Sully Marx of Watertown-Mayer has committed to wrestling for Saint John’s University following his upcoming senior season.
High School News
Putting the Fier in Minneota Vikings’ Wrestling
By Brian Jerzak
When Joe and JoAnn Fier started a family in Minneota, they didn’t have much of a wrestling background. Despite the lack of wrestling background, the Joe and JoAnn family has provided the program with two generations of Vikings’ wrestlers, state entrants, and state place winners. Now, well into that second generation of Fier wrestlers, the family continues to put its stamp on the southwestern Minnesota wrestling program.
“My dad didn’t wrestle, but he liked wrestling,” former Vikings’ wrestler and current assistant wrestling coach Kris Fier said. “He married a girl from Canby who was a wrestling cheerleader for Canby. Back then, Canby was who you gauged everything in wrestling off.”
“Kris is an assistant coach, and Minneota’s first wrestling state champion,” Minneota head coach Matt Myrvik said. “He was part of our first state tournament team, with his brother Kurt. Kris has been a coach with us for almost three decades.”
Watching other programs – including the team JoAnn used to cheer for – helped hook their son, Kris.
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Thirteen Years in the Making
New Ulm Wrestling
By Brian Jerzak
One of the highlights of the 2026 Minnesota State High School Wrestling tournament was the emergence of the New Ulm Eagles. Not only did the Eagles advance to State for the second time in history, but they also made their first trip to the state finals – ultimately falling to Simley 38-13. The Eagles’ best season in their history didn’t happen overnight.
“In 2013, I moved to New Ulm,” New Ulm head coach Kevin Briggs said. “This group of parents stuck together. We took the kids to practices; we took them to tournaments. More importantly, the parents got along, hung out together, and kept the kids involved. Last year’s team was thirteen years in the making.”
Before Briggs could head up the Eagles’ turnaround, the future wrestling coach had to decide which sport was going to occupy his time in the winter.
“I am from a small town – Cornell, Wisconsin,” Briggs said. “I got involved in athletics. My older brother wrestled. I played basketball and wrestled both until ninth grade. I learned that if I was going to control my own destiny and my own work ethic, I had to wrestle and not play basketball.”
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College Recruiting: state placewinner Herbst to Saint John’s University
Aiden Herbst of Buffalo has committed to wrestling for Saint John’s University next season.
College Recruiting: State champion Mead to Augustana University
Kaleb Mead of Watertown-Mayer has committed to wrestling for Augustana University following his upcoming senior season.
Trey Beissel’s Grit: Wrestling Through Pain to Chase Greatness
By Brian Jerzak
Hastings senior Trey Beissel went into last season as the number one-ranked wrestler in his weight class in Class AAA. If there were a pound-for-pound, regardless of class ranking, for Minnesota wrestlers, he would have been in that conversation. Heading into the state tournament, it was full speed ahead to become a two-time champion.
“My first match at team State,” Beissel said, “the guy got to my leg, and I was whizzering down, and my knee popped. I kept wrestling and didn’t think anything of it. A few seconds later, two more pops came, and that was it. I finished that match, but then the coaches said we have to get you ready for the individual tournament.”
“Him going out there and finishing that match (in the team competition) tells you all you need to know about Trey,” Hastings’ head wrestling coach Tim Haneberg said. “He is a team, first person. He put the team on his back. He put the team on the line in the first round against Elk River – he was going to finish that match. Trey ran out of injury time – popped up and somehow got another takedown. He got on top and turned the kid two or three times for the tech. He couldn’t even walk off the mat and had to be carried off the mat.”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the first time Beissel’s state tournament run was derailed before it could get started.
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Region 8 Gathering
“Ricky, we need to have a get-together for these coaches!” said former standout 126-pounder and coach from Fertile-Beltrami, Mitch Lenz.
“Ok, Mitch let’s do it.” -Steve Ricard, former Fertile-Beltramil wrestler
Hall of Fame Plummer Coach Was Highly Admired
By Jeff “Bro” Olsen
Gary Brantl, an exceptional gentleman and revered educator who had a knack for converting misbehaving students into well-behaved ones and was an all-around coaching legend, died on April 3 from pancreatic cancer.
His funeral Mass was celebrated by Father Matt Schmitz, a former student, on April 26 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Brooks, MN. He was 77.
Gary and Sue Ann (née Horge) Brantl were high school sweethearts in Crookston.
In mid-May, Sue Ann talked about her late husband, unaware that many admirers almost compared him to St. Francis of Assisi.
The redoubtable Steve Furuseth left his mark
By Jeff “Bro” Olsen
Mr. Furuseth, a remarkable and dapper character who was a Roseau High School science teacher, wrestling coach, fisherman of great renown, and an all-around friend to many, passed away on Friday evening, May 29, with several family members at his bedside in his home in Rochert, Minnesota, near Detroit Lakes. He was 78.
He had been in ill health, but in his prime, even into his fifties, he was ready to grapple with all takers, big or small.
Steve, a native of Thief River Falls, had placed 4th at State in 1965 in the one-class system and wrestled at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls and then at Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter.
MSHSL Approves Girls Dual Wrestling as League’s Newest Emerging Sport
BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. — In a historic move for girls’ wrestling, the Minnesota State High School League’s (MSHSL) Board of Directors has approved Girls Dual Wrestling for Emerging Status. The decision came during the Board’s final scheduled meeting of the 2025-2026 school year on Tuesday, June 2.
Emerging Status is the official transition phase before a sport becomes fully sanctioned by the League. Over the next two to five years, MSHSL staff will study program stability, logistics, and implementation planning to pave the way for a fully realized Girls Dual Wrestling sport structure.