Class AAA Individual Results Summary
Mitch Bengston of St. Cloud Apollo won his fourth Minnesota State Wrestling title finishing his senior
season with a perfect 46-0 record. He became just the 13th four-time winner. (NOTE: Jake Short
wrestling just a few minutes later also won his fourth title) Bengston had previously won in ’09 (@103),
’10(@112), and ’11 (@119). History will show he was just two seconds away from being the fifth fivetime winner when his quest for a title in 2012 was thwarted by a last second reversal in his
championship match against Eden Prairie’s Sam Brancale.
Perennial Class AAA power Apple Valley came off earning co-champions status in team competition to
have eight wrestlers vie for Individual Championships. They won titles in seven of those. Led by
Sophomore Mark Hall (152), who won his third consecutive gold medal, other Apple Valley winners
were Maolu Woiwor (113), and Seth Gross (132) who each won his second straight title. First time
winners for the Eagles were Dayton Racer (145), Danny Woiwor (160), David Johnson (182), and Paul
Cheney (220). It was the St. Michael-Albertville Saints that shared the team title with Apple Valley. The
Saints had five wrestlers going for individual state crowns. Only two were victorious, Tommy Thorn who
won his third title, this one at 120 after winning in 2010 at 106, and 113 in 2011. Jordan Joseph of St.
Michael-Albertville also was crowned champion at 170 when he prevailed over returning champion TJ
O’Hara of Tartan, 4-3. Thorn’s win, 9-1, over the Eagle’s Gannon Volk was one of three championship
bouts which were repeat matches of the Eagle’s/Saint’s dual for the State Team title. Thorn won the first
13-2. The other “replays” were Seth Gross vs. Mark Voss. Voss won in team competition, 5-3, but Gross
won the individual title, 4-3. Lincoln Mallinger faced off with Dayton Racer twice with Racer winning
both times.
Lakeville South’s Tommy Peterson was the only other repeat winner. Peterson faced another returning
champion, Chase Morlock who won last year at 182, hung on to win 3-2 at 195.There were eight first
time winners overall in AAA. Only Bengston completed his year undefeated.