Meet the 2022-23 Post Bulletin All-Area Boys Wrestling Team

After four state champions and many state medalists, it was hard to imagine southeastern Minnesota boys wrestlers being able to replicate the success they had in 2021-2022.

Yet, it turns out area grapplers did even better in 2022-23.

In the end, the area witnessed six state champions — Chatfield's Javier Berg (106 pounds), Caledonia/Houston's Tucker Ginther (145), Dover-Eyota's Brodie Kellen (152) and Gavin Gust (160), Kasson-Mantorville's Cole Glazier (170) and Chatfield's Kail Schott (182) — with many more bringing home medals.

Those champions highlight this year's Post Bulletin All-Area Boys Wrestling Team, which features the 28 best pound-for-pound area wrestlers on a first and second team:

The Post Bulletin Wrestler of the Year, Glazier admitted he got the metaphorical monkey off his back by capturing the state title that had eluded him after close calls the past few years. From start to finish, Glazier had the most dominating season. He was ranked nationally from the start, proving the national pundits right by winning the Donnybrook in Iowa as well as the Minnesota Christmas Tournament. His only loss came to the then No. 6-ranked 170-pounder in the country in the Cheesehead Invitational finals. He then barely broke a sweat on his way to section and state titles. He will compete at St. Cloud State University next year.

Berg was admittedly disappointed with his performance at state last year, when he did not medal despite being a favorite to do so. It fueled him for this season. The sophomore was the top-ranked 106-pounder in the state by The Guillotine for the majority of the season, and was practically unbeatable en route to his second straight Section 1A title. This time though, he took care of business, winning a state title in impressive fashion as a sophomore. Better yet, Berg and his sister, Chloe, were both in the state finals at their respective weight class and return next year.

The senior was one of the more enjoyable wrestlers to watch all season, using a rare combination of speed and strength. Few could score against him and few could last the full three periods before wearing down against him. He placed second in the prestigious Bi-State Classic in La Crosse, Wis., and was also a key reason why the Warriors brought home the program's second state runner-up finish, placing second in Class A. He followed it up with an incredible state tournament that saw him win a state title at 145 pounds. It left his coach Shay Mahoney in tears afterwards.

Much like Glazier, Kellen had been so close in recent years, collecting a few different state medals, but had yet to capture that state title. After a sports hernia injury ended his senior soccer season, he turned his full focus to the wrestling mat. He was simply on a different level throughout the year, going 47-3, before capturing his first state title with a never-in-doubt 5-2 decision in the Class A 152 final.

An easy argument could be made that Gust is the best to ever represent the Dover-Eyota program. He owns the program mark for most career wins with more than 240 and fully cemented his legendary status with his second consecutive state title this year. Simply one of the best technicians in the sport, what made this year even better for Gust was watching his good friend and lifelong grappling partner Kellen win a state title.

Like his teammate Berg, Schott was not happy when he missed out on the podium at state as a sophomore. Yet, after a car accident left Schott with a broken neck and unsure of whether or not he would ever even do competitive sports again, Schott's chance for redemption looked like it would never happen. Yet, Schott overcame the odds, playing a key role in the Chatfield football team's run to the Class AA state championship game. He saved his best for the wrestling season though, capping it with a thrilling come-from-behind victory in the Class A 182-pound final to join his brother Grady as a state champion.

Kennedy put it all together this season. He used solid performances at the Minnesota Christmas Tournament and the Cheesehead Invitational to launch himself into the final two months of the season in full force. He handed Caledonia/Houston's Ginther one of his two losses in January and won a Section 1AA title, before making a run all the way to the Class AA state final. That's where he fell to now three-time state champion and North Carolina State University commit Koy Buesgens of New Prague. Buesgens finished the season 54-0.

The University of Minnesota-Duluth football commit was a state-qualifier as a junior, but became one of the top heavyweights in Class AA his senior year. He placed in the top-three at both the Minnesota Christmas Tournament and the Rumble on the Red at the FargoDome in Fargo, N.D. Geerts was knocked off in the Section 1AA final, but bounced back with a stellar state tournament, placing third.

The Kenyon-Wanamingo junior quietly had an efficient season. He became known after knocking off the top-ranked 138-pounder in the state, previously unbeaten Cohen Wiste, in the Section 1A semifinals. Johnson followed that by becoming a state semifinalist, before placing third at 138 pounds in Class A.

Another Warrior on this list, Denstad finished two wins shy of 50, going 48-5 with four of those losses coming to wrestlers outside of Minnesota. His other loss came in the state semifinals to now three-time state champ Nolan Ambrose of back-to-back state dual champion Jackson County Central. Denstad, a junior, is now a two-time state semifinalist and now a two-time third-place finisher.

A junior, Lochner was ranked as a top-five 152-pounder in Class AA by The Guillotine all season long and capped it with a solid state tournament. Lochner collected his first state medal with a third-place finish by defeating Kasson-Mantorville's Luke Swanson by ultimate tie break 3-2. Lochner had fallen to Swanson twice this season, including in the Section 1AA final. Lochner reached the third-place match after winning with a tie-breaker in the consolation semifinals.

Sheehan was a state quaterfinalist as a freshman, but took a step up this year. One of the quickest on his feet, few found success scoring on the sophomore. He won 37 of 42 matches, including his first Section 1AAA title. He went on to reach the state semifinals where he lost to Anoka stud Elijah Paulson in a tightly contested 5-2 match. He dropped his consolation match 1-0 but responded to claim fifth for his first state medal — more are in his future.

One of the better linebackers around on the football field, Small once again reminded people how good he is on the wrestling mat. The senior captured his second state medal, placing fourth at 195 pounds in Class A — he nearly took third, before a last-second two-points from his opponent. Small won the Cannon Falls Invitational, the Pine Island Invitational and he collected his first Section 1A title.

A state-qualifier a year ago, Swanson was expected to take a leap for a Kasson-Mantorville squad that graduated plenty of talent. He did just that, capturing a Section 1AA title by knocking off the aforementioned Lochner. He placed fourth in a tough weight division after winning by sudden victory in his consolation semifinal.

The senior was a Class A state semifinalist at 170 where he fell to eventual state champ Collin Boese. Johnson went on to earn his first state medal, placing fourth. During the season, he defeated a couple of different wrestlers on this list, including Small and Landon Lehnertz.

The junior collected his second consecutive Section 1AA title and third consecutive state medal with a fifth place finish at 126. He beat Cannon Falls standout Calvin Singewald for the section title.

A Bombers' standout, Singewald also fell to Krier in the Bi-State Classic finals, yet Singewald finished higher on the podium in St. Paul. A junior, Singewald placed fourth at 126 pounds, finishing 45-8 on the season.

Lehnertz nearly had a Section 1A title, but lost to Johnson by ultimate tie-break 3-2 in the finals. In his first state tournament, the junior did well, placing sixth after dropping his opening match.

Peper won his second consecutive Section 1AAA title and was one of the many reasons Mayo reached the program's first team state tournament. He didn't place at the individual state meet, but was named to the Class AAA All-Tournament team after going 2-0 with two pins for the Spartans in the dual tournament.

After placing third at sections in 2022, Henningson won a Section 1AAA title to punch his ticket to state. In St. Paul, he reached the state semifinals, before falling to unbeaten and eventual state champion Alex Braun of Woodbury. Henningson went on to place fourth.

Jumping up to heavyweight, Callies was not threatened in Section 1AAA, needing just 15 seconds to pin Mayo's Caleb Loomis for the title. The senior lost his opening match at state by sudden victory 3-1 and didn't get an opportunity for a wrestleback.

If it wasn't for a couple of great Caledonia/Houston wrestlers, odds are Thesing would have a pair of Section 1A titles. This year, he fell to the aforementioned Denstad in the final and again in the Class A third-place match at state. It will be interesting to see what happens next year when the two are seniors. Thesing finished the year with a record of 47-7.

Yet another Dover-Eyota grappler on this list, Duellman was ranked in the top two — and even held the top spot for a time — in the Class A heavyweight rankings by The Guillotine throughout the year. He won another Section 1A title but fell in his opening match at state and the senior didn't get a wrestleback opportunity.

Now a two-time state qualifier, Bartels also placed fourth at the Bi-State Classic this year. The junior fought through an injury in the wrestlebacks to place sixth in the state in Class A at 126 pounds, after reaching the semifinals.

The sophomore won the Section 1AAA 220-pound title and entered state 37-3, before dropping his two matches. He's one of many to watch next year.

Another wrestler to keep an eye on next year is Peper. A junior and the younger brother of Dylan, Ethan was instrumental in helping the Spartans win a section title, going from 220 to 285 pounds whenever the team needed it. He won a Section 1AAA title and lost both of his matches at state.

The freshman got better and better as the year went on, before winning a Section 1AA title at 106. He won all three of his matches at the Class AA state team tournament where K-M placed fourth. He also went 2-2 at individual state.

Relatively comfortably, Schiell won his first section title at 132 pounds to qualify for his second state tournament. The senior went 2-2 in St. Paul and was a state quarterfinalist.

Caledonia/Houston: Braxton Lange (Section 1A champ), Cory Scanlan (Section 1A champ), Isaac Blocker, jr. (state-qualifier), Eric Mauss, sr., (state-qualifier), Ayden Goetzinger, sr., (state-qualifier), Grant Ness, sr., (state-qualifier); Cannon Falls: Colten Black, sr., (state-qualifier); Chatfield: Carson Rowland, so., (state-qualifier); Dover-Eyota: Tyler Mix, sr., (placed sixth at state); Aidan Gasper, sr. FCLMC: Orion Sass, sr., (state-qualifier); GMLOS: Cohen Wiste, sr., (44-1, finished third at sections); Goodhue: Jeremiah Bien, jr., (state-qualifier); John Marshall: Darius Jordan, jr., (third at sections); Kasson-Mantorville: Dominic Mann, jr, (Section 1AA champ), Jonah Coleman, fr., (state-qualifier), Aiden Friedrich, so., (third at sections), Eli Richardson, sr., (Section 1AA champ), Heath Parrish, sr., (Section 1AA champ); Kenyon-Wanamingo: Ryan LaCanne, fr., (state-qualifier), Will Van Epps, jr., (fifth at state); Mayo: Andrew Trimble, 7th, (state-qualifier), Juan Cobarruvais, fr., (Section 1AAA champ), Kellen Burger, 8th, (state-qualifier), Logan Burger, sr., (Section 1AAA champ); Caleb Loomis, 8th, Stewartville: Jace Deyoung, jr. (state-qualifier); Wabasha-Kellogg: Chris Cushman (state-qualifier); Zumbrota-Mazeppa: Ryan Lexvold (Section 1AA champ), Noah Schaeffer, fr., (state-qualifier), Laiken Copeman, jr., (state-qualifier), Wyatt Mulder, jr., (state-qualifier).