Julio Alejandro, 7th,

Sibley East, 106

Alejandro, despite being just a seventh-grader, scored some big wins for the Wolverines this season on the way to a 37-8 year. The promising young wrestler also had 19 pins and finished with 187 team points. He finished fifth in the section and was an All-Conference wrestler. Sibley East coach Chris Koob said that Alejandro beat a lot of kids on the state podium and has a bright future.

Kaysen Harms, Fr.,

Wabasso, 106

Harms went 36-9 this season to lead the Wabasso Rabbits on the mat and finished with 24 pins, the second most in a season in school history. While he had a tough outing at the Section 3A individual tourney and finished fifth at 106, head coach Cole Cooreman still described Harms’ freshman year as a “terrific season.”

Parker Kamm, So.,

NUA, 113

Big things were expected from Parker Kamm this season after finishing fourth at state last year at 106 pounds. Kamm finished his 2021-22 season with a second-place finish at both the Big South Conference tourney and the Section 3AA individuals, a repeat trip to state and a 17-5 record. NUA head coach Kevin Briggs called Kamm a “horse in the lineup” that teams had to work around in the lower weights. While Kamm dropped his only match at state and was denied a wrestleback, expectations will be high for him again next season as one of NUA’s top wrestlers.

Benito Diaz, Fr.,

Sibley East, 113

Diaz wrapped up an impressive freshman season with his first trip to the state tournament. While he didn’t end up placing at state, Diaz finished the season 38-7 with 23 pins and 204 team points. He was also first in the section and was named All-Conference.

Wyatt Schmidt, Jr., Springfield, 120

Schmidt wrestled at 120 and 126 this season and ended his junior year as one of the Tigers’ top performers. He went 32-15 this season with 21 pins, finishing fourth at 120 in the Section 3A individual tourney.

Logan Lee, So.,

NUA, 126

Lee finished another strong season for the Eagles with a 26-4 record. He finished third at the Glencoe-Silver Lake tourney at 126, third at the Big South Conference tourney and fifth at the Section 3AA individuals. He was also an All-Conference wrestler and continues to be one of NUA’s toughest.

Winsten Nienhaus,

So., NUA, 132

Taking his wrestling to a new level for the Eagles this season, Nienhaus finished the year leading the team in takedowns and wins. Nienhaus finished the season 39-5 while taking third at the Glencoe-Silver Lake tourney, third at the Big South tourney and third at the section individuals. The All-Conference wrestler out of Sleepy Eye will be looked at next season as one of NUA’s leaders and top wrestlers.

Marqavian Haefner, Jr., NUA, 138

Haefner was an All-Conference wrestler this season that finished 24-19. The team captain also finished fourth at 138 in the Big South Conference tourney and was second on the team in pins despite often wrestling at a higher weight class to benefit the team. He will be a strong senior leader for the Eagles next year.

Drayden Morton, Sr.,

Sibley East, 145

Morton finished his outstanding career with a Class A second-place medal at state at 145 pounds. He went 48-1 with 26 pins and 267 team points. The Section 4A champion and conference MVP also finished his career third in school history in wins and as a three-time state champion.

Ellie Dake, 8th,

NUA, 152

Dake made history for the Eagles wrestling team when she became the first girl at NUA to earn a trip to state to compete in the first-ever girls’ side of the state wrestling individual tourney. She continued to improve throughout the season and finished the year 24-11, winning the Section 1-4 girls’ tournament at 152 pounds and finishing second at the state tourney.

Jathan Mendoza, Jr.,

Sibley East, 152

Mendoza finished his junior year with a 32-12 record, 21 pins and 163 team points. He also finished third in the section and was an All-Conference wrestler. Head coach Chris Koob said that Mendoza was a captain this year that really became a leader for the team.

Ashtin Johnson, Sr., Springfield, 160

Johnson finished his senior year for the Tigers with a trip to the state wrestling individual tournament. He finished second in the section to qualify for state and ended the year with a 36-9 record and 25 pins. Head coach Todd Bertram said that Johnson “was a great leader for us (captain) and worked very hard all year to earn his first trip to the state tournament.”

Ty Frederick, So.,

NUA, 170

Despite a slower start to the season, Frederick turned things around later in the year by winning 13 of his final 18 matches to finish the season 18-22. He was also third on the team in pins and had a big win against Marshall in the Section 3AA Wrestling Team Tournament that sent the Eagles to the Final Four for the first time since 2006. He finished fourth individually at the Section 3AA individuals.

Aaron Elseth, Sr.,

Sibley East, 182

Elseth finished his senior year with the Wolverines with a 28-18 record. He also had 12 pins, 146 team points, was a team captain and was fourth at the Section 4A individual tournament at 182 pounds.

Dylen Carreon, Sr.,

NUA, 195

Carreon ended his senior year with a trip to his first-ever state wrestling tournament. He was an All-Conference wrestler, a third-place finisher at the Buffalo tournament, a third-place finisher at the Big South tournament and a second-place finisher at the Section 3AA individual tournament to advance to state. He finished the year 32-17 in just his third year of wrestling and led the team in escapes while being third on the team in takedowns.

Julian Hernandez,

Sr., NUA, 220

Hernandez ended his final season with a pin in the third-place match at 220 in the Section 3AA individual wrestling tourney. He finished second at the Buffalo tourney, second at the Red Rock Central tourney and second at the Big South Conference tourney. He also received All-Conference honors and finished the year with a 21-8 record.

Jaden Drill, Sr.,

NUA, 285

Drill capped off an impressive wrestling career for NUA with a Class AA fifth-place state medal at heavyweight. The two-time state qualifier earned All-State accolades for the second time as well and went 39-4. He was an All-Conference wrestler and led the team in almost all statistical categories, including pins and team points. Drill took first at the Redwood River Riot, Buffalo and Red Rock Central tournaments while finishing second at both the Glencoe-Silver Lake tourney and the Section 3AA individuals.

Omar Martinez, So.,

Sibley East, 285

Martinez finished his standout sophomore year with three wins at state and a Class A fifth-place medal at heavyweight. He also went 28-9 with 14 pins and 141 team points while being names an All-Conference wrestler. Wolverines head coach Chris Koob said Martinez took another step this year to get on the state podium and he’s excited to see Martinez continue to grow.

Honorable Mention

160 — Ryan Wiltscheck, Sr., NUA (25-22)

160 — Chase Irbeck, Wabasso (26-15, 16 pins)

182 — Sam Welch, Sr., Wabasso (19-14, 13 pins)

195 — Mitchell Streich, So., Springfield (27-16, 19 pins)

285 — Shane Clemon, Sr., Springfield (31-10, 18 pins)