St. Michael-Albertville continued its reign over Class 3A wrestling Thursday, winning its second consecutive title in dominant fashion.
The Knights downed Shakopee 46-18 in the final to cap a day in which St. Michael-Albertville won its three matches by a combined score of 160-26.
The Knights finished a perfect 27-0 on the season, with 23 of the victories coming by 35-plus points. St. Michael-Albertville coach Josh Joriman noted there were multiple matches he figured would be competitive in Thursday’s final, but added his guys simply wrestled “really well,” as they have all season.
The Knights sport what is, by far, the state’s deepest lineup, a product of the quality of the team’s room.
“We’ve got a lot of tough guys who are competing nonstop and they compete with each other here,” Joriman said. “I think the balance (in the lineup) comes from (the idea that) iron sharpens iron. … It just raises the level for everybody.”
There was no doubt in the minds of many that the Knights would be the ones lifting the trophy at day’s end. And yet St. Michael-Albertville wouldn’t be overcome by overconfidence. Not after what happened two years ago, when the Knights were stunned by Hastings in the state final in a match it once led 32-9.
“Never (overlooking anyone) again,” Knights senior Jarrett Wadsen said. “After that, our whole team’s humbleness — we don’t talk as much crap anymore, that’s for sure.”
Wadsen said it was “really cool” to think about the historic season his team just completed.
“Knowing that this is my senior year, my last year, and we put a stamp on it,” he said. “It just feels awesome.”
Shakopee reached the state final by edging third-seeded Stillwater 27-26 in a duel in which the Ponies — who would’ve won a tiebreaker of matches won — lost a point for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Stillwater — who kept its regular-season match relatively close with the Knights, falling 39-23 — held a 21-5 lead in the semifinals, thanks to its dominance at the lower weights. But Shakopee rallied from there, winning five of the final six matches.
Stillwater won the third-place match over Albert Lea 32-28.
St. Michael-Albertville’s closest duel all season was a 30-21 victory over Watertown Mayer, who claimed the Class 2A crown on Thursday. The Royals (22-1) topped Kasson-Mantorville 33-20 in the final.
Watertown Mayer’s victory — its first state title in program history — marks the first time since 2007 that someone other than the KoMets or Simley won the Class 2A title.
Bryce Burkett secured the title for the Royals with a pin in the 189-pound match.
The KoMets reached the final by edging Simley 31-27 in the afternoon semifinals. That victory officially ended Simley’s run of six straight team state titles.
Kasson-Mantorville entered the heavyweight bout with a 28-27 lead and sealed the match on a 7-0 decision from Jacob Duitsman, who wrestled up two weight classes.
But as is the case with all duels, the contest was decided through bonus points and swing matches throughout the affair. It was exactly the type of duel, and day, Simley coach Will Short expected.
The Spartans were tested from the beginning of the day to the end. They got past Grand Rapids in the morning on a tiebreaker of seven matches won to six after the two teams both finished with 33 points. That came down to Jake Kos and Damir Safronov pulling out majors to nab extra points, among other things.
Simley fell 28-26 to Becker in the third-place match, a bout that was determined by a 215-pound match that Becker’s Aiden Golley won in an ultimate tiebreaker.
“We knew that’s exactly how our duels were going to go in the whole tournament,” Short said. “We just weren’t steady enough at every weight.”
But while Simley would’ve loved a seventh straight crown, and did believe it had a shot at one, pride was the main emotion that Short exuded at day’s end.
“We’ve got no regrets,” Short said. “I’m saying this — and I really mean it — my coaching staff and my kids have worked extremely hard this year to put us in a position from being a match away from being in the finals.”
He noted how much fun Thursday was. The Spartans rolled to titles in past years. Short noted he indeed loves to win. But this year’s team tournament provided pulse-pounding action throughout.
But, the Spartans did come up short. So now, after the weekend’s individual competitions, Short said they’ll enter an evaluation period and discuss with returning wrestlers — of which there are many — what needs to be done to come out on top in 2026.
The last shortfall led to six consecutive state titles. Perhaps more championships are to come. Between Kos, Adrian and Aiden Mincy, Amilio Salas and others, there’s plenty to work with.
“I think this team will be hungry next and will want to be back here. Because now we’re behind, and we have to go find a way to go get ourselves back to the top,” Short said. “I’m just excited for our kids, I really am.”
Staples-Motley topped defending champion Chatfield 33-16 for the Class A title — its first state championship since Staples won seven in an eight-year span ranging from 1978-85. Staples-Motley is coached by Jim Jackson, the former coach of Apple Valley, Shakopee and Eden Prairie.
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