Staff photo by Ari Selvey New Ulm Area's Winsten Nienhaus, top, grapples with Grand Rapids' Justin Jobe during the semifinal round of the consolation bracket of the Class AA State Individual Wrestling Tournament Saturday at Xcel Energy Center.

ST. PAUL — Last season, New Ulm Area’s Winsten Nienhaus missed the Class AA State Individual Wrestling Tournament after suffering a broken hand just before section tournaments began.

“In theory, I should have made it,” Nienhaus said. “I beat both the kids that got sent here last year. Then I broke my hand the day before sections, which was a bummer.”

This year, Nienhaus more than proved he belonged in the tourney, taking fourth place at 145 pounds Saturday at Xcel Energy Center.

Along with medaling at state, Nienhaus accomplished plenty during this season.

“I came into the tournament with a couple big goals,” Nienhaus said. “I came in with 44 wins, and I was trying to tie or beat Evan’s [Thompson, fellow NUA state wrestler] record that he set last year. He got 46 wins in a single season, and I set it with my last match. I got my 46th win of the season, so I’m pretty proud to be a co-holder with one of my best friends in the New Ulm record books. I joined the 20-pin club, I joined the 100 takedown club this season, I set a bunch of records just for this year.”

Nienhaus first wrestled Rocori’s Jack Major at 145 in the Class AA consolation bracket Saturday, scoring an escape in the second before being taken down and scoring another escape to tie the match at 2. Nienhaus got a takedown of his own in the third, along with a 3-point near fall. Major managed a reversal, but Nienhaus got a reversal of his own to seal a 9-4 decision and clinch a medal.

Nienhaus faced off against Grand Rapids’ Justin Jobe in the consolation semifinals, and after a scoreless first period, Nienhaus scored an escape in the second. It was the only point that he needed, as held on during the third period for the win to advance to the third-place match.

Nienhaus wrestled against Becker’s Landen Kujawa in the third-place match. Nienhaus was unable to get the win in his final match, losing by a 7-3 decision, but he was still happy with the season he had.

“It’s really something to be proud of,” he said. “It’s not the end result that I wanted, but I still feel like I made New Ulm quite proud with my teammates, and ultimately showed that Sleepy Eye has some good wrestlers in it.”

Also for NUA, Thompson faced Rocori’s Grady Minnerath at 285 in the semifinals after winning two matches the previous day, losing by fall in 2:46. Thompson lost to Austin’s Samuel Winkels with a 6-2 decision in the consolation bracket semifinals.

Thompson came back in the fifth-place match against Scott West’s Carson Schoenbauer. Neither wrestler scored in the first, and Schoenbauer started down and got an escape in the second.

In the third, Thompson tied it up with an escape and followed that up with a quick takedown, along with a 2-point near fall to take a 5-1 lead. After a reset, Schoenbauer got an escape and a takedown of Thompson but was unable to attempt to follow it up as time expired, giving Thompson the 5-4 decision.

Thompson improved one spot from his state finish a year ago, moving up from sixth to fifth in his senior season.

“It wasn’t the outcome I was looking for, but I’m happy I can end this roller coaster on a win,” Thompson said. “I wanted to be in the state finals. Yesterday I did what I needed to, and today I just didn’t show up like I should have. I took it for granted … It’s been crazy. I have a love/hate relationship with this sport. All the ups, I’ve got to give thanks to my teammates, my coaches, my family more than anything. The support’s been crazy. I don’t know what I’d do without wrestling.”