There was some confusion regarding Minnetonka's recent appearance in the Class 3A wrestling state meet. The Skippers were hailed as having qualified for the state meet for the first time in team history.

Yet many remembered Minnetonka winning the wrestling state championship in 1974. Rick Kerber of Excelsior e-mailed the Star Tribune with a scan of a 1974 Minnetonka High School yearbook proudly declaring "Minnetonka 1974 State Wrestling Champions."

So, what gives?

Before 1975, the wrestling state meet was just one class, and only individuals, not entire teams, advanced to the state meet, similar to state competitions in track and field and swimming and diving. Team points are awarded based on individual results. The more individuals, the more opportunities to score team points. And the better an individual fared, the higher the points awarded.

Minnetonka had three place-winners that year: Steve Egesdal won the 132-pound state championship, Scott Ecklund finished third at 180 pounds and Tom Stadsklev was fifth at 167 pounds. The Skippers finished with 35 team points, enough to finish ahead of Wayzata, which had 29.5.

In 1975, the Minnesota State High School League instituted a true team tournament. Fridley won the first team title that year. A second class was added in 1976, and the tournament went to three classes in 1996.

High school fencing

Emily Sokolis of Holy Family won the women's foil individual championship and Sokolis and teammates Ava Kunze and Raina Gilbertson won the women's team foil championship at the Minnesota High School Fencing Championships at Blake last weekend. The Blake team of Emma Steffen, Lola Chamberlain, Isabelle Zeaske and Isabel Friedel finished second in the team foil competition.

Jim Paulsen