CLEARING MILESTONES — Martin County Red Bulls wrestlers, from left, Blake Jagodzinske, Jaxson Rohman, Jesse Potts, Connor Simmonds and Lucas Jagodzinske, all have eclipsed impressive career high school milestones during the 2021 season. The Red Bulls will compete for a Class AA state team bid at St. Peter High School today. (Photo by Greg Abel)

SHERBURN — The core of the Class AA No. 3-ranked Martin County Red Bulls continues to rack up prep wrestling accolades.

Five of the six Red Bulls currently ranked on the Guillotine’s Minnesota high school top-10 at their weight achieved milestone wins during the past two weeks.

Team career wins leader and No. 1-ranked 126-pounder Jaxson Rohman claimed his 250th career victory, while No. 4-ranked 160-pounder Blake Jagodzinske took win No. 75 against Worthington on March 4. No. 2-ranked 145-pounder Connor Simmonds earned win No. 175 during triangular action against St. Peter and Pipestone Area on March 2. Martin County’s No. 3-ranked 138-pounder Lucas Jagodzinske earned his 150th career win on Feb. 23, and on the same day No. 7-ranked 120-pounder Jesse Potts claimed win No. 75 against New Ulm Area.

Rohman credits consistent hard work for so many members of the Red Bulls having individual success.

“We have all worked really hard over the years and we all push each other every day in practice to be the best we can be,” Rohman said.

As the most successful wrestler in team history, Rohman has amassed milestone wins and state medals every season since joining the Red Bulls’ lineup in seventh grade.

Rohman has won a state championship, placed second twice, finished fourth in his first state tournament and took third last season.

Rohman wasn’t the lone Red Bull to bring home a bronze medal from the 2020 state individual tournament as his best friend and wrestling partner Simmonds did as well.

“Connor and I have been practice partners since seventh grade,” Rohman said of battling with Simmonds during practice. “I know every move that he does and he knows every move that I do and that really makes us push each other. We constantly are trying new things and working as hard as we can and that is why we are both where we are now.”

Simmonds said he knew he was coming close to hitting his next milestone because of his friendship with Rohman.

“Jaxson is a human computer and he keeps track for me,” Simmonds said. “Hitting 175 was really rewarding because it means I’ve had the opportunity to wrestle a lot of good athletes and learn from each of them.”

Simmonds and Rohman are both looking to end their high school careers on top of their respective podiums, before they join multiple former Red Bulls, including Connor’s older brother, Nathan Simmonds, at Augustana next year to start their college journeys.

“The coaches there are really involved with the recruits and have been supportive,” Connor Simmonds said about why he chose the Auggies. “It will be great to continue wrestling with my Red Bull teammates.”

Like Simmonds and Rohman, Lucas Jagodzinske has been a key member of the Red Bulls’ lineup for years, including competing in both the Red Bulls’ opportunities at state championships.

Lucas said he knew he was getting close to another milestone win, and that reaching 150 career victories is proof all his hard work in practice has paid off.

“Having practice partners that have also been really successful has helped me become a better wrestler,” Lucas Jagodzinske said. “We are all constantly pushing each other to be the best we can be.”

Also like Simmonds and Rohman, Lucas Jagodzinske and twin brother Blake Jagodzinske are continuing their college careers with an Auggies wrestling team, but the brothers will head north to Augsburg College instead of west to Augustana.

“I chose Augsburg because I felt like I fit in with the team and I knew a lot of the guys on the team already,” Blake Jagodzinske said of continuing his wrestling career. “I love the sport and I enjoy competing. I didn’t want it to come to an end after my senior year of high school.”

Blake Jagodzinske said he knew he was about to reach 75 career wins, but he had larger goals in mind coming into the season. He said he set an individual goal to reach 100 career wins, but the shortened season didn’t allow him enough matches. Unlike the other members of the Red Bull core, Blake Jagodzinske worked his way into the Red Bull varsity lineup slightly later in his high school career, but he said that only made him work harder to reach his goals.

“Not having a varsity spot did push me to work harder in the wrestling room,” Blake Jagodzinske said. “Having to work my way into the lineup made me realize that nothing was just going to be handed to me and that I had to put in the work.”

Potts, the lone junior in the Red Bulls core, said getting to practice with so many talented wrestlers throughout his whole career has given him a leg up on his competitors, not just because of the strong work ethic instilled in practice, but because of the extra opportunities a solid team can bring.

“Being in this program alongside great competitors is amazing,” Potts said. “It’s something I have been blessed with my whole high school career. We’ve had a lot of great wrestlers that have been through the program. I feel it’s extremely beneficial, not only does it create a great team, but these guys are role models as well. It makes you pick up the intensity and pace and helps me stay focused on my goals and get through tough times in practices or matches.”

After missing much of his sophomore season due to illness, Potts said having the ability to wrestle a full season this year was important to him. He said just having the opportunity to compete again has filled a void.

“Last year, I felt pretty bad not being able to compete,” Potts said. “Even though it was something I couldn’t really control, not being able to contribute to the team or be able to achieve my individual goals was pretty heartbreaking. Because of that, being able to compete this year means even more to me.”

To add to their individual success all five members of the Red Bull core, as well as teammates No. 8-ranked 132-pounder Kain Sanders, Aden Welcome (145), Carver Rohman (170), Max Olson (195) and Alec Thompson (285) were all named to the all-Valley Conference wrestling team, while Rylan Cutler (106) and Wyatt Williamson (182) were honorable mentions.

While the five core Red Bulls will look to either continue or improve on their previous experiences at the state individual tournament, they will combine to try to help power the Red Bulls to more state team success as well.

The Red Bulls hope to start that team success with a win in today’s Section 3AA finals against Dawson-Boyd-Lac Qui Parle-Montevideo United, leading to their immediate appearance in the Class AA state quarterfinals against the Section 2AA champions. If the Red Bulls beat United, they would make their third state team tournament appearance in the past four seasons, with Rohman, Simmonds and Lucas Jagodzinske making appearances in the lineup for all three.