Come watch the CARDINALS START THERE TRIP TO XCEL

05,08 Northwest Suburban Conference Champions

2008 Section 7AAA Champions

2008 State 3rd Place

Cardinal Grapplers Reload
Look Forward to Defending Section 7AAA Title

Last year was an incredible ride for the Cardinal wrestling team and was arguably the best team in the 45  year history of the school.  Records are made to be broken and last year’s team set the bar higher in many different statistical categories.  The Cardinals established new records for most individual wins, most takedowns, most near falls, most pins, most State Champions (2), and most All State wrestlers (6). The Cards were 25-3 on the season and were also the Section 7AAA Champs as well as placing third place in the State Tournament. The Cards lost seven starters to graduation in Shamus O’Grady, Nick Creamier, Mike Cullen, Jason Engstrom, Robbie Neisen, Jamarii Tucker,  and Scotty Gorham which will be felt this season. However, don’t count the Cards out just yet!

The Cards will once again be a contender for the Section 7AAA title again this year when they take the mat. The Cardinal wrestling team has traditionally been a power to contend with in the NWSC as well as the Section. While many teams rebuild their team from year to year, the Cardinals just reload, and are traditionally one of the state’s elite programs to recon with in the State of Minnesota. Coon Rapids competes in the extremely tough 7AAA Section where a wrestler must place in the top two to qualify for the State Tournament. This year’s team will be led by last year’s State Champion and team captain Carter Adams, who looks to become the Cardinals first two time State Champion. Captain and All State wrestler Kyle Anderson plans on improving on last year’s 5th place finish- Anderson is tough on his feet and even tougher on the mat. Captain Erik Berdahl hopes to gain his first state tournament berth this year and find himself on the podium at the end of the season. Erik is a threat to pin any foe at any time during the match and will be gunning to set the school pinning record, which was set last year by Nick Creamier. Erik is one of the states best wrestlers and this year Erik will leave no doubt he belongs on the podium at the end of the season. Captain Mike Murphy also seeks that elusive state tournament bid as well. Murphy is a tremendous competitor who is tough as nails on his feet. Mike has shown tremendous improvement and will lead this year’s team with the competitive fire that he wrestles with. Kahron Nix qualified for State last year as a freshman and sent state wide notice that he plans on making this an annual trip. Kahron looks to prove once and for all he is indeed one of the states best lightweights. A wrestler who made to the “Show” as a freshman, but due to illness fell short last year, Chad Mack seeks to return to the State Tournament. Mack is known to punish his opponents from the top position and plans on “putting the hurt” on a few down in St. Paul in March.

The Cardinals will reload this year with very tough replacements such as Dan Coughlin who won the Rumble on the Red JV tournament last year. Chris Anderson, who will anchor the middle of the line up, was a Section place winner in 2007 and will challenge Berdahl for recognition as the team’s top pinner. In the lower and middle weights, the Cards over the years have been very tough. Luke Stocker started all of last year at 103 and 112 and will provide valuable experience in the lower weights.  Matt Julkowski, Patrick Freese, Doug Pouliot and Jason Harbinson all saw action on the varsity last year and will bring valuable experience to this year’s team as well. With guys like Colton Adams, Joe Johnson, Rich Miller, Nyang Deng, Derek Bennington,  Matt Fuerstenberg, Dan O’Grady, Jake Emerfoll, Brandon Grahn, Markeyz Graham, Brandon Peterson, Ben Aarhus, Austin Lubinski, John Pirner, , and Jake Volkman the Cards will add depth to an already tough lineup.
Last year, the upper weights were the strength for the Cardinals and shouldn’t be over looked this year.  With guys like Jacob Fladland, Wesley Grice-Patil, “Big T” Tyler Williams, Jason Schafer, and Brandt Halseth the Cardinals will be strong from top to bottom in the lineup. The Cardinal grapplers are a proud bunch of hard working guys that look foreword to defending their Section 7AAA Championship as well as the challenges a head.  Yes- this year looks to be another incredible ride for the Cardinals!
 

 

 


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