At the end of the 2023 Minnesota state wrestling tournament, Park head wrestling coach Jim LaBrosse remarked that the future was bright for Park wrestling.
On Saturday, LaBrosse must have thought the future looks even brighter.
Park qualified a school-record typing six wrestlers to the state meet. Only fifth-ranked junior Gunnar Mullen ended up placing in the tournament, finishing fourth at 152 pounds in the Class AAA division. That’s the bad news. The good news is that of the six wrestlers who qualified for the state meet, five should return next season to the Park wrestling room.
Mullen’s efforts definitely were the highlights of the meet for the Park Wolfpack. He scored a 6-0 win in his first match, an 11-6 victory in his second, then lost to eventual state runner-up Brad Little of Woodbury in the championship quarterfinals. Mullen then pinned Prior Lake’s John Graham in just 46 seconds the consolation semifinals.
In Saturday’s third place match at 152 pounds, Mullen fell to fourth-ranked Patrick Kubisa of Eden Prairie won 9-3. He finished fourth in the tournament at 152 pounds and ended the season with a record of 53-9.
“It was a good match,” Mullen said of the third-place final. “That’s a good kid. I’m not mad about it. He was a respectful kid. He was really respectful after the match.”
Mullen had wrestled Kubisa previously this season. “That one was really close, it was triple overtime,” Mullen said. “Today was a little different. He got the better of me today. It’s whatever though. Next year, you know now I’ve been here before and now I kind of want to win it.”
In Saturday’s championship semifinals, old nemesis and third-seeded Little of Woodbury pinned Mullen in 3:36. Mullen then advanced to the consolation round. In the championship quarterfinals, Mullen scored an 11-6 decision over seventh-seeded Jack Ferguson of Shakopee.
“I was proud of him,” LaBrosse said of Mullen. “For what he went through. He held his head high and came out … he wrestled hard, he wrestled with a lot of heart and he had a lot of baggage. And he threw it all away and just wrestled for himself and he looked great. He’s a fantastic kid. He had some great matches today. Semis was tough and he almost pulled it off. He’s a goer and he’s not slowing down and he’s got another year to get this thing done. It was just really good to see him go after it. It’s a great tournament and so many good kids here and he’s one of them.”
Junior Landon Robideau of St. Michael-Albertville capped a remarkable year with a technical fall win over Little in the 152-pound final to finish 55-0 on the season.
Park eighth-ranked eighth grader Landen Brooks (29-11) also had a memorable tournament. Brooks lost in the first round to third-ranked Logan Davis of Albert Lee, then won his first match in consolation action, taking down sixth-seeded Marr of Forest Lake 5-2. Brooks then lost a tough 1-0 decision to seventh-seeded Tyler Turzinski of Shakopee in the consolation quarterfinals Saturday morning.
“Laden was super close today,” said LaBrosse. “He was a second away from getting a takedown and placing. Dylan had a tough match last night. It’s fun. These kids are here to compete and we’re not going anywhere.”
Mullen and Brooks were the only Park wrestlers to advance in the tournament. Friday’s first round was brutal for the Wolfpack as only Mullen scored a win, defeating Kellen Burger of Rochester Mayo to continue in the championship round.
In the opening round, Park’s Kyler Jubinal (33-14) was pinned in his 133-pound match, while Brooks and sixth-ranked sophomore Zack Carr (44-11) lost by major decisions, and senior Sam Lankow (34-17) and 10th-ranked sophomore Dylan Richardson (40-14) lost by technical falls.
Jubinal, Carr, Richardson and Lankow then all lost in the first round of consolation.
Ranked sixth at 139 coming in, Carr lost to seventh-ranked Parker Lyden of Forest Lake and then to eighth-ranked Ian Schultz of St. Michael-Albertville.
St. Michael-Albertville breezed to a team title In the Class AAA team race, pinning Mounds View 47-10 in the finals. Shakopee took down Albert Lea for third, 44-11 and Willmar edged Hastings for fifth, 35-27. Simley won its sixth straight Class AA championship and Chatfield won the Class A crown.
“Our tournament experience this year is great,” LaBrosse noted. “It’s going to really help us for next year. Just getting these six kids in. Good things are coming for Park and the kids believe it. We’re already looking forward to next year.”
Park matches at state:
127 -- Logan Davis, Albert Lee, scored a 15-4 major decision over Landen Brooks, Park, in the first round.
Brooks defeated Grant Marr, Forest Lake, 5-2 in the first round of consolation. Tyler Turzinski, Shakopee, defeated Brooks, 1-0.
133 – Logan Swensen, Wayzata, pinned Kyler Jubinal, Park, 1:35. Zackary Johnson, Blaine, pinned Jubinal, 2:26.
139 -- Parker Lyden, Forest Lake, scored a 12-3 major decision over Zack Carr, Park. Ian Schultz, St. Michael-Albertville, defeated Carr, 10-6 in consolation.
152 -- Gunnar Mullen, Park, scored a 6-0 decision over Kellen Burger, Rochester Mayo. Mullen defeated Jack Ferguson, Shakopee, 6-0. Brad Little, Woodbury, pinned Mullen, 3:36. Mullen pinned John Graham, Prior Lake, :46. Patrick Kubisa, Eden Prairie, defeated Mullen, 9-3.
160 -- Jackson Barron, Shakopee, scored a technical fall over Dylan Richardson, Park, 2:56 (15-0). Carter Skradski, Coon Rapids, defeated Richardson, 5-4.
172 – Jaxon Kenning, St. Cloud Tech, scored a technical fall over Sam Lankow, Park, 4:50 (17-0). Steven Cruze, Willmar, scored a major decision over Lankow, 15-3.
