Five gripping memories from the high school wrestling state championships

Star Tribune wrestling writer Jim Paulsen reveals five memories he’ll keep from last week’s wrestling state tournament, which he ranks as a must-see event for sports fans:

1. Spontaneous applause went the direction of Northfield’s Caley Gruber in the waning moments of her second-round victory in the Class 3A, 107-pound weight class. The wrestling community is an insular one, well known for its support and advocacy of the sport all all levels. At that point of the first day, most fans weren’t closely following Graber’s historic exploits — she became the first girl to win a match in the boys tournament, eventually finishing fifth at her weight — but they made the effort to show their appreciation for her. A nice moment at Xcel Energy Center.

2. Bemidji’s teams are known as the Lumberjacks. So it was fitting — and about time — the team donned a singlet that made sense. Singlets, the tight-fitting lycra or spandex one-piece suits worn by wrestlers, come in team colors and designs. The Lumberjacks showed off stylish plaid singlets, a nod to their woodsy nickname, during the tournament. They most certainly turned heads and drew plenty of commentary.

3. The mad rush for seats when Xcel Energy Center reopens its doors for the afternoon sessions is a sight. The MSHSL clears the arena after each morning session, forcing spectators to pay admission for the later afternoon session. There are no reserved seats at the wrestling state tournament, so fans run — well, walk very fast — to stake out preferred spots when the doors reopen. Like a tub filling with water, the flood of fans rapidly fills the lower bowl and a once-empty arena quickly hums with the drone of thousands of excited fans.

4. Wrestling has broad appeal across the state, and a trip to St. Paul and the Xcel Energy Center is often a new experience and always an exciting one. I saw and heard this as I was walking into the arena through the skyway that leads from the RiverCentre Ramp across Kellogg Boulevard: A boy of maybe 8 and his younger brother were walking in with their mother. The older brother, suddenly wide-eyed, excitedly pointed out the window as we crossed. “Look, my favorite stairway,” he exclaimed. “You just get on and you take a ride!” He was pointing, of course, at an escalator.

5. The intro to the championship round of matches is a stunning video montage, set to music. Shot over the previous two days by a cadre of young videographers, it’s a professionally prepared, well-edited production that highlights the energy, drama and emotion that provide the electricity that powers the wrestling state tournament and makes it come alive. Spectators sit rapt, staring at the Xcel Energy Center’s overhead video board, groaning and cheering, living and dying with every snippet.