Apple Valley adds team, solo titles to record book

By JOHN MILLEA, Star Tribune

Last update: March 2, 2008 - 12:52 AM

Records are nothing new for the Apple Valley wrestling team. The Eagles began the state tournament already holding state standards for dual-meet state titles (15), appearances in team championship matches (21) and consecutive trips to state (27).

The record book got a little thicker Saturday, however, as five Eagles won individual state championships. That tied the mark set by Forest Lake in 1993 and set a record for all-time state champs by one team. Apple Valley now has 52, eclipsing the mark of 50 held by Blue Earth and Robbinsdale.

And as if that wasn't enough, later in the day the top-ranked Eagles rolled past No. 4 Albert Lea 57-6 to capture their ninth team title in 10 years. In three team duals at state, the Eagles won by a total of 154-31.

"It was a great day for Apple Valley wrestling," said Eagles coach Jim Jackson, who extended his state record for coaching the most individual champions to 37.

Apple Valley's previous high was four champions in 2002. The Eagles went 5-2 in Saturday's title round.

Eric Devos won at 103 pounds, Destin McCauley did the same at 119, Justin LaValle won at 130, Matt Mincey was the champ at 135 and Tyler Lehmann won at 171.

McCauley, a freshman, and Mincey, a senior, are now three-time champs; Devos is already a two-time winner and he won't become a high school student until next fall ... he's an eighth-grader.

The second-place finishers for the Eagles were freshman Matt Kelliher, who lost to eighth-grader Ben Morgan of Forest Lake 3-1 at 112, and senior Tom Kelliher, who was defeated by Bloomington Kennedy junior Robby Fisher 6-4 at 125. It was Kelliher's fourth consecutive silver medal.

Also capturing their third championships were Anoka's Jake Deitchler at 152 and Champlin Park's Sam Maresh at 285. Both will attend the University of Minnesota; Deitchler will wrestle and Maresh will play football.

Winning their second titles were Wayzata's Derek Schreiner at 140 pounds and Prior Lake's Jake Kahnke at 215. Two Coon Rapids wrestlers won championships: Carter Adams at 145 and Shamus O'Grady at 160. Hastings had four individuals reach title matches; all four placed second.

Class 2A

St. Michael-Albertville junior David Thorn notched his third state title, but not without a dangerous third-period moment at 125 pounds. Before Thorn finished a 13-11 victory over Ryan Timmerman of St. Peter, Timmerman put Thorn on his back and recorded near-fall points before Thorn wriggled out of the jam.

Montgomery-Lonsdale/Le Center's Joe Selly captured his second championship with a 6-4 victory over Tyler Kivel of Scott West, and Watertown-Mayer had two champions: Drew Fleming at 103 and Eric Reinert at 160.

Later Saturday, second-ranked Simley edged No. 1 Perham 30-28 for the team title. Simley, which moved this season from 3A to 2A, was the 3A runner-up as recently as 2005. Perham has never won a team title, finishing second last year, as well.

In a flurry of close finishes, Justin Nelson of Big Lake held off Cody Lensing of Totino-Grace 4-2 in overtime to win the 112 title, Kevin O'Brien of Becker beat Tee Baker of Big Lake 2-1 at 145, Jordan Linn of Foley defeated Zack Peterson of Plainview/Elgin-Millville 3-2 in three overtimes at 171 and Drew Ross of Fergus Falls recorded a 7-5 overtime decision against Nathan Schmitz of Perham at 189.

Class 1A

Top-ranked Jackson County Central, which dropped from 2A to 1A this season, collected four individual titles -- including three second-time champions -- and then steamrolled No. 2 Canby 42-10 for its third team title since 1999.

Repeat champs for the Huskies were Cole Von Ohlen at 130, Torey Stewart at 145 and Travis Rutt at 171; also winning was Caleb Lines at 189.

Kevin Steinhaus of Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg won his second championship at 152. Kenyon-Wanamingo senior Nathan Lexvold -- one of four brothers to qualify for state -- defeated Casey Field of Yellow Medicine East 8-2 for the title at 135 pounds.

• Total tournament attendance was 54,637. Last year's number was 46,775. The record is 64,001, set in 2003.