Photo by Stephen Wiblemo Marshall's Hsa Khee Lar was wrapped up with Delano's Reier Sjomeling during their fifth-place match Saturday. Khee Lar lost but still brought home a sixth-place medal from the state wrestling tournament.

ST. PAUL – Marshall’s Hsa Khee Lar and Wyatt Martin were among nine local wrestlers who earned medals at the state individual tournament this weekend.

It started with 27 local grapplers Friday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul but was whittled down to 11 on the first day, including six who made it to the semifinals. Martin, a 170-pounder in Class AA, was one of those semifinalists. He won his first two matches of the tournament and was one win away from the championship match, but it wasn’t meant to be as he lost three straight Saturday to finish sixth.

Khee Lar also took sixth place at 113 pounds but had a different path. After losing his opening match Friday he won a wrestleback match that night and a consolation quarterfinal Saturday morning to help him medal.

Out of the other five semifinalists, two won their matches and one went on to win the state title. Canby’s Jaden Kindopp won the Class A 170-pound title on his first trip ever to the state tournament, while Peyton Mortenson of Dawson-Boyd/Lac qui Parle Valley/Montevideo United made it to the finals of the Class AA 160-pound bracket but lost a close match to finish runner-up.

Other area medalists may not have won championships, but they all ended their seasons with a win.

Cole Vanoverbeke of Minneota started his tournament with a loss but proceeded to win four straight matches for a third-place finish in Class A 152 pounds. The guy he lost to in the first round was the same guy he beat in the third-place match.

“I was able to make some adjustments obviously, because the first time I didn’t get anything at all. Here (in the third-place match) I was able to get something going and win it,” Vanoverbeke said.

Dereck Ellingson of Tracy-Milroy-Balaton/Westbrook-Walnut Grove also took third in Class A 126 pounds, while Nick Altermatt of Wabasso/Red Rock Central took third in Class A 170 pounds. And finishing up in fifth place were Canby heavyweight Josh Hansen and Minneota 132-pounder Teddy Pesch.

CLASS AA STATE TOURNAMENT

113 pounds

Hsa Khee Lar (Marshall) won 5-4 against Francis Fuenffinger (Hibbing); pinned by Jared Johnson (Kasson-M) at 2:52; pinned by Reier Sjomeling (Delano) at 3:06 – 6th place

160 pounds

Peyton Mortenson (United) won 8-7 against Braydon Ortloff (Detroit Lakes); lost 5-1 against Cade Mueller (Waconia) – 2nd place

Zach Stahl (Marshall) lost 7-2 against Kole Platt (GNK)

170 pounds

Wyatt Martin (Marshall) lost 4-1 against Justin Henry (Foley); lost 13-4 to Hayden Strain (Cannon Falls); lost 16-11 against Dylan Lentz (Columbia Heights) – 6th place

CLASS A STATE TOURNAMENT

126 pounds

Dereck Ellingson (TMB) lost 3-0 against Blake Legred (United South Central); won 4-2 in SV-1 against Mason Gode (Long Prairie); won 3-1 against Tanner Schermerhorn (Frazee) – 3rd place

132 pounds

Teddy Pesch (Minneota) won 7-1 against Shawn Rue (Paynesville); lost 9-1 against Tyler Bents (Belgrade-BE); won 9-0 against Joash Lord (Norwood) – 5th place

145 pounds

Anthony Axford (TMB) lost 9-6 against Zack Holtz (Kimball)

152 pounds

Cole Vanoverbeke (Minneota) won 6-4 against Adam Rients (Waterville); won 2-0 against Zach Buseman (Blue Earth); won 4-2 in SV-1 against Mason Huemann (Goodhue) – 3rd place

170 pounds

Jaden Kindopp (Canby) won 4-2 against Nick Altermatt (Wabasso); won 2-1 against Levi Larkin (West Central)

Nick Altermatt (Wabasso) lost 4-2 against Jaden Kindopp (Canby); won 2-1 against Kaleb O’Reilly (Goodhue); won 3-1 against Colton Waldvogel (Osakis) – 3rd place

285 pounds

Josh Hansen (Canby) lost 9-4 against Tanner Tappe (Frazee); lost 6-0 against Mitchell Oswald (Westfield); won 1-0 against RJ Ehlert (Ottertail Central) – 5th place