File photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm Area Eagles junior Lane Ruch tries to get his opponent Mason Bungarden on his back during a 215-pound matchup at a nonconference prep wrestling dual at New Ulm High School on Dec. 11, 2025.

NEW ULM — It may have been just two years ago, but a lot has changed for the New Ulm Area Eagles wrestling team since then.

Now undefeated on the season at 18-0, the Eagles will have a chance to avenge their 2024 Big South Conference title loss when they host the Jackson County Central Huskies on Thursday.

The Huskies came away with a 35-28 win over NUA on Feb. 10, 2024, at New Ulm High School, capturing the Big South Conference title. With several new matchups and varsity spots earned since then, the Eagles do return several wrestlers who experienced that conference title dual defeat.

Regan Johnson, Kane Johnson, Alex Portner, Tegan Kral, Elijah Rieser, Braxton Kiecker and Lane Ruch all competed for NUA during that conference title meet two years ago and are looking forward to hosting the Huskies again this year.

The Huskies, leaders in the BSC, Gold Division, are 12-2 on the season and 6-0 in conference matches, while the Black Division and undefeated Eagles are 18-0 on the season and 6-0 in the conference.

“They’re a good program,” Eagles head coach Kevin Briggs said of JCC. “That’s why they’re perennially in the state tournament, they perennially have individuals at the state tournament and in my opinion, they’re getting better as the season goes on and they’re finally also getting healthy. I believe that we will see their best and it should be a good dual.”

The Eagles won the Big South Conference Tournament team title this season and this will be the third year in a row competing for the Big South Conference championship.

After losses to JCC in 2024 and Marshall in 2025, NUA will be looking to win the Big South title for the first time in history on Thursday.

“We won the individual [Big South] tournament by adding up all the individual scores, that’s what we did for the first time in 20 years,” coach Briggs said. “This will be the third year in a row that we’re in this championship dual, but we’ve come up short the last two times, so we’ll see if we can get it done this time. But it’s another opportunity to get better, to wrestle some good competition and get prepared for the postseason.”

Coach Briggs said that much like his team, JCC has a stacked lineup.

“I believe they are really tough from 139 to 160, but they’re kind of like us, I don’t think they put a bad kid on the mats anywhere,” coach Briggs said. “So those four matches will be big to see if we can get two or three or four of those and those will predicate the final score.”

NUA’s typical starting lineup this season has consisted of freshman Chase Wilson (24-9) at 107, junior Regan Johnson (29-6) at 114, eighth-grader Chael Johnson (13-6) at 121, senior Brayden Miller (13-13) at 121 or 127, junior Alex Portner (27-7) at 127 or 133 and junior Kane Johnson at 133 or 139 (31-5).

From 139-160 has seen NUA putting senior Elijah Rieser (26-11) at 139 or 145, senior Tegan Kral (21-15) at 145 or 152 and senior Braxton Kiecker (26-11) at 160. Senior Candon Briggs (27-11) has wrestled at 160 and 172 this season for NUA, while senior Dirk Haynes (12-14) has wrestled at 172 and 189, junior Lane Ruch (24-5) has wrestled at 189 and 215, senior Tilken Fruhwirth has wrestled at 215 and heavyweight and Emerson Johnson (15-13) has filled in the heavyweight spot.

Eighth-grader Cohen Kiecker and sophomore Cole Voges have also filled in spots for NUA this season and turned in winning records, with Kiecker going 8-5 at 121 and Voges going 6-5 at 189.

Sophomore Kyler Thier has been ranked in Class A this season in the top three at 139 for JCC, while senior Evan Bartholomaus has ranked in the top 10 at 160. Freshman Payten Sorbel has opened the night for JCC at 107 and has ranked in the top 10 Class A 107-pounders also this season. Senior Isaac Rodriguez has also been a top 10 wrestler in the state for JCC at 133.

As the Eagles look to end the night with their first-ever Big South Conference title on Thursday, they’ll also be trying to keep their undefeated streak going as they prepare for postseason wrestling, which begins Feb. 12 at the high seed.

“We talk about not getting complacent and trying to stack practices, making practice the big deal,” coach Briggs said. “That’s where we get better. We understand that we have a great opportunity ahead of us, but we have to keep doing what’s got us here. Pressure is what you make of it. I think pressure is a privilege, and so if our guys are feeling the pressure, they haven’t really showed it yet.”

The Eagles girls basketball team will begin New Ulm High School’s evening of activities Thursday with a 5 p.m. game hosting Marshall, while the Eagles wrestling team ends the night with their 7 p.m. conference championship dual against the Huskies. Tickets are $7 for the basketball game and $5 for wrestling, but New Ulm activity passes will be accepted and those who attend the girls basketball game are able to stay and enjoy the Big South title match for free.