The Alexandria wrestling program had a lot to recognize at its season-ending banquet after two wrestlers made it to the state tournament, six wrestlers earned all-conference recognition and 11 wrestlers earned MSHSL academic honors.
Sophomore Mason McGrane (113 pounds) earned a 37-5 record this season and was one match away from winning a medal at the MSHSL State Championships. McGrane earned Alexandria’s MVP award and led the team in pins with 26 and was second in takedowns (63).
Alexandria’s other state qualifier was junior Blaze Nelson (132), who had a 35-11 record and led the team in takedowns with 82. McGrane led the team in points with 201, while Nelson had 183.
Nelson, McGrane and senior Mason Teaser were the Cardinals' three All-Central Lakes Conference wrestlers, while 8th-grader Nolan Fettig, freshman Luke Maanum and junior Kelly Johnson were honorable mentions.
Teaser was one of three captains this year, along with Johnson and Nelson. Teaser earned two awards: the Big Ole Award and the Hardest Worker Award. As the lone senior on the team, Teaser had a 32-11 record.
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Nelson and Johnson crossed the 100-win threshold, while Teaser and McGrane crossed the 60-win threshold.
Johnson was third on the team in points scored with 170, while Teaser was fourth with 161 and Fettig was fifth with 155.
Rounding out the awards, junior Landon Seward (160) won the most improved wrestler award and sophomore Pablo Garcia (170) won the Diamond in the Rough Award.
Seven Cardinals finished as MSHSL Academic All-State Gold award winners (GPA of 3.6 or higher) -- Johnson, sophomore Gavin Engelbrecht, junior Cole Vatnsdal, freshman Zach Richards, freshman Dylan Gray, 8th-grader Landon Raths and junior Gavryn Fernholz.
Seward, freshman Hunter Meyers, freshman Ramiro Villanueva and sophomore Fiyin Taiwo were MSHSL Academic All-State Silver award winners (between a 3.0 and 3.6 GPA).
Alexandria named Nelson, Johnson, Seward, McGrane and Vatnsdal as the team captains for next season.
Alexandria letter winners - Ty Larson, Nolan Fettig, Mason McGrane, Logan Timm, Zach Richards, Brenden Bryce, Grayson Timm, Jacob Loween, Isaac Saffert, Landon Arvidson, Blaze Nelson, Cole Vatnsdal, Gavin Engelbrecht, Kelly Johnson, Landon Raths, Wyatt Marshall, Landon Seward, Dylan Gray, Pablo Garcia, Mason Teaser, Gavryn Fernholz, Jackson Saffert, Luke Maanum, David Rauscher
