Wrestling State Tournament: 2024 Class AA Team Recap

Simley’s wrestling dynasty added a 17^th chapter and another feat in its storied history at the Minnesota State High School League’s Wrestling State Tournament on Thursday, Feb. 29 at the Xcel Energy Center.

The top-seeded Spartans rolled early and got the best of longtime rival Kasson-Mantorville to record a 32-26 victory in the Class AA championship dual. It was the sixth consecutive Class AA crown for the Inver Grove Heights-based school. The recent run that began in 2019 and remains alive was fueled by a 22-0 run to start the match. It is the 17^th state championship all-time for the Spartans, whose lone loss was to Mounds View, the top seed in the Class AAA field.

Prior to Simley’s current run, Kasson-Mantorville won three Class AA titles in a row from 2016-2018.

While another Simley championship will surprise no one, the Spartans had to do so by tapping into their depth. Simley lost a star-studded group from last season’s roster and had to fill holes in its lineup this season in the wake of injuries.

Turner Ross and Austin Grzywinski had technical fall victories at 107 and 114 pounds, respectively, to give the Spartans a 10-0 lead. But a key victory came at 121 when Aiden Mincey edged Spencer Myers in dramatic fashion, 7-6, to extend Simley’s lead to 13-0. After a pin at 127 by Jake Kos, Justus Heeg pushed the advantage to 22-0 with a key victory.

Kasson-Mantorville stopped the tide with a technical fall victory by Owen Friedrich at 139, but Simley responded with an upset victory from Derrick Dohmen at 145, who edged Jonah Coleman, 3-2.

Later Vristol Short, the grandson of late Jim Short, the original architect and coach of the Simley dynasty, secured the latest championship with an overtime victory at 189.

In the semifinals, the Spartans advanced to yet another Class AA title dual with a 43-23 victory over No. 4 Becker in the semifinals. Simley set the tone early with a 9-3 decision from Turner Ross at 107 and a pin from Austin Grzywinski at 114 to build a 9-0 advantage.

Kasson-Mantorville completed the championship pairing with a 38-24 victory over No. 3 Totino-Grace in the other semifinal. Kasson-Mantorville, a four-time Class AA champion, used a 25-0 run through the middle weights to build an insurmountable lead. It was Totino-Grace’s first dual loss of the season.

Third place

Totino-Grace and Becker shared the third-place trophy after battling to a 30-all draw. Totino-Grace, seeded No. 3 in the Class AA field, trailed by nine points going into the final two matches. The Eagles secured those points after a pin by Cy Kruse at 215 and a decision by heavyweight Owen Swedberg.

Consolation

Dawson-Boyd/Lac qui Parle/Montevideo ended the season with a victory following a 42-18 win over Watertown Mayer-Mayer Lutheran. The United closed with pins at 215 (Zach DeBeer) and from heavyweight Brady Rhode.