Hastings boys wrestling brought home a state championship Saturday, as Beckett Edstrom at 121lbs earned the top spot in class AAA state on Saturday, while the Raiders will also earn a runner-up finish from Trey Beissel at 133lbs. Edstrom won in a 12-6 decision over Grant Bergeron of St. Michael-Albertville to win state, earning multiple takedown points in the first and second periods, then scoring a reversal and back points in the third to earn the win.
Beissel was hobbled all individual tournament after suffering a leg injury in the first round of team state on Wednesday afternoon, but made the choice to gut through the injury in his quest for a state title. Beissel was dominant on the way to the championship match wrestling on just one leg, but ran into Brody Bergeron from St. Michael-Albertville and fell in an 8-1 decision.
Will Bainbridge at 127lbs also wrestled on championship Saturday, winning in the consolation semifinals in an 8-4 decision, but falling in the consolation finals to earn a spot in the 5th place match, where he would earn a 4-1 decision to place 5th overall.
All three wrestlers would earn all-state honors, and Raiders head coach Tim Haneburg would be awarded class AAA coach of the year honors by other coaches attending the state tournament.
Multiple Raiders girls wrestlers also competed on championship Saturday in the consolation round. Elli Levine at 124lbs fell in the consolation sub-semifinals by fall, and Avery Levine at 155lbs also fell by fall in the consolation sub-semifinals by fall.
The tournament wraps up a stellar season for the Raiders boys and girls wrestling teams.
The #2 seeded Prescott girls basketball was also upset by #3 seeded Baldwin-Woodville in the section quarterfinal round 66-49. The Cardinals were on the wrong end of a 17-2 run to start the game and were never able to get back into it despite cutting hte deficit down to 11 at halftime trailing 34-23. The Cardinals fell behind by as much as 20 in the second half and couldn’t keep up with the Blackhawks. Prescott has their season end with a record of 16-10, and graduate a senior class of three.
No sports are in action for area schools tonight, however Hastings boys basketball begins postseason play tomorrow night on the road against Apple Valley. The Raiders earned the #6 seed in the section, and take on an Eagles team that struggled to end the season dropping four of their last six contests including to #7 seeded Burnsville,