Junior Alan Koehler and senior Cole Edwards shined for Prior Lake at the Christmas Tournament in Rochester Dec. 17-18.
The annual event features many of the state’s top wrestlers from all three classes and Koehler and Edwards are two of them.
Koehler, ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 3A, won the 120-pound title with a 5-0 record. He earned a hard-fought 5-4 decision over Zach Silvis of Park in the title match, who is ranked No. 3 at 120 in Class 3A.
Koehler earned a 17-6 major decision in the semifinals over Ian Schultz of St. Michael-Albertville, ranked No. 6 at 120 in Class 3A. Koehler won by technical fall in his first two matches and earned an 18-7 victory over Graeson Pankratz of Oconto, Wisconsin in the quarterfinals.
Koehler won the Class 3A state title last season at 106 pounds.
Meanwhile, Edwards went 5-1 en route to his third-place showing. His loss came in the semifinals where he was pinned by Cole Glaizer of Kasson-Mantorville, ranked No. 2 at 170 in Class 2A.
Edwards won his first two matches by fall and then earned a 4-0 sudden victory in overtime in the quarterfinals over Adam Cherne of Wayzata, ranked No. 3 in Class 3A at 170.
Edwards earned a 5-2 win in the consolation semifinals over Jacob Reinardy (No. 7 at 170 in Class 3A), before meeting Cherne again for third place and winning 7-1.
Koehler and Edwards led Prior Lake to a 19th-place finish out of 36 schools in the team standings with 74 points. Top-ranked St. Michael-Albertville won the title (199.5).
Second-ranked Kasson Mantorville was second (177.5), while Simley, ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, finished third (172.5).
Senior Carter Berggren and junior Martin Owusu each picked up two wins for Prior Lake at the tourney, but fell short of the medal round.
Berggren finished 2-2 at 145 pounds, while Owusu was also 2-2 competing at heavyweight.
Wrestlers picking up one win for Prior Lake at the tourney included sophomore Finn Bloomquist at 113, junior Aidan McGowan at 160 and senior Owen Dotseth at 195.
Prior Lake opened the South Suburban Conference dual season Dec. 2 with a 51-12 win over Rosemount.
Getting pins for the Lakers were junior Ben Brennan at 120, Koehler at 126, senior Anthony Bechik at 152, McGowan at 160 and Owusu at heavyweight.
Bloomquist earned a 6-2 decision at 113 for Prior Lake, while senior Ryan Horejsi won by technical fall at 182. Dotseth had a 16-3 major decision at 195, while ninth-grader Brock Zurn won 7-3 at 220.
Prior Lake competed in the Ellsworth Invitational Dec. 4, finishing third out of 11 schools in the team standings with 186.5 points.
Cadott, Wisconsin won the title (219), followed by Mora (188).
Koehler won the 120-pound title for the Lakers, while Edwards was the 170-pound champion and Owusu was tops in the heavyweight division. Horejsi was runner-up at 182.
Other place-winners for the Lakers included Bloomquist (3rd, 113), sophomore Jaxon Mikolyzk (7th, 126), junior Bronson Clayton (7th, 132), Berggren (7th, 145), Bechik (6th, 152), McGowan (4th, 160), senior Colton Wagner (5th, 195) and Zurn (4th, 220).