Totino-Grace wrestler Cy Kruse breaks state record for pins

Cy Kruse of Totino-Grace on Thursday became the second wrestler to break the state record for pins in two years.

In each case the record fell at the state championships. Kruse broke it in the team competition and then ran his total to 47, a year after Stillwater's Ryder Rogotzke set the record of 45 in the individual preliminaries.

Kruse, a senior in the 215-pound class, pinned Lucas Breckenridge of Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton in the first round. He broke the record in the second round, dropping Jacob Duitsman of Kasson-Mantorville. He tacked on another pin in the consolation round, against Becker's Gus Baldry.

Kruse, ranked No. 13 in the nation, is committed to Cornell for college.

Two-time champ Ella Pagel still on the road to recovery

Northfield junior Ella Pagel, a two-time state champion, was relegated to fan status Thursday, taking in the first day of the state tournament.

Pagel, one of the state's most celebrated girls wrestlers, has missed the entire season after undergoing surgery for a torn labrum in her left shoulder. She was injured during wrestling training in June and had surgery in September.

"The bone-on-bone has slowed it down," she said. "I have to build up my strength."

In the meantime, she's keeping busy working a job cataloging fishing tackle at a nearby company, "and doing farm stuff, which I like," she said. "It's been nice building a life outside of wrestling."

She said being at the Xcel Energy Center whet her appetite for getting back on the wrestling mat, but she won't resume wrestling until she's fully healed.

"I'm thinking I can get back and do some leg stuff in July," she said. "I'm excited to come back."

Third-place team matches

We'll need more third-place trophies. Totino-Grace and Becker tied 30-30 in the Class 2A match for third place.

Shakopee defeated Albert Lea 44-11 for third place in Class 3A, and Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa knocked off two-time defending champ Jackson County Central 36-34.