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Class 2A/1A championships: It's four crowns for Kasson/Mantorville's Patrick Kennedy

By Paul Hodowanic and Jim Paulsen, Star Tribune staff writers, 02/29/20, 10:54PM CST

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He is the 27th wrestler to accomplish the feat. It also closed out his 112th consecutive victory. Plus notes about lots of wrestlers from Saturday's individual championships.


Patrick Kennedy of Kasson-Mantorville, rear, defeated Quayin Short of Simley 5-2 in their 182-pound championship match. Photo: JEFF WHEELER • Jeff.Wheeler@startribune.com

Kasson-Mantorville senior Patrick Kennedy said he remembers his losses much clearer than any of his wins. He’s going to have to reach deep in his memory to find the last one.

On Saturday Kennedy defeated Simley’s Quayin Short 5-2 in the Class 2A 182-pound title match to win his fourth state title. He is the 27th wrestler to accomplish the feat. It also closed out his 112th consecutive victory.

“It means a lot,” Kennedy said. “Finishing my career on top. I worked so hard and showed everyone anything is possible.”

Kennedy has 223 career victories, trailing only Brady Berge’s 287 in Kasson-Mantorville history. Berge also won four state championships.

Kennedy’s last loss came his freshman year against Owatonna’s Brandon Moen. Kennedy remembers everything about it.

“We had the dual locked up. I was looking forward to it all week,” he said. “Coach asked if I wanted him and said ‘yeah.’ I went out there and threw everything I had at him and he just beat me.”

Pickell back on top

Every time Charlie Pickell enters his Mankato home, he is reminded of what could have been. A state runner-up in 2018 and ’19, Pickell has his second-place medals hanging on his front door and his bedroom door. They serve as motivation.

“Those haunt me every day. It eats at me,” said Pickell, a Mankato West senior who won state titles as an eighth-grader and a freshman.

He avenged those losses Saturday, topping Mitchel Petersen of Byron 7-3 for the 132-pound title, his third career state title.

“It is time to take those medals down from the door and put my first-place one up there,” he said. “I’m sick of those.”

Class 2A champions

106: Tyler Wells, Princeton
113: Christian Noble, Big Lake
120: Joey Thompson, Totino-Grace
126: Chase DeBlaere, Simley
132: Charlie Pickell, Mankato West
138: Cael Berg, Simley
145: Ryan Sokol, Simley
152: Payton Anderson, Fairmont/Martin County West
160: Bryce FitzPatrick, Mahtomedi
170: Bennett Berge, Kasson-Mantorville
182: Patrick Kennedy, Kasson-Mantorville
195: Kolin Baier, Mankato East
220: Bennett Tabor, Simley
285: Kaleb Haase, Redwood Valley

Class 1A champions

106: Walker Bents, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa
113: Derek Steele, Sibley East
120: Drayden Morton, Sibley East
126: Trevor Janssen, Blackduck/Cass Lake-Bena
132: Charley Elwood, Medford
138: Mason Gode, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Browerville
145: Payton Handevidt, Jackson County Central
152: Willie VonRuden, Medford
160: Owen Bjerga, Staples-Motley
170: Tyson Meyer, Minnewaska Area
182: Trevor Eisfeld, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton/Westbrook-Walnut Grove
195: Colton Krell, Westfield
220: Dominik Vacura, Badger-Greenbush-Middle River
285: Craig Orlando, Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie

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