With only two wrestlers graduating from a third place individual tournament team, the Bismarck Demons edge state champion Minot High as the team to beat next season on the weight of 165.5 team points to Minot’s 155.  Rounding out the top five are familiar faces Mandan (105), Century (96), and West Fargo (93).

Bismarck High will return two state champions in Laken Boese (106) and Ryan Ripplinger (120), as well as state finalists Adam DeBoer (126), Jaden Petit-Schmidt, Parker Wahl (160), and Chase Dockter (220).  Boese, Ripplinger, and Dockter are only sophomores, and have two years left in the Maroon and White.  

State champion Minot will return relatively intact, but loses placers Tyler Strandberg (132), Mattew Rabe (170), and Je-Mario Jones (195) to graduation this spring.  Anchoring the Minot High lineup next season will be 2X state champion Brody Armstrong (126), as well as third place finishers Jacob Mortensen (138), Creighton Rudolph (160), Hunter Swartwout (220), and Eli Huff (285).  All five will be seniors next season and will be favorites to make the state finals.

Mandan will lose four placers to graduation, including 2X state champion Dale Spilman (170) and his brother Eric (126), as well as Karson Mosbrucker (106) and Logan Pudwill (285).  The Braves also return a state champion in Isaac Berger and runner-up in Will Kleinknecht (113)

The Century Patriots, favorites coming into last season, were the team hardest hit by graduation.  Though Century’s lineup from 106-132 will all be back, Mason Schulz (138) plus every wrestler from 152 through 285 graduates.  That includes state champion Jacob Rader (195) and 2X finalist Seth Braun (285).  

West Fargo stands fifth on the strength of three returning state champions in JJ Harms (120), Jared Franek (152), and Cade Pederson (160).

Complete Returning Class A Team Points

1.  Bismarck                            165.5
2.  Minot                                  155
3.  Mandan                              105
4.  Century                               96
5.  West Fargo                         93
6.  Turtle Mountain                  84.5
7.  Valley City                          61
8.  Davies                                58
9.  Dickinson                            50
10.  St. Mary’s                           48
11.  Wahpeton                          40
12.  Bismarck Legacy               34.5
13.  Williston                             34
14.  Jamestown                        26.5
15.  Devils Lake                        24
16.  Fargo North                       18
17.  Fargo South                       11
18.  Grand Forks Central          10
19.  Grand Forks Red River       7
19.  West Fargo Sheyenne         7