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Feb. 20—BEMIDJI — Brainerd will be representing Section 8-3A in the state wrestling tournament this year, but individual state bids will be up for grabs this weekend at the BHS Gymnasium
Bemidji High School will be hosting the Section 8-3A individual wrestling tournament Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. and featuring some of the best wrestlers in the state.
With a trip to St. Paul up for grabs, here are ones to watch at the BHS gymnasium this weekend. All listed wrestlers are ranked No. 5 or higher in Class 3A in their respective weight classes, starting with Bemidji's "big four."
Ozzie Hanks, 107 pounds
In a majority of duals this season, Hanks has given the Lumberjacks an upper hand in the 107-pound weight class. Ranked No. 5 at 107 pounds in Class 3A, he has a 37-4 record this season, according to
USA Bracketing.
Hanks is the defending section champion at 107 pounds, but his biggest threat comes from Willmar's Landen Kassel, who is ranked ahead of him at No. 3.
Gabe Morin, 133 pounds
One half of Bemidji's one-two punch with Nick Strand, the No. 3-ranked Morin is about as automatic as you can get. An Augsburg wrestling commit, he holds a
41-4 record,
hoping to make state and improve on last season, where he finished fifth at 127 pounds.
Before he gets there, he'll have some competition with other top-ranked wrestlers in his weight class, including Moorhead's Landon Rinke (No. 8,
22-4
) and Brainerd's Jackson Berhow (No. 10,
28-10
).
Nick Strand, 139 pounds
With the best record of any BHS wrestler, Strand is poised to make another run at the state tournament after an eye-popping
43-2 regular season.
Ranked No. 3 in Class 3A, he'll be clearly the favorite at 139 pounds, with no other wrestlers in the section ranked in the top 10.
The question may be how far he can get at the state tournament. At 139 pounds, he came in fourth at state last year. Based on how he's been wrestling this season, a top-three finish may be in the works for the Northern Illinois commit.
Nehemiah Schwinghammer, 285 pounds
Bemidji frequently saved one of its best wrestlers for last. Schwinghammer ended the season as the highest-ranked Lumberjack at No. 2, an impressive feat. The heavyweight senior went
31-4
and will be a favorite to make it to state, where he'll look to improve on his sixth-place finish from last season.
Landen Kassel, 107 pounds
Kassel looks to improve on his sixth-place finish in the state tournament last season, and so far, he's been on track to do so. With a
29-12 record,
he's ranked No. 3 in Class 3A and is poised to get revenge on Hanks' 107-pound section title in 2025.
Caiden Kassel, 127 pounds
The other half of
Willmar's Kassel brothers,
Caiden, is ranked No. 3 at 127 pounds despite his
15-6 record.
He's gone up two weight classes since last year, when he won the section title and finished third in the state tournament at 114 pounds.
Cavin Carlson, 160 pounds
Sitting at
36-4,
it'll be tough to compete with Carlson, who's ranked No. 3 at 160 pounds. He was agonizingly close to claiming the state title at 139 pounds last season, finishing second after losing a 4-1 decision to Stillwater's Grayson Eggum.
William Dircks, 114 pounds
William Dircks was one of the Warriors' most reliable wrestlers, ranked No. 3 with a
32-7 record.
He barely missed the state tournament last season, claiming third at sectins a year ago at 107 pounds.
Easton Dircks, 152 pounds
Easton Dircks, ranked third at 152 pounds, looks to return to the state tournament after ending the regular season with a
31-2 record
. After a sixth-place finish at state last season, he'll be looking for a top-five finish this season.
Dalton Humeniuk, 160 pounds
After finishing second in the section tournament at 152 pounds last season, Humeniuk went on a run and claimed fourth place in the state tournament. This season, he'll be hunting for another section title after finishing
27-4
and ranked No. 4 in Class 3A.
William Ward, 189 pounds
Undefeated at
31-0
and ranked No. 1 at 189 pounds in Class 3A, Ward is touted as one of the
best wrestlers in the nation.
An Arizona State recruit, he won the section title last year at 215 pounds and rode that momentum to win the state title, and is on track to do the same thing this season.
In the section tournament, look for a rematch against Branerd's No. 7 ranked Tyce Faber, who Ward pinned in 1:06 in the team section championship.
Sutton Kenning, 215 pounds
Kenning is a man on a mission this season after falling just short of the state title at 189 pounds in 2025, finishing second. Ranked No. 1 at 215 pounds with a
33-1
record this season, the Golden Gopher recruit enters the section tournament as the clear favorite — depending on which weight class Ward competes in.
Ward has been competing at 189 and 215 pounds for Moorhead, depending on where he's needed. If he does end up competing at 215 pounds — where he's the defending state champion — it will be a toss up between the two. Ward got the best of Kenning in their last match earlier in the season in a close 2-1 decision.
Gabe Roehl, 127 pounds
At
40-3,
Roehl has been one of the lone bright spots for Buffalo this season. Scoring first place at 121 pounds in sections last season, he has an equal chance of doing the same thing at 127 pounds this season, where he's ranked No. 4.
Continue reading...
Bemidji High School will be hosting the Section 8-3A individual wrestling tournament Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. and featuring some of the best wrestlers in the state.
With a trip to St. Paul up for grabs, here are ones to watch at the BHS gymnasium this weekend. All listed wrestlers are ranked No. 5 or higher in Class 3A in their respective weight classes, starting with Bemidji's "big four."
Ozzie Hanks, 107 pounds
In a majority of duals this season, Hanks has given the Lumberjacks an upper hand in the 107-pound weight class. Ranked No. 5 at 107 pounds in Class 3A, he has a 37-4 record this season, according to
USA Bracketing.
Hanks is the defending section champion at 107 pounds, but his biggest threat comes from Willmar's Landen Kassel, who is ranked ahead of him at No. 3.
Gabe Morin, 133 pounds
One half of Bemidji's one-two punch with Nick Strand, the No. 3-ranked Morin is about as automatic as you can get. An Augsburg wrestling commit, he holds a
41-4 record,
hoping to make state and improve on last season, where he finished fifth at 127 pounds.
Before he gets there, he'll have some competition with other top-ranked wrestlers in his weight class, including Moorhead's Landon Rinke (No. 8,
22-4
) and Brainerd's Jackson Berhow (No. 10,
28-10
).
Nick Strand, 139 pounds
With the best record of any BHS wrestler, Strand is poised to make another run at the state tournament after an eye-popping
43-2 regular season.
Ranked No. 3 in Class 3A, he'll be clearly the favorite at 139 pounds, with no other wrestlers in the section ranked in the top 10.
The question may be how far he can get at the state tournament. At 139 pounds, he came in fourth at state last year. Based on how he's been wrestling this season, a top-three finish may be in the works for the Northern Illinois commit.
Nehemiah Schwinghammer, 285 pounds
Bemidji frequently saved one of its best wrestlers for last. Schwinghammer ended the season as the highest-ranked Lumberjack at No. 2, an impressive feat. The heavyweight senior went
31-4
and will be a favorite to make it to state, where he'll look to improve on his sixth-place finish from last season.
Landen Kassel, 107 pounds
Kassel looks to improve on his sixth-place finish in the state tournament last season, and so far, he's been on track to do so. With a
29-12 record,
he's ranked No. 3 in Class 3A and is poised to get revenge on Hanks' 107-pound section title in 2025.
Caiden Kassel, 127 pounds
The other half of
Willmar's Kassel brothers,
Caiden, is ranked No. 3 at 127 pounds despite his
15-6 record.
He's gone up two weight classes since last year, when he won the section title and finished third in the state tournament at 114 pounds.
Cavin Carlson, 160 pounds
Sitting at
36-4,
it'll be tough to compete with Carlson, who's ranked No. 3 at 160 pounds. He was agonizingly close to claiming the state title at 139 pounds last season, finishing second after losing a 4-1 decision to Stillwater's Grayson Eggum.
William Dircks, 114 pounds
William Dircks was one of the Warriors' most reliable wrestlers, ranked No. 3 with a
32-7 record.
He barely missed the state tournament last season, claiming third at sectins a year ago at 107 pounds.
Easton Dircks, 152 pounds
Easton Dircks, ranked third at 152 pounds, looks to return to the state tournament after ending the regular season with a
31-2 record
. After a sixth-place finish at state last season, he'll be looking for a top-five finish this season.
Dalton Humeniuk, 160 pounds
After finishing second in the section tournament at 152 pounds last season, Humeniuk went on a run and claimed fourth place in the state tournament. This season, he'll be hunting for another section title after finishing
27-4
and ranked No. 4 in Class 3A.
William Ward, 189 pounds
Undefeated at
31-0
and ranked No. 1 at 189 pounds in Class 3A, Ward is touted as one of the
best wrestlers in the nation.
An Arizona State recruit, he won the section title last year at 215 pounds and rode that momentum to win the state title, and is on track to do the same thing this season.
In the section tournament, look for a rematch against Branerd's No. 7 ranked Tyce Faber, who Ward pinned in 1:06 in the team section championship.
Sutton Kenning, 215 pounds
Kenning is a man on a mission this season after falling just short of the state title at 189 pounds in 2025, finishing second. Ranked No. 1 at 215 pounds with a
33-1
record this season, the Golden Gopher recruit enters the section tournament as the clear favorite — depending on which weight class Ward competes in.
Ward has been competing at 189 and 215 pounds for Moorhead, depending on where he's needed. If he does end up competing at 215 pounds — where he's the defending state champion — it will be a toss up between the two. Ward got the best of Kenning in their last match earlier in the season in a close 2-1 decision.
Gabe Roehl, 127 pounds
At
40-3,
Roehl has been one of the lone bright spots for Buffalo this season. Scoring first place at 121 pounds in sections last season, he has an equal chance of doing the same thing at 127 pounds this season, where he's ranked No. 4.
Continue reading...
