place winners and two super section place winners. Their key leaders should include Owen Herbst, Macray Klohs, Brennen Halderson, Jacobs Scherber and Matt Carlson.
RETURNING WRESTLERS:
Owen Herbst 12th 28-2 Top 2/1st/AC
Macray Klohs 12th 21-9 Top 2/3rd
Brennen Halderson 12h 12-15 Top 5
Jacobs Scherber 10th 10-12
Matt Carlson 10th 10-4
Aiden Herbst 8th 10-16
Cole Madsen 12th 9-14 Top 4
Jacob Cremers 11th 7-8 Top 5
Brandon Vecker 12th 2-8
Carter Walker 11th 2-8
Riggs Tuchtenhagen 11th 5-14
Jake Dahlheimer 10th 2-15
Cody Grant 12th 1-14
Jonah Anderson 11th 1-4
GRADUATES:
Ryan Scherber 21-5 Top 2/5th/AC. (133-36 Career)
Sully Scherber 19-10 Top 2/3rd (46-38 Career)
Austin Carter 4-12 (15-43 Career)
John Dahlheimer 7-7 (45-45 Career)
LITTLE FALLS FLYERS
Head Coach: Simon Waltman
Granite Ridge Conference: 3-3
Overall: 13-14
The Flyers defeated the Bison of Buffalo in their first round of section duals 48-26 and they were defeated by Willmar 48 to 17. They did graduate two last spring, including a state runner-up. They will returning ten with varsity experience, including six Section Place Winners and one super section place winner. Look for the Flyers to improve those dual meet marks from last season. Their key leaders should include: Austin Litke, Eli VanRisseghem and Kobi Cameron.
RETURNING WRESTLERS:
Austin Litke 12th 26-8 Top 2/3rd/AC
Eli VanRisseghem 12th 22-11 Top 5
Kobi Cameron 8th 16-13 (AC)
Ryan Kloecki 11th 10-21 Top 4
Beau Robinson 9th 10-13 Top 4
Mason Rausch 9th 10-15 Top 5
Hank LeClair 10th 8-21
Bryce Udy 12th 7-16
Wyatt Baum 11th 6-12
Jonah Olson 11th 3-12 Top 4
GRADUATES:
Gabe Nagel 32-1 Top 2/1st/2nd State/AC (213-32)
Nathaniel Kludt 16-9 Top 4/AC (38-40 Career)
Peyton Carll 7-15 (15-56 Career)
MOORHEAD SPUDS
Head Coach: Gerod Fugleberg
Independent:
The Spuds were defeated by Willmar 27-19 in the first section dual. They did graduate five seniors last spring, including three section place winner and a super section place winner. They will have six back with a wide range of experience. Their key leaders should include Dan Ellingsberg, Lee Ellingsberg and Evan Frankhanel.
RETURNING WRESTLERS:
Evan Fankhanel 12th 19-9
Lee Ellingsberg 10th 18-12 Top 5
Evan Fankhanel 10th 12-18 Top 5
Dane Ellingsberg 8th 10-19 Top 5
Jack Olstad 9th 3-20
Bridget Mongeau 10th 2-9 Top 5
Nicholas Smith 11th 1-15
GRADUATES:
Arzheen Shahin 22-8 Top 2/5th
Jack Newcomb 17-12
Jaydon Coley 14-15 Top 5
Jackson Gotta 14-10 Top 4
Jack Greelis 4-20