Minnesota’s high school wrestling state tournament is a four-day affair this season to accommodate the growth in girls wrestling.

The team state tournament begins Wednesday, with the team championships in all three classes set to begin Thursday at 7 p.m. The individual competition, for boys and girls, also begins Thursday, and concludes Saturday.

Here are some of the wrestlers to watch at this year’s tournament.

If you’re feeling nostalgic, here’s a look at Strib Varsity’s list of 20 Minnesota high school wrestlers to remember from the past 25 years.

Class 3A title match set

Shakopee slipped past Stillwater 31-29 in the closet match of the semifinals. Shakopee took a 31-23 lead after the 215 pound match to cllinch the victory.

Meanwhile, St. Michael-Albertville cruised to victory over Hastings, 45-12. The Knights improved to 28-0 on the season and will be shooting for their third straight Class 3A championship.

— Jim Paulsen

Simley, New Ulm to compete for 2A title

Simley punched their ticket to Thursday’s Class 2A championship match with a 50-14 victory over Foley. The Spartans won six of the last seven state titles in Class 2A.

Emerson Johnson pinned Pierz heavyweight Henry Hoffman to complete New Ulm’s 42-12 victory.

— Joe Gunther

1A title matchup comes into view

Defending champion Staples-Motley, winners over Jackson County 63-3, will meet Chatfield for the second straight year in the Class 1A title match. The No. 3-seeded Chatfield Gophers beat Minneota 34-21.

— Jim Paulsen

Not slowing down

Defending Class 1A champion Staples-Motley is off to a 32-0 lead over Jackson County Central in the 1A semifinals. The Cardinals have owned the Huskies recently.

Staples-Motley defeated Jackson County Central 64-0 in the 2025 semifinals.

— Jim Paulsen

Class 2A semifinals underway

Just like they did to start the quarterfinal, Simley grabbed three quick pins to take a big lead on Foley. They led 18-0 before the start of the 127 pound weight class.

— Joe Gunther

Class 1A quarterfinals

The final 1A semifinal qualifier is Jackson County Central, 35-23 victors over United North Central. UNC is a cooperative between Menagha and Sebeka high schools

Minneota, the No. 2 seed, advances with a 45-18 victory over Le Sueur-Henderson; No. 3-seed Chatfield defeated West Central/Ashby/Brandon 47-22. Jackson County Central has leads United North Central 24-8 with three finals yet to go.

— Jim Paulsen

Top seed advances in Class 1A

Staples-Motley took care of business. Class 1A’s top-seeded-Cardinals defeated Kenyon-Wanamingo 60-9 to move into the semifinals

— Joe Gunther

Class 1A quarterfinals update

Chatfield leads West Central Area/Ashby/Brandon 21-0

Staples-Motley leads Kenyon-Wanamingon 12-5

Jackson County Central 6, United North Central 0

Minneota 6, Le Sueur-Henderson 6

Soaking in the moment

New Ulm made the most of its first match in the Class 2A state wrestling tournament since its only previous appearance in 1999. The Eagles took care of Totino-Grace 53-17 in the semifinals at Grand Casino Arena.

The Eagles were the first to finish their match among the Class 2A quarterfinalists. That break allows those getting their first taste of the state tournament more time to soak in the experience and rest before facing Pierz in the semifinals.

“It feels good [to get that first win],” New Ulm junior Kane Johnson said. “All year we had been pretty low on the [rankings]. Throughout the year we kept proving ourselves and proving that we are up there with the other good teams.”

New Ulm was able to sit and watch No. 3 seed Pierz hold off a late rally from Perham for more than half an hour.

Johnson made two previous trips to state in the individual tournament, but getting to the team tournament is a bigger highlight.

“The first time I was here I was a little anxious. I’m sure the younger guys [were] feeling that way.=,” he said. “[Now that we’ve gotten] through that we’ll be totally fine. We’re having fun up here. That’s the most important thing. I’m looking more forward to team than individual.”

— Joe Gunther

It could happen … again

In 2023, Hastings pulled off one of the greatest upsets in state tournament history, recording five consecutive pins rally for a one-point victory over St. Michael-Albertville in the Class 3A finals.

Hastings victory over Elk River in the quarterfinals Wednesday moved the Raiders into the semifinals where they are slated to face … St. Michael-Albertville.

The Knights were the heavy favorites in the Class 3A tournament that year, but that certainly didn’t mean Hastings was going to roll over.

“It only takes one match to get the ball rolling,” said Hastings assistant coach Isaac Eichmann, with a smile. “Could happen.”

— Jim Paulsen

Class 2A quarterfinals

Foley 44 defeated Scott West 15. Foley’s reward is a semifinal match against top-seeded Simley.

Simley, a 17-time state team champion, earned the No. 1 seed in Class 2A. The Spartans run of six straight Class 2A title came to an end in 2025 with a loss to Kasson-Mantoville in the semifinals.

— Joe Gunther

Quarterfinal results

Class 3A

Shakopee 55, Northfield 18

St. Michael-Albertville 53, Brainerd 11

Stillwater 50, Apple Valley 15

Class 2A

New Ulm 53, Totino-Grace 17

Simley 66, South St. Paul 3

Class 2A quarterfinals

Simley has jumped out to a quick 18-0 lead over South St. Paul with three pins. The third pin came courtesy of junior Charli Raymond, the four-time girls wrestling state champion. She’s showing that she’s a great wrestler regardless of gender.

Raymond was not the only girl competing for a boys team in the quarterfinals. Northfield’s Caley Graber, girls champion at 118 in 2025, lost to Shakopee’s Kaleb Long 9-1 at 127. Shakopee leads Northfield 7-0.

Graber is remembered for being the first girl to win an individual match while competing in the boys’ tournament in 2024.

— Jim Paulsen

Wrestling team quarterfinal matchups

Class 3A: Apple Valley vs. No. 2-seed Stillwater, Northfield vs. No. 3 seed Shakopee; Brainerd vs. No. 1 seed St. Michael-Albertville; No. 5 seed Elk River vs. No. 4 seed Hastings.

Class 2A: Totino-Grave vs. No. 2 seed New Ulm; Perham vs. No. 3 seed Pierz; South St. Paul vs. No. 1 seed Simley; No. 5 seed Foley vs. No. 4 seed Scott West

Class 1A (6 p.m.): Le Sueur-Henderson vs. No. 2 seed Minneota; West Central/Ashby/Brandon vs. No. 3 seed Chatfield; Kenyon-Wanamingo vs. No. 1 seed Staples-Motley; No. 5 seed Jackson County Central vs. No. 4 seed United North Central

Filling Grand Casino Arena

The lower bowl at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul is filling up for the Day 1 of the first four-day wrestling state tournament since 2010.

The mats are filled with wrestlers warming up, officials are chatting it up, passing tips and what started as low murmur had reached a stream of endless chatter in anticipation of 24 teams taking the mats in the team quarterfinals.

Each class has a team favorite. St. Michael-Albertville is the big dog in Class 3A and is shooting for their third straight state title. Simley is in the familiar role as favorite in Class 2A after not making the tournament in 2025 and Staples-Motley is shooting for its second Class 1A team title in a row.

Quarterfinals begin at 4 p.m., with semifinals set for 8 p.m. Team championships will take place Thursday evening.

— Jim Paulsen