Wrestling State Tournament Recap

To no one's surprise, the Apple Valley Eagles once again dominated the show at the State Wrestling Tournament, manhandling their way to the program's 17th team title and also claiming five individual Class AAA champions as Inver Grove Heights' Simley successfully defended its Class AA crown. Class AAA Apple Valley was barely tested in any of its three Class AAA team championship rounds, cruising past Stillwater (62-18) and eventual third-place finisher Bloomington Kennedy/Jefferson (44-27) before disposing of second-seeded Albert Lea, 62-6, for the title. Individually, a quintet of Eagles earned top honors in their respective weight classes, including four consecutively. Dakota Trom kicked off the victory parade at 112 pounds, followed by championships by Matt Kalliher at 119, Brandon Kingsley at 125 and Justin LaValle at 130. Tyler Lehmann made it a fab five after a triumph at 171. Other individual champions calling the metropolitan area home include: Kennedy/Jefferson's Robby Fisher at 135, Hastings' Luke Vaith at 140, Wayzata's Danny Zilverberg at 145, Anoka's Jake Begin at 152 and Jake Kettler at 285, Henry Sibley's Dan Coates at 160 and Coon Rapids' Erik Berdahl at 189. Class AA Simley overcame several challengers to the throne before earning another Class AA team title. The top-seeded Spartans fended off an upset bid from unseeded Scott West in a 31-25 win before downing No. 4 St. Michael-Albertville, 31-15, in the semis. Simley concluded its tourney by ending unseeded upstart Foley's Cinderella tournament run, 34-21, in the final for the championship. Mic Berg claimed Simley's lone individual championship with a state title at 189, while 112-pounder Dylan Wright finished second at 112. Other metropolitan-area victors included: Mahtomedi's Jake Grisell at 119, STMA's David Thorn at 125 and Jordan Campa at 160, St. Paul Humboldt's Devon Bonds at 130 and Becker's Brady Schrupp at 140. Thorn's title was the fourth individual crown of his high school career. Class A Top-seeded Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg rallied from a 19-0 deficit to defeat No. 2 Kenyon-Wanamingo in an outstate showdown by a 32-25 score in its inaugural Class A team tournament appearance. Team Results Class AAA 1. Apple Valley 2. Albert Lea 3. Bloomington Kennedy 4. Cambridge-Isanti 5. Wayzata 6. St. Cloud Apollo 7. Stillwater, Centennial Class AA 1. Simley 2. Foley 3. Plainview-Elgin-Millville 4. St. Michael-Albertville