Individual state runner-up Cito Tuttle was honored as the Most Valuable Athlete for the Stillwater wrestling team during its postseason awards banquet.
Tuttle was one of five state placewinners for the boys and girls wrestling team, a list that also includes Joe Dauffenbach, Noah Nicholson, Lindson Turner and Audrey Rogotzke. Tuttle, who placed third at state in the 182-pound weight class as a junior, wrestled at 215 pounds most of the season before moving up another weight class for the individual state competition. He finished with a 42-5 record after getting stopped by Will Sather of Eden Prairie 5-3 in the state finals.
Dauffenbach (107 pounds) and Nicholson (114) each placed fourth at state while Turner finished sixth at 160 pounds. Rogotzke placed third in the 142-pound weight class in the girls state tournament to add to her gold medal from 2022 and silver medal from 2023.
Additional state qualifiers for the Ponies included Mikey Jelinek, Cohen Lumby, Cael Spates, Isaac Hunter and Mack Carlson.
Hunter and Nicholson joined Tuttle in earning All-Suburban East Conference honors for the Stillwater boys while Jaelyn Surgenor, Lillian Eggum, Maya Jelinek, Aubrey Spates and Cham Obang joined Rogotzke in receiving all-conference honors from the girls team.
Stillwater finished the season with a 29-7 record against a schedule that included most of the top teams in the state. The Ponies handed Class AAA state champion St. Michael-Albertville its only dual meet setback of the season 27-25 on Jan. 19, but were unable to get past eventual state runner-up Mounds View in the Suburban East Conference and in Section 4AAA.
The Mustangs defeated Stillwater 32-16 in the section finals to end a run of seven consecutive trips to state for the Ponies. It also stopped a streak of five straight seasons of Stillwater placing among the top three at state.
Stillwater also excelled in the classroom while earning a Gold Academic Award from the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association, which requires a 3.5 grade point average or higher from the top 10 academically on the postseason roster.
Cade Elzen and Ryan Gregory (JV) were named the team’s Most Improved Wrestler(s) while Nicholson and Jelinek were co-recipients of the Most Exciting Wrestler award.
The Joey Gould Impact Award was presented to Keaton Urbanski and Andrew Karas (JV).
Eli Neye was chosen the JV MVP and Rogotzke took home the Warrior Woman Award.
Wrestling
All-Conference: Jaelyn Surgenor, Lillian Eggum, Maya Jelinek, Aubrey Spates, Audrey Rogotzke, Cham Obang, Noah Nicholson, Isaac Hunter and Cito Tuttle; Individual state qualifiers: Audrey Rogotzke, Joe Dauffenbach, Noah Nicholson, Mikey Jelinek, Cohen Lumby, Cael Spates, Lindson Turner, Isaac Hunter, Mack Carlson and Cito Tuttle; All-State (state placewinners): Audrey Rogotzke, Joe Dauffenbach, Noah Nicholson, Lindson Turner and Cito Tuttle; Most Improved Wrestler: Ryan Gregory (JV) and Cade Elzen; Most Exciting Wrestler: Noah Nicholson and Mikey Jelinek; JV MVP: Eli Nye; Joey Gould Impact Award: Andrew Karas (JV) and Keaton Urbanski; Warrior Woman Award: Audrey Rogotzke; Most Valuable Athlete: Cito Tuttle; Captains elect: Joe Dauffenbach and Lindson Turner.
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