15 area wrestlers  advance to state meet

Fifteen area wrestlers will be advancing to the state wrestling tournament held this week in St. Paul, after finishing first or second at their respective section meets.
For the girls, Triton’s Adriana Kunz previously qualified in the 112 pound weight class; Hattie Mathre, from Byron, in the 136 pound weight class; and Eliana O’Donoghue, in the 100 pound weight class, is the first female wrestler to qualify for Kasson-Mantorville.
Byron’s Kadie Augenstein also qualified for the 170 pound weight class, after finishing second at the section meet.
For the KoMets boys team, Rex Ayshford won the 160 pound weight class for Section 1AA; Parker Richards won the 189 pound weight class; Kalin Anderson finished second in the 139 pound weight class; Kaden Lindquist came in second in the 121 pound weight class; and Kassion Wynia came in second in the 215 pound weight class.
Mason Edwards is the lone Byron boys wrestler to qualify, coming in second in the 285 pound weight class.
Triton wrestler Alex Ortiz won the 133 pound weight class, and Hunter Garness won in the 160 pound weight class for Section 2A.
Westfield’s Easton Busho came in second for the 107 pound weight class, Bentley Miller finished runner up in the 121 pound weight class, and Cayden Maly came in second for the 152 pound weight class.

Freshman Rex Ayshford works for an advantage in the 160 pound weight class. With this win, the freshman secures his second state tournament bid and heads to St. Paul, where wrestling begins Thursday, Feb. 26.

Returning state place-winner Jonah Coleman works a leg sweep during the Individual Section 1AA tournament. Coleman’s bid for a return trip to St. Paul fell just short in a section stacked with state-ranked talent

Senior Kassion Wynia secured the win in the 215 pound true second-place match to qualify for his second state tournament.