National Talent On Display At Minnesota's #1
National Talent On Display At Minnesota's #1
On August 28, we'll see some of the nation's top talent square off at Minnesota's #1.
The lineup is set for Minnesota's #1. If you aren't familiar with these athletes already, you'll want to be. Six of the 30 wrestlers on the card are ranked in the top 20 in the country, two were Fargo champs this year, and one represented the US at the Cadet World Championships. Check out more of the credentials this stacked field has hauled in.
Women's Matches
Abby Gindel, Maple Lake vs Lauren Elsemore, Pine Island
Gindel is one of the top 30 pound for pound women in the state of Minnesota and a top 5 ranked wrestler in the state at 95 lbs. She earned these rankings in part by winning the Minnesota USA Triple Crown this year.
Her opponent, Lauren Elsemore, was an All-American at both the U14 and U15 divisions this year in freestyle and was a 2021 Minnesota Girls High School State Runner Up.
Rian Grunwald, Owatonna vs Olivia Sackor, Fridley
Grunwald earned a top 30 spot on the Minnesota pound for pound list by placing second at the Minnesota Girls High School State Championships and winning a Junior Freestyle state title.
Sackor is also in the top 30 P4P and is ranked top 5 in the state at 110 lbs. She was a Girls High School state champ this year and a runner up at the Minnesota Freestyle State Championships.
#4 Ella Pagel, Northfield vs Nari Miller, Minneapolis Edison
Both Miller and Pagel represent the Twin Cities RTC, and both are in the top 30 P4P in the state. Miller finished second and third at the Minnesota Freestyle and Folkstyle State Championships respectively.
Pagel shined in the national spotlight this summer when she won a Fargo title in dominant fashion. She was also a U15 National finalist in 2019, the same year she became a U15 Pan Am Champ. Even though she's just entering high school, she is already the biggest star on the Women's card.
Ella Pagel's 2021 Fargo Final
Men's Matches
Nolan Ambrose, Jackson County Central vs Jack Nelson, Mound Westonka
This lightweight matchup is a battle of 2021 state champs at 106 lbs. Nolan Ambrose got it done for Jackson County Central in the A division while Jack Nelson won a AA title for Mound Westonka.
Thomas Dineen, Benson vs #14 Jacob Meissner, Osseo
Both Thomas Dineen and Jacob Meissner were state champs in 2021. Dineen brought home the A title at 195 lbs while Meissner won the AAA crown at 220 lbs. Meissner currently holds the #14 spot in the national rankings at 195 lbs after near All-American finishes in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman in Fargo this summer.
Hudson Burnett, Pipestone Area vs Logan Swenson, Wayzata
Pipestone Area's Hudson Burnett is coming off the A state title at 113 lbs while Wayzata's Logan Swenson finished second at 106 lbs in AAA. Swenson represented Team Minnesota at both the 16U and Junior Duals and has notched national level wins that have him just outside the top 20.
#6 Alan Koehler, Prior Lake vs Jacob Aho, Forest Lake
Multiple time Fargo All-American Alan Koehler was the AAA state champ at 106 lbs while Jacob Aho placed 4th at 113 AAA. Koehler may be the smaller of the two, but his national level success suggests he'll be up for the challenge.
Alan Koehler's Fargo Freestyle Quarterfinal victory over #7 Caden Horwath
Brandon Ross, Caledonia Houston vs Christian Noble, Big Lake
Both Ross and Noble were state champs at 120 lbs in 2021. It was an A title for Ross and a AA title for Noble. Both lightweights are excellent, and Noble has spent time in the national rankings in the past.
Drayden Morton, Sibley East vs #13 Zach Hanson, Lakeville North
Sibley East's Drayden Morton is coming off a Minnesota A state title at 132 lbs while Zach Hanson finished as a runner up in AAA. Hanson has had an incredible off season and recently won both 16U Freestyle and Greco in Fargo. That performance earned him the #13 spot in the national rankings.
Zach Hanson's 2021 Fargo Freestyle final
Koy Buesgens, New Prague vs #17 Max Petersen, Byron
Buesgens and Peterson were a couple weights apart last season. Buesgens won the AAA title at 126 lbs while Petersen was second at 138 lbs in AA. This is one of the most anticipated matchups on the card as Buesgens was a Greco All-American in Fargo and Petersen holds the #17 spot in the national rankings.
Payton Handevidt, Jackson County Central vs Landen Johnson, Owatonna
Payton Handevidt and Landen Johnson each won Minnesota titles in 2021. Handevidt took home the 152 lbs A crown while Johnson was the AAA champ at 160 lbs.
Bryce Burkett, Watertown Mayer vs Brendan Howes, Anoka
2021 State placers Bryce Burkett and Brendan Howes will square off in an exciting middle weight battle. Burkett was 5th at AA 145lbs while Howes was 2nd at AAA 138 lbs. Since that time, Burkett just missed All-American honors in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman in Fargo.
Jude Link, Dassel Cokato Lichfield vs Cole Becker, St Michael Albertville
Link and Becker had the largest weight gap at the 2021 Minnesota State Championships. Link was a runner-up at AA 160 lbs while Becker won the AAA 138lbs title. In Fargo, Becker competed at 145 lbs while Link was at 160 lbs.
Cole Glazier, Kasson Mantorville vs Landon Gode, LPGE Browerville
Landon Gode was a 152 lbs A state runner up in 2021 while Cole Glazier finished 3rd at AA160 lbs. Both have had active off-seasons and appear to be more than ready for the match.
#10 Ryder Rogotzke, Stillwater vs Grady Schott, Chatfield
Grady Schott was a 182 lbs A runner up in 2021 while Ryder Rogotzke finished 3rd at 182 lbs AAA. Schott is a formidable opponent, and Rogotzke is as dangerous as they come. He represented Team USA at the Cadet World Championships in Greco-Roman and finished third at the Cadet Freestyle World Team Trials. He's proven himself as one of the nation's top 182-pounders.
Ryder Rogotzke's victory in the Cadet Greco World Team Trials Finals
