×

Sights set high for Magi wrestling

A new season brings high expectations for the Minot High School wrestling team.

The Magi had eight athletes place at the Class A State Tournament last season, including then-sophomore Brody Armstrong winning a state title in the 120-pound weight class.

Aspirations of improving on the Magi’s fourth place team finish at state are reasonably in reach with seven out of those eight wrestlers returning to the mat for this year’s campaign.

“We are contending for a state championship,” Minot second-year coach Justin Racine said. “We lost a few seniors last year, but this year we are looking to replace that with some young guys that have some talent. We return a quite a bit of experience with guys who have been on varsity for three, four years now.”

Alongside Armstrong, junior Creighton Rudolph was a finalist last season in the 152-pound weight class. Although, Rudolph lost to Fargo Davies’ Bryce Burnside in the championship final.

Rudolph, an All-Conference quarterback for Minot this season, is one of a handful of varsity football players on the squad, including Matthew Rabe, Je-Mario Jones and Elijah Huff. All three also placed at the state tournament.

“I think doing as many sports as you can is awesome for you,” Rudolph said. “There are so many different things that translate to the other sports to where it helps you in this sport. I also just try to stay busy all year around because I think it’s good for you.”

Rounding out the returning wrestlers that placed are senior Tyler Strandberg and junior Hunter Swartwout.

“They have seen the limelight at the state tournament and what not,” Racine said. “And a lot of them have had success at the state tournament, so that helps as well.”

While the hard preseason training begins to take a toll, the ambition to go after the program’s first team state championship since 1993, and the opportunity to earn individual honors, keeps the motivation high.

“I think we should be one of the best (teams) in the state and in the region,” Swartwout said. “We have a chance to have three or four state champs (individually)… I have a pretty good shot at winning state.”

The Magi are looking at West Fargo, Bismarck High, Bismarck Century and Mandan as their biggest competitors this season, according to Racine.

“All those teams are going to be right up there with us,” he said. “It’s going to take a lot of hard work and determination from our guys.”

West Fargo returns the most team points out of everybody from last year’s state tournament after having six finalists from a year ago. Century brings back the second-most points. While the Demons, the three-time defending state champions, haven’t won an astonishing 35 state titles without reason.

“They are down a little bit this year from what they have been in the past, but Bismarck High are the perennial powerhouse in North Dakota,” Racine said. “They find a way to put guys in the lineup to make them competitive, so I don’t think you can count them out.”

The Magi begin their season with the Minot Early Bird Wrestling Tournament. The junior high team will compete today starting at 5 p.m. with the varsity and junior varsity squads going at 9 a.m. on Saturday at the Magic City Campus.

The varsity team has its first dual competition against Williston on Tuesday at Minot High School.

Alex Eisen covers Minot High School, Minot State athletics and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @AEisen13.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today