Wrestling: Here's a look at the 2025-26 area wrestling teams

Wrestling: Here's a look at the 2025-26 area wrestling teamsStory byWest Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.Joe Brown, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.Tue, December 2, 2025 at 11:31 PM UTC·5 min read

Dec. 2—Coach: Mike Amsden

Section: 5A

At State: Two state entrants

Key Graduates: Edwyn Gonzalez, 31-3, state entrant (133), section runner-up; Braxton Kragenbring, 25-13, 5th at sections (139); Owen Garvick, 16-14 (145/152)

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Key Returners: Joseph Sherwood, sr., 34-12, state entrant (145), section runner-up; Brody Straumann, jr., 37-11, 3rd at sections (172); Tucker Johnson, jr., 26-19, 5th at sections (114); Nolan Bierwerth, fr., 32-15, 6th at sections (127); Kenneth Franet, fr., 21-20 (107)

Preseason Rankings:

Team: N/A (Class A)

Individuals: Brody Straumann (8th, 172A)

Coach: Jordan Fester

Section: 5A

At State: Four state entrants, one champion, three medalists

Key Graduates: Carson Gilbert, 39-0, state champion (215), section champion; Brett DeRoo, 41-4, 4th at state (160), section champion; Hunter Laage, 30-9, state entrant (285), section champion; Noah Welte, 22-14, 3rd at sections (114)

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Key Returners: Noah Jensen, fr., 39-8, 3rd at sections (107); Elizabeth Rademacher, so., 21-9, 3rd at sections (130 girls)

Preseason Rankings:

Team: Lean and Mean (Class A)

Individuals: Noah Jensen (2nd, 121A)

Coach: Scott Thompson

Section: 5A

At State: One state entrant, one medalist

Key Graduates: Jack Storlien, 2-2 (285)

Key Returners: Max Nygaard, sr., 49-5, 5th at state (139), section runner-up; Darin Hippe, jr., 36-11, 5th at sections (152); Gavin Olson, sr., 35-12, 4th at sections (127); Adrian Young, so., 27-12, 5th at sections (172); Carson Olson, fr., 26-20 (107); Tate Kobbermann, sr., 24-24, 4th at sections (133)

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Preseason Rankings:

Team: Lean and Mean (Class A)

Individuals: Max Nygaard (2nd, 145A); Darin Hippe (10th, 160A)

Coach: Dan Kiecker and Matthew Jahnke

Section: 5A

At State: One state entrant

Key Graduates: Brady Kiecker, 24-6, state entrant (152), section runner-up

Key Returners: Edgar Kopel, fr., 31-8, 3rd at sections (107); Hayden Edwards, sr., 20-23, 4th at sections (189); Ava Kiecker, so., 12-13, 6th at sections (118 girls)

Preseason Rankings:

Team: N/A (Class A)

Individuals: Edgar Kopel (9th, 114A)

Coaches: Darrin Allen

Section: 6AA

At State: No entrants

Key Graduates: OJ Winston, 35-12, 5th at sections (215); Spencer Henke, 18-7 (285); Anthony Briseno, 14-14 (139)

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Key Returners: Owen Culbertson, jr., 21-16, 5th at sections (152); Presley Havemeier, fr., 18-15, 5th at sections (127); Max Buschette, 8th, 10-9 (121); Ty Penk, sr., 12-6 (172)

Preseason Rankings:

Team: N/A (Class AA)

Individuals: N/A

Coach: Hank Ireland

Section: 3AA

At State: Three state entrants, one medalist

Key Graduates: Grayson Olson, 31-13, 4th at sections (127); Noah Meyer, 20-16, 4th at sections (172); Karson Gariepy, 24-18, 4th at sections (285); Landon Olson, 12-8, 3rd at sections (215)

Key Returners: Ben Gunlogson, sr., 42-6, 4th at state (139), section champion; Eli Olson, sr., 43-4, state entrant (107), section runner-up; Kameron Sather, sr., 39-11, state entrant (152), section runner-up; Bryan Rhode, sr., 21-18, 4th at sections (189); Gavin Mortenson, jr., 30-18, 3rd at sections (121); Holland Schacherer, jr. 19-12, 6th at sections (145)

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Preseason Rankings:

Team: Lean and Mean (Class AA)

Individuals: Eli Olson (1st, 107AA); Ben Gunlogson (2nd, 139AA); Kameron Sather (3rd, 160AA)

Coach: Trevor Mahlum

Section: 5A

At State: Five state entrants (four boys, one girl), one champion, three medalists (two boys, one girl)

Key Graduates: Jett Olson, 41-4, 4th at state (172), section; Aaron Jones, 38-10, 3rd at sections (189); Logan Rudningen, 17-16, state entrant (285), section runner-up; Adamaris Chable Rodriguez, 11-3, 4th at state girls tournament (170), section runner-up

Key Returners: Trey Gunderson, sr., 43-0, state champion (139), section champion, Augustana University commit; Colton Noble, sr., 36-12, state entrant (127), section champion; Taytan Nielsen, jr., 32-12, 3rd at sections (152); Oswaldo Moreno, jr., 28-18, 5th at sections (107); Brody VanHeuveln, so., 24-21, 5th at sections (121); Cole Froehlich, sr., 12-9, 5th at sections (133); Tianna Chable Rodriguez, so., 13-8 (118 girls)

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Preseason Rankings:

Team: Lean and Mean (Class A)

Individuals: Colton Noble (6th, 139A); Cole Froehlich (5th, 145A); Trey Gunderson (1st, 152A); Taytan Nielsen (9th, 160A)

Coach: Tate Card

Section: 8AA

At State: Three state entrant, one runner-up

Key Graduates: Chase Smith, 35-11, state entrant (133), section runner-up; Noah Jensen, 36-15, 3rd at sections (285)

Key Returners: Miles Wildman, jr., 48-5, state runner-up (121), section champion; Landon Schiffler, jr., 39-14, state entrant (107), section runner-up; Alex Adams, so., 39-16, 3rd at sections (114); Riley Dell, sr., 29-11, 3rd at sections (215); Braylen Scharmer, sr., 28-20 (172/189); Jude Bailey, so., 18-17 (145/152)

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Preseason Rankings:

Team: N/A (Class AA)

Individuals: Landon Schiffler (6th, 114AA); Miles Wildman (4th, 133AA)

Coach: Shawn Hatlestad

Section: 3AA

At State: No entrants

Key Graduates: Isaiah Nelson, 28-9, 3rd at sections (133); Carson Nelson, 27-11, 3rd at sections (127)

Key Returners: Holton Hanson, sr., 29-10, 4th at sections (145); Andrew Sandau, sr., 27-11, 5th at sections (121); Caleb Nelson, jr. 23-18 (152); Jett Hoffman, fr. 22-16, 6th at sections (114); Kellon Hanson, fr., 22-16 (107); Garret Leenstra, sr., 17-13, 4th at sections (215)

Preseason Rankings:

Team: Lean and Mean (Class AA)

Individuals: N/A

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Coach: Jeremy Reiter

Section: 5A

At State: Four state entrants, one runner-up, three medalists

Key Graduates: Peyton Hemmesch, 40-6, 3rd at state (189), section champion; Mitchel Blonigen, 26-18, 4th at sections (160)

Key Returners: Jamison Meagher, so, 36-7, state runner-up (114), section runner-up; Tyson Meagher, 8th, 35-7, 6th at state (107), section champion; Roman Roberg, jr., 35-8, state entrant (121), section runner-up; Braydon Kierstead-Hahn, jr., 30-11, 3rd at sections (133); Mason Hansen, jr., 26-11, 3rd at sections (145)

Preseason Rankings:

Team: 10th (Class A)

Individuals: Tyson Meagher (4th, 114A); Jamison Meagher (2nd, 127A); Roman Roberg (5th, 133A); Braydon Kierstead-Hahn (10th, 139A); Mason Hansen (10th, 145A)

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Coach: Jesse Nelson

Section: 5A

At State: No entrants

Key Graduates: None

Key Returners: Jacob Savig, 30-7, 3rd at sections (215); Breck Martin, so, 24-14 (285); Mario Gradillas, jr., 21-11 (114); Blaine Carroll, jr., 16-8, 4th at sections (145)

Preseason Rankings:

Team: N/A

Individuals: Jacob Savig (8th, 215A)

Editor's note: Capsule information provided by Roger Mischke

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