Prep report: McPhee, Jelle bring home rare wrestling titles to Northland

Mar. 2—ST. PAUL — Proctor/Hermantown senior Zak McPhee didn't just claim sudden victory in the 189AA class at the state individual wrestling tournament on Saturday at Xcel Energy Center, he made sudden history.

McPhee, a senior, became the first wrestler from any southern St. Louis County school to be crowned a state champion when he defeated Mahtomedi's Evan McGuire 10-8 in the championship match.

McPhee, who finished second last year, found himself in significant trouble, as with less than a minute remaining in the second period, McGuire had scored three takedowns and an escape and led the match 7-2.

McPhee added to his total with an escape point, then scored a takedown in the last second of the second period to draw within 7-5.

He then added another escape point in the third period and took the lead on a takedown with 47 seconds remaining, though McGuire evened it up with an escape point. In sudden victory, the next score wins, and it didn't take long, ending on a takedown by McPhee after only 10 seconds.

He was not the only Northland winner on Saturday, as Grand Rapids' Christian Jelle also drove north a state champion.

Jelle, a sophomore, was the victor in a thrilling 127AA state championship match with Calvin Singewald of Cannon Falls.

Singewald scored a takedown and a near-fall to get a 5-0 lead early on, and though Jelle got a reversal for two points, he had to fight his way back, tying the match and taking the lead with takedowns seven seconds apart in the second period.

Singewald had a takedown of his own for a 10-9 lead after two periods. He used an escape point to take a 12-11 lead with just 53 seconds to go, but Jelle had one more takedown in him, delivering what would be state-championship winning points with 41 seconds remaining and complete an undefeated 49-0 prep season.

Jelle becomes the 15th state individual champion in Grand Rapids history, most of any Northland school, and first for Rapids or any Northland school since Jamison Evans in 182AA in 2013.

Several other locals took home high honors from the competition.

Damian Tapio of Rock Ridge bounced back from a semifinal loss to eventual state champion Bryce Burkett of Watertown-Mayer/Mayer Lutheran to finish third in 172AA. Alex Lehmann (133AA) of Grand Rapids finished fifth, while Justin Jobe of the Thunderhawks (145AA) and Aiden Thiesen of Cloquet-Esko-Carlton (114AA) both took sixth place.

In girls divisions, Ayden Schauer of Grand Rapids (235) and Jovanna Volker of Nashwauk-Keewatin/Greenway (130) both took third.

The Duluth swim team secured the best team finish in program history, seventh, when the water settled in the pool at the University of Minnesota after the conclusion of the state meet on Saturday.

Duluth sophomore Joey Zelen made a big mark, finishing third in the 50-yard freestyle final in 20.94 seconds. He was the only sophomore in the final and was .39 seconds behind winner Rohan D'Souza Larson of Edina (20.55), with Danel Shelstad of Minnetonka in second in 20.86.

Zelen also swam both freestyle relays, as Duluth finished sixth in both, with Travis Elling, Lucas Warren, Elliot Yung and Zelen clocking a 3:11.57 in the 400 and Yung, Elling, Landon West and Zelen finishing in 1:27.19 in the 200. Both times were school records, as was their 12th-place time in the 200 medley relay.

Rock Ridge's Gunnar George earned second-place honors in the 50 free in the Class A meet.

George, a senior, was well under his prelim time, finishing in 21.01 seconds, but that wasn't enough to stay with Hutchinson's Conner Hogan, who won the event in 20.13, a comparative blowout in an event known by some as the "splash and dash."

George followed that up with a third-place finish in the 100 free in 46.48. Carter Steele of Mesabi East came in sixth in 47.79.

The Lumberjacks stood on the gas pedal in the second half to run away with a berth in the Section 7AAA championship game, coming from 29-24 down at halftime to defeat the Thunderhawks on Saturday in Cloquet.

Lelani Fonoti led the charge, scoring 27 points, while Ava Carlson added 20.

The second-seeded Lumberjacks (18-9) got to the line consistently, finishing 27-for-42 on their free throws.

Cloquet will face top seed Rock Ridge for the section championship on Thursday night, March 7 at Denfeld High School in Duluth. The Wolverines dismissed North Branch 76-42 in the other semifinal up in Eveleth.

Jessika Lofstrom finished with 25 points and Braya LaPlant 15 for Grand Rapids, which finishes its season 14-13.

The Hilltoppers' top duo of Chloe Johnson and Regan Juenemann ran riot on Saturday, combining for 75 points n a Section 7AA quarterfinal at Denfeld High School in Duluth.

No. 3 seed Marshall was already up 44-28 at the half when the eighth-grade phenom Johnson poured in 26 more points after the break to finish with 43 for the day. Juenemann did much of her damage early and from the outside, making five 3-pointers in the first half, scoring 23 of her 32 points before the break.

The sixth-seeded Giants, who finish their season 19-9, got 20 points from Marta Forsline and 17 from Maija Hill.

Marshall (20-8) will face Crosby-Ironton in the 7AA semifinals on Wednesday in Cloquet (7 p.m.) after the second-seeded Rangers dismantled Hinckley-Finlayson 97-34 behind 32 points from Tori Oehrlein.

The early semifinal (5:30 p.m.) pits Proctor vs. top-seeded Pequot Lakes, a 65-44 winner over Pierz.

Svea Snickers scored four of her game-high 21 points in overtime as the Panthers took a thrilling Section 7A quarterfinal in Esko.

The game was tight throughout, as the Polar Bears led 25-23 at halftime, while South Ridge (23-5) reversed the same margin after the break.

Mercedes Lawrence added 13 points in the win, while Kenzie Kiminski led Floodwood (16-9) with 18.

South Ridge will face Mountain Iron-Buhl in the second of two 7A semifinals on Wednesday at Romano Gym on the University of Minnesota Duluth campus after the defending state champions routed Bigfork 79-44 behind 34 points from Jordan Zubich.

Mya Gronner drained five 3-pointers and scored a game-high 17 points as the Cardinals breezed past the Storm on Saturday, March 2 in a Section 7A quarterfinal in Esko.

Cromwell-Wright led 46-16 at halftime.

The Cardinals (20-7) will face Ely in the first 7A semifinal on Wednesday night at UMD, as the Timberwolves dismissed Chisholm 64-49.

Grace LaTourell made five treys in a 23-point performance for Ely, while Audrey Kallberg added 15.

Tresa Baumgard scored 22 of her 29 points in the second half for Chisholm, but the Bluestreaks' season ends 18-10.

Isaiah Kastern continued his domination, scoring 38 points as the Eagles successfully returned to the WIAA Division 5 Sectional tournament by rolling to victory in a regional final played on Saturday, March 2 in Minong.

The Eagles held a 30-point lead at the half to put it away early.

Dylan Taggart added 16 and Owen Smith 14 for Solon, now 25-2.

The No. 1-ranked Eagles will face third seeded Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran in a sectional semifinal on Thursday night in Amery, Wisconsin.