Bryce Siem,

St. James/Madelia

Siem came on to the varsity wrestling scene with a bang, going 47-2 with 36 pins, 232 team points and 54 takedowns. Siem won the St. James Classic, the Big South Conference individual tournament, the Wabasso Tournament, the Springfield tournament, finished as runner-up at the Redwood River Riot and placed third in the section tournament. Siem’s work ethic and coachability allowed him to earn an All-Conference selection this season as well.

Regan Johnson,

Jr., 114, NUA

Johnson finished his junior season with his second consecutive 39-win campaign and his first trip to the state tournament. Johnson’s grit and toughness allow him to win almost every scramble. The junior was a finalist at the Don Hall, and the Redwood Riot tournaments while winning the Tom Keating invite. He was an All-Conference wrestler as well. He improved so much in the neutral position, and is one the hardest working wrestlers in the room. A captain this season, he hit milestone markers of 100 career wins and 25 pins.

Ryder Antony, Jr.,

121, LCWMA

A four-time state qualifier, Antony fell just one match short of placing at the state tournament this year. A team captain and an All-Conference Wrestler, Antony posted a 38-10 record this season with 63 takedowns, 114 team points, 15 pins and six tech falls. Antony finished the season ranked eighth in the state.

Alex Portner, Jr.,

127, NUA

Portner had another solid season in his fifth year in the starting lineup, going 40-12. He strengthened his already good resume by returning to the state tournament for the second year in a row, placing fifth, making him an All-State wrestler. His speed on his feet and ability to change directions help him dominate the neutral position. Portner placed at the Redwood Riot, won the Tom Keating invite, won the Big South Conference Tournament and the Section 3AA tournaments. Portner has become one of the best tilters and scramblers on the team to go along with his exceptional talent in the neutral position. Portner surpassed the 125 career wins and 25-pin milestones along the way.

Kane Johnson, Jr.,

133, NUA 41-10

Johnson was ranked in the state from start to finish this season and demonstrated his talents early and consistently throughout the year. The two-time returning state qualifier placed second at the Don Hall invite, third at the Redwood River Riot, second at the Tom Keating invite, third at the conference tournament, first at the Highwater Ethanol invite and second at the Section 3AA tournaments. Johnson wrestled his best at the end of the season, getting bonus points for the team. With back-to-back 40-win seasons (41-10 this year), Johnson is still getting better heading into his senior year.

Julio Alejandro, Jr.,

133, Sibley East

An All-Conference and All-State wrestler, Alejandro went 21-6 after battling injuries all season. Alejandro qualified for the state tournament, where he finished on the podium with a sixth-place finish.

Ellie Romsdahl, Fr.,

136, St. James/Madelia

The first girl in school history to make the state tournament, Romsdahl posted a 28-11 overall record with 23 pins this season. Romsdahl won the Redwood Riot and earned her second All-Conference selection this year and placed second at the section tournament.

Elijah Rieser, Sr,.

139, NUA

This All-Conference, All-State wrestler continued to be a force in the lineup for the Eagles putting together a 43-11 season and qualifying for the individual state tournament, where he finished fourth. Rieser was second at the conference tourney, third at the Redwood River Riot and first at the Section 3AA tourney. He was 3-0 at team state and 4-2 on the individual side of the state tournament. The senior captain hit a career win milestone of 175 and 25 pins en route to finishing third in school history with 179 wins.

Tanner Johnson Jr.,

139, Sibley East

Johnson put together a strong junior season, placing second at the section tournament to qualify for the state tournament. Johnson posted a 30-17 overall record this season.

Braxton Kiecker, Sr.,

152, NUA 35-15

The All-Conference Kiecker led the team in falls with 22 while registering back-to-back 30 win seasons for the Eagles, going 35-15 this year. He placed in every tournament he wrestled and narrowly missed out on a trip to state individually, placing third at the section tournament. The senior wrestled three of his best career matches at team state. Kiecker hit milestone markers of 75 wins and 50 pins during his second consecutive 30-win season.

Candon Briggs, Sr., 160/172, NUA

Briggs bumped around weight classes for the Eagles and settled individually at 172 lbs. That strategy earned him a Section 3AA championship and trip to State. His hard work in the wrestling room and dedication to the weight room mixed with a shot of confidence midseason allowed Briggs to turn the corner and really wrestle well down the stretch, going 39-14 this year. The All-Conference captain earned himself an All-State Tournament Team accolade with his 3-0 record at the state tournament. Briggs’ pin in State Semifinals will forever be one of Coach Briggs’ all-time favorite coaching memories.

Ellie Dake, Sr.,

170, NUA

Dake worked hard this season to get back to her best wrestling after missing most of her junior year to injury. A leader for the New Ulm Girls Wrestling both on and off the mat, she’s always willing to give guidance or lead a hand to her teammates. Her strong power, half nelson and quick mat sense helped her to dominate her competition throughout the season, placing her at the top of the podium at the Buffalo Wild Wings Hutchinson Girls Invitational, Hopkins Athena Invitational, Tom Keating Invitational, Big South Conference, Rochester Century Girls Invitational, 3AA Section and helping her make her way back to her third state tournament appearance where she ended her season placing third in state, her third All-State finish of her career.

Gianny Lopez Sr.,

172, Sibley East

Lopez made a state tournament appearance this season, going 18-28 on the year. He finished second at the Section 4A Tournament.

Lane Ruch, Jr.,

189, NUA

Ruch was a key member in the upper weights for NUA and put together a 40-win season. His junior season saw career win number 100, an All-Conference selection, an All-State Tournament selection, and a sixth-place finish in the individual state tournament as he finished 40-10. Ruch won six matches all together at the state tournament. Ruch has an excellent single leg and gets better as the match goes on with his ability to wear out his opponent.

Mason Kampsen, Sr.,

215, Wabasso

Kampsen qualified for the state tournament for the first time this season after placing second at the section tournament. Kampsen finished his career just shy of 75 wins, coming on strong in his junior and senior seasons and went 28-13 his senior year.

Mason Adams, Jr.,

285, LCWMA

A two-time state qualifier, Adams placed third in this year’s state tournament after a 48-2 record this season. Adams earned All-Conference honors and had 81 takedowns, 32 pins, 123 team points and four tech falls. For his career, Adams already has 140 career wins and 89 career pins with a season to go.

Honorable Mention

107 – Chase Wilson, Fr., NUA – 35-11, All-State Tournament Team

130 – Karli Horner, 8th, NUA – 23-12, 2nd in conference

139 – Tegan Kral, Sr., NUA – 26-14, 5th at sections, All-Conference

170 – Heidi Foy, So.,Wabasso – 19-7, 3rd at sections

189 – Paytin Johnson, Sr., Springfield – 25-5, injured before postseason

285 – Axel Cardenas, Sr., Sibley East – 39-11, 3rd at sections

EDITOR’S NOTE: Only area wrestlers nominated by coaches were eligible for All-Journal recognition.