PONIES BRING HOME HARDWARE FROM GRAND CASINO ARENA

Dateline: Coach Onken’s Living Room 2/28/2026 7:41PM

Team

The State Tournament started on Wednesday evening this year with the 2nd seeded Ponies facing off against Apple Valley. This is certainly not the Apple Valley of old and the Ponies quickly dispatched of the Eagles by a score of 50-15.

In the semi finals the Ponies faced the Sabers of Shakopee in hopes of avenging their loss from just a year ago. This dual went back and forth with the Ponies leading 9-8 after four matches with a major decision by Chase Lawrence and a tech fall by Noah Nicholson. The Sabers won the next two matches to take a 17-9 lead but Isaac Leonard started a run by the Ponies with a 3rd period take down to secure a decision for a 17-12 score. George Jones won by fall and Grayson Eggum scored a tech fall to give the Ponies a 23-17 lead. The Sabers came right back with three straight wins to put the score out of reach at 31-23. Andrew Olson finished with a fall at 285 to make the final 31-29. For the 2nd year in a row the Ponies were within striking distance but missed it by a couple.

On Thursday evening the Ponies wrestling the Raiders of Hastings for 3rd and it was a blowout by all accounts. The Ponies won 11 of 13 matches winning the dual by a score of 58-10. The Ponies finished the season 27-3 and finished in the top 3 in seven of the last eight State Team Tournaments. Head Coach LeValley will take a 55-10 record into his third season at Stillwater.

The individual tournament also started on Thursday. Below is a list of wrestlers and their results from the weekend. The Ponies had 14 entrants between the boys and girls and ended with 8 place winners including 2 champions!

Boys

107 – Chase Lawrence – 3-2 – 5th Place
Round 1 – Fall over Aase of Owatonna
Quarter Finals – 4-2 decision over Hoeft of Wayzata
Semifinals – loss to Hoopman of St. Thomas Academy
Consolations – loss to Hanks of Bemidji
5th Place Match – 7-1 decision over Kassel of Willmar

In his 2nd trip to the state tournament Chase makes the podium and finishes a strong season at 41-3.

114 – Brodie Lawrence – 2-2 – DNP
Round 1 – 6-2 decision over Purdie of Apple Valley
Quarter Finals – loss to Phanmanivong of Shakopee
Consolations – 15-3 major decision over Boesch of Centennial
Consolation – loss to Gruber of Sartell St. Stephen

Brodie made the blood round in his appearance at the state tournament and finished with a season record of 38-8 for his first full season on varsity. Brodie made huge improvements this year and one can only imagine he will continue to get better and make the podium next year.

127 – Noah Nicholson – 4-0 – Champion
Round 1 – fall over Rogriguez of Wayzata
Quarter Finals – fall over Hand-Linmeyer of Farmington
Semifinals – 13-3 major decision over Kassel of Willmar
Finals – fall over Roehl of Buffalo

Noah wins his first title as a junior, now a 4 time state place winner with a year to go. Noah ends his junior campaign as champion at 127 with a 37-3 record on the season.

133 – August Hartung – 0-2 – DNP
Round 1 – loss to Wegner of Shakopee
Consolations – loss to Clark of Forest Lake

August finished his first full season on varsity at 29-6 as a freshman and will be ready to keep adding to that win total next year with another shot at the state tournament.

139 – Axel Rogotzke – 1-2 – DNP
Round 1 – 7-3 decision over Roy of Lakeville North
Quarter Finals – loss to Heim of Shakopee
Consolations – loss to Westgaard of Eden Prairie

Axel finishes his season at 26-10 with his first state tournament win. He is part of a young team and will be a big asset for the 26-27 Ponies.

145 – Isaac Leonard – 2-2 – DNP
Round 1 – Fall over Rodriguez of Brainerd
Quarter Finals – loss to Mangowi of Farmington
Consolations – 2-1 decision over Kohoutek of Forest Lake
Consolation – loss to Krull of Chaska Chanhassen

Isaac made it to the blood round in his 2nd state tournament appearance but was not able to move on. He finishes with a 27-11 record and will look to be fully healthy for the 26-27 season.

152 – George Jones – 3-2 – 5th Place
Round 1 – Fall over McCrae of Hastings
Quarter Finals – 1-0 decision over Johnson of Blaine
Semifinals – loss to Parrow of Farmington
Consolations – loss to Ferrario of St Francis
5th Place Match – 10-1 win over Johnson of Blaine

George was with Stillwater for his senior season and made it count with a 5th place finish and a career record of 147-59 between Wisconsin and Minnesota.

160 – Grayson Eggum – 3-1 – 2nd
Round 1 – Fall over Svoboda of Hastings
Quarter Finals – Fall over Forar of Lakeville North
Semifinals – 19-3 tech fall over Humeniuk of Moorhead
Finals – loss to Barron of Shakopee

Grayson finished his sophomore season with another spot on the podium, this time placing 2nd. He finished the season at 39-3 and will find his way back to the top of the podium next season.

189 – Cael Spates – 4-2 – 5th Place
Round 1 – 4-3 decision over Kanneh of Andover
Quarter Finals – loss to Murphy of STMA
Consolations – 16-1 tech fall over Verdeja of Two Rivers
Consolations – 12-2 major decision over Ignaszewski of Albert Lea
Consolations – loss to Grenier of Moundsview
5th Place Match – 7-1 decision over Hansen of Park Center

In his 2nd appearance at the state tournament Cael makes it count with his first trip to the podium for 5th place. He finished a very successful season at 35-11.

215 – Cohen Lumby – 4-2 – 4th Place
Round 1 – Fall over Wright of Park
Quarter Finals – loss to Christenson of Forest Lake
Consolations – 21-5 tech fall over Dauner Olson of Rochester Century
Consolations – fall over Harris of STMA
Consolations – fall over Anez of Willmar
3rd Place Match – loss to Christenson of Forest Lake

Cohen makes the podium in his 3rd appearance at the state tournament with a 4th place finish. He finished his junior season at 39-7.

285 – Andrew Olson – 4-2 – 4th Place
Round 1 – 2-0 decision over Pena of Andover
Quarter Finals – loss to Josewski of Rogers
Consolations – fall over Boesch of Centennial
Consolations – 5-2 decision over Pollen of Hopkins
Consolations – fall over Folks of Woodbury
3rd Place Match – loss to Schwinghammer of Bemidji

Andrew caps off his 2nd trip to the state tournament with a 4th place finish and a place on the podium. He finished his season at 33-5.

Girls

106 – Monroe Eggum – 0-2 – DNP

112 – Charlie Jones – 0-0 – DNP

148 – Audrey Rogotzke – 4-0 – Champion
Round 1 – fall over Helgenson of Park Center
Quarter Finals – fall over Hernandez of Adrian
Semifinals – fall over Kotish of Buffalo
Finals – decision over Wagner of Bertha Hewitt