It jumps out when looking at the list of Simley's 21 previous state tournament trips in the Minnesota State High School League yearbook. The Spartans have won seven Class 2A team titles over the past eight years. The lone exception came in 2013, when they lost to Kasson-Mantorville in the finals.
There's reason to believe that could be the case again this season. Kasson-Mantorville, despite a roster with only three seniors, enters the tournament undefeated (22-0) and seeded No. 1. Simley earned the No. 2 seed and has lost six times, but those losses are deceiving.
The Spartans (25-6) lost to Class 3A tournament teams St. Michael-Albertville and Farmington at the Prior Lake Duals on Dec. 12. Their other losses were at The Clash Duals in early January, to Anoka, Kenyon-Wanamingo and two teams from outside Minnesota. That tough early schedule was by design as the Spartans rolled undefeated through the rest of the season, heavy with Metro East Conference foes that didn't quite measure up to their level.
Simley will need to get past Totino-Grace in the quarterfinals and likely No. 3 seed Foley in the semifinals to get a shot at defending its title against Kasson-Mantorville.
Individuals
• Seven Class 2A wrestlers are undefeated: Ben Naddy, Ottertail Central, 106 pounds (37-0); Tucker Sjomeling, Delano, 126 (40-0); Morgan Fuenffinger, Hibbing, 132 (38-0); Ryan Epps, Cannon Falls, 145 (35-0); Logan Axford, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton/Westbrook-Walnut Grove, 145 (38-0); Brady Berge, Kasson-Mantorville, 160 (41-0) and Kevin Kneisl, Delano, 220 (38-0).
• Berge, a junior, is shooting for his fourth state title. He won at 106 pounds as a seventh-grader, at 145 as a ninth-grader and at 152 as a sophomore. … New Prague's Griffin Parriott, a senior 152-pounder, could win his third individual title.
