The Hastings Raiders boys wrestling team turned in a strong showing at the Section 3AAA tournament, qualifying seven wrestlers for the state tournament and placing competitors throughout the lineup. It was a complete team effort, with champions, runners-up, and multiple third-place finishes highlighting the day.
At 107 pounds, Sullivan McNamara earned a runner-up finish. McNamara opened with a dominant 14-0 major decision over Sylas Strey in the semifinals. He fell in the championship match, losing by technical fall 20-5 in 3:20 to Nathan Hoopman, and finished second to punch his ticket to state.
Rowan Henson placed fifth at 114. He dropped his quarterfinal by fall in 0:26 and later lost by fall in 2:53 in the consolation semifinals. Henson rebounded in the fifth-place match, winning by fall in 1:18 over Gabriel Thor to close his tournament on a high note.
At 121, Beckett Edstrom claimed first place with an impressive run. He won by fall in 1:41 in the quarterfinals, followed with a 19-4 technical fall in 1:37 in the semifinals, then sealed the title with a 25-9 technical fall in 5:14 in the championship match.
William Bainbridge captured first place at 127. He earned a 17-2 technical fall in 2:01 in the semifinals, then rolled to a 15-0 technical fall in 4:50 in the finals to secure the title.
Trey Beissel dominated the 133-pound bracket on his way to first place. He posted three technical falls, winning 21-6 in 0:31 in the quarterfinals, 21-6 in 1:03 in the semifinals, and 21-6 in 2:00 in the championship match.
At 139, David Bauer earned first place. He opened with a 22-4 technical fall in 2:33, edged his semifinal opponent with a 2-0 decision, then finished strong with a 17-2 technical fall in 5:22 in the title match.
Rocco Iallonardo placed third at 145. He won by fall in 4:00 in the quarterfinals, lost a tight 7-6 decision in the semifinals, then responded with back-to-back falls in 0:40 and 1:44 to claim third place.
Presley McCrae finished second at 152. McCrae won by fall in 0:47 in the quarterfinals and by fall in 5:01 in the semifinals. He dropped the championship match by technical fall 19-4 in 1:48, securing runner-up honors.
Mark Svoboda stood atop the podium at 160. He recorded three falls, pinning opponents in 0:52, 1:44, and 3:13, earning first place in dominant fashion.
Kasen Esterby placed fourth at 172. He won by fall in 1:35 in the quarterfinals and added a 14-2 major decision in the consolation semifinals before finishing fourth overall.
At 189, Xavier Timm finished fifth. After two earlier losses, he secured fifth place with a fall in 5:39 in his final match.
Adrian Fuchs earned third at 215. He won by major decision 11-3 in the quarterfinals, then bounced back from a semifinal loss to claim third with an 8-1 decision.
Elijah Christopher also placed third at 285. He opened with a fall in 0:23, then battled back through the consolation bracket with falls in 2:55 and 1:49 to secure third place.
Beyond their success on the mat, the Raiders were recognized for their work in the classroom. The boys team earned Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association Class AAA Silver Academic honors with a 3.299 team GPA. Individually, Will Bainbridge, Kasen Esterby, Adrian Fuchs, and Dave Bauer received Section 3AAA Academic awards. Head coach Tim Haneberg and assistant coach Pete Kranz were also honored as Section 3AAA Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year.
On the girls side, the Raiders topped the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association Class AAA Gold Academic teams with a 3.856 GPA. Though the girls did not compete this week, Trinity Yates, Elli Levine, Audrianna Dahlberg, Emma Taylor, Avery Levine, Lily Watts, and Khloe Richardson will represent Hastings at the state tournament alongside the seven boys qualifiers.
The Raiders head into state with momentum, confidence, and plenty of hardware from sections.