The 2025-26 high school wrestling season is getting underway this week. Here is a look back at the individual state champions from the 2015-16 season in Class A and Class B.
TEAM CHAMPIONS:
Class A – Bismarck High. Those of you not in the know about Class A wrestling, this is not a rare occurrence. They have won 41 team state championships from their first title in 1960 to their most recent state title in 2024. They have a 63% state championship win percentage. Something to be the subject of a future deep dive.
Class B – Carrington. While Carrington doesn’t have a stranglehold on the state championships like Bismarck High, they have won a team state championship on 8 occasions. They were able to win a team state championship in 1995, the same year Jim Kleinsasser led the basketball team to a state championship. Think the wrestling coaches at that time ever thought about what Kleinsasser could’ve been had he wrestled instead of playing basketball?
INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS:
These have all been pulled from the NDHSAANow.com archives.
CLASS A Individual State Champions:
106 – Justins Harms, West Fargo
113 – Ryan Ripplinger, Bismarck High
120 – Brody Armstrong, Minot High
126 – Dillon Spaulding, Bismarck High
132 – Mason Schultz, Bismarck Century
138 – Jared Franek, West Fargo
145 – Taylor Nein, Bismarck High
152 – Bryce Burnside, Fargo Davies
160 – Payton Mewes, Jamestown
170 – Dale Spilman, Mandan
182 – Jesse Shearer, West Fargo
195 – Chase Teiken, West Fargo
220 – Jordan Magnuson, Valley City
285 – Brandon Metz, West Fargo
CLASS B Individual State Champions:
106 – Tayt Wolding, New Salem-Almont
113 – Kyle Burwick, Hettinger-Scranton
120 – Lucas Geiszler, Carrington
126 – Grayson Roney, Oakes
132 – Jeseb Mogen, Velva
138 – Bradyn Horgan, Pembina County North
145 – Walker Carr, Carrington
152 – Billy Holtan, Carrington
160 – Luke Hastings, Hillsboro/CV
170 – Bridger Anderson, Carringon
182 – Riley Lura, Carrington
195 – Jordan Will, Minot Bishop Ryan
220 – Michael Lafferty, Pembina County North
285 – Michael Kelly, Oakes
A decade ago, these were your North Dakota state champs, straight from the NDHSAANow archives.
Back when Harambe, Damn Daniel, and the Crying Jordan meme ruled the internet. God willing, we’ll look back on the current 6-7 craze the same way in another ten years. (It has to stop soon, right?)
We’re gearing up to dive deeper into wrestling coverage soon, as it can be an under represented sport. With the wrestling season getting underway for 2025-26, we thought it appropriate to go back in time ten years and remember who was getting their hand raised.
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